Charles H. Miller
The U.S. citizens often travelling to the United Kingdom have a way to get something back for every dollar they spend with British Airways. The solution is simple — get the British Airways Visa Signature® Card and earn triple points (so called Avios) per dollar spend with the airline, and 1x point on all other purchases. The card also includes a generous sign-up bonus of 50,000 Avios, but has a $95 annual fee. Something’s gotta give, I guess. There’s also an array of shopping and travel perks compliments of the Visa Signature® program, while the lack of foreign transaction fee makes this card a viable option to use all around the world. Here are the details…
Highlights
- 50,000 Avios sign-up bonus, worth four one-way economy class tickets with British Airways.
- Earn 3x Avios on British Airways purchases, and 1x Avios on everything else.
- Visa Signature shopping and travel benefits
- 16.24-23.24% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
- No foreign transaction fee
- $95 annual fee
How It Works?
The British Airways Visa Signature® Card requires that you are a member of the British Airways Executive Club program. Or if you are not a member, by applying to the card, you will be automatically enrolled to the program.
Earn miles: The card offers 3 miles, so called Avios, for each dollar spent on British Airways purchases and 1 Avios for each dollar spent on all other purchases. There is no limit to the number of Avios you can earn, and Avios do not expire as long as you collect, spend, purchase, or share at least one Avios every 36 months.
Redeem miles: Once earned, Avios could be redeemed for flights or upgrades with British Airways or with OneWorld airline partners like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and LAN Airlines. British Airways flights start at 12,500 Avios, while flights with OneWorld partners could be redeemed for at least 30,000 Avios (for a flight that is 1,500 miles or closer in distance). However, award flights do not include taxes, fees, and carrier charges.
Sign up bonus: 50,000 Avios after you spend $3,000 within the first three months. This is worth four one-way economy class tickets with British Airways.
Annual spending bonus: Every calendar year that you make $30,000 in purchases with the card, you will earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years. This could, obviously, be used to bring a companion in the same cabin (even first class) when you redeem your Avios for a reward seat.
Visa Signature benefits: These would include a number of shopping and travel perks that make these activities that much more enjoyable, and worry-free. You get protection against price changes, theft, a few different insurance types, and more.
Costs
- 16.24-23.24% variable APR for purchases and balance transfers
- 5% Balance Transfer Fee (minimum $5)
- $0 Foreign Transaction Fee
- $95 Annual Fee
Pros
- Generous sign-up bonus of 50,000 Avios that is worth as much as four one-way economy class tickets with British Airways.
- Annual Travel Together Ticket for those who spend $30,000 with the card. A companion traveling with you can use this ticket for a flight in the same class, and on the same schedule. The limitation is that this can only be used for flights booked with Avios.
- Beyond British Airways – the card can also be used to redeem flights with OneWorld partners, though you won’t get the same great deal that way. It is, however, nice to know that your Avios have value on other airlines, as well.
- No foreign transaction fee – this card is obviously made for travelling.
Cons
- Annual fee – which can be justified only by those frequently flying with British Airways. If you are NOT in that group, you should get a different card.
- Other travel perks are missing – and they come included with some other airline-branded cards. We are talking about perks like priority boarding, free checked baggage, and so on. These perks, however, can be bought with Avios.
Is This The Card For You?
Like that’s the case with pretty much any airline-branded credit card, the answer is YES if you frequently fly with that airline. In this case, that’s British Airlines. So, if your business (or some other matter) take you to visit London and other UK cities every month (or so), you should grab the British Airways Visa Signature® Card. You will get a generous sign-up bonus, along with the ability to earn points (Avios) on every purchase, and 3x Avios on purchases with British Airways. The annual fee is $95, APR is in the 16.24-23.24% range, and there is no foreign transaction fee.
