British Airways Visa Signature Card overview
*Card Ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
Some profitable bank card choices from international airways are sometimes ignored, and the British Airways Visa Signature Card — the one cobranded bank card that British Airways gives within the U.S. — is amongst them.
It contains a $95 annual price and we suggest candidates have a credit score rating of 670 or increased to extend their probabilities of approval.
It does not include frequent airline advantages similar to a free checked bag or precedence boarding. However, it is one of many extra worthwhile airline playing cards in the marketplace due to its large welcome bonus and money-saving perks.
Let’s study whether or not the cardboard deserves a spot in your pockets.
British Airways Visa professionals and cons
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British Airways Visa welcome bonus
Based on TPG’s April 2025 valuations, Avios are value 1.4 cents apiece, so incomes 85,000 Avios is value a wholesome $1,190. The present supply is barely increased than earlier gives and is value profiting from in case you’ve had this card in your radar.
One necessary word: Like different Chase-issued client playing cards, the British Airways Visa falls below Chase’s 5/24 rule. Should you’ve opened greater than 5 bank cards prior to now 24 months (from all banks, not simply Chase), your utility will seemingly be rejected.
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Associated: Playing cards at present providing welcome bonuses of 100,000 factors or extra
British Airways Visa advantages
- Reward flight assertion credit score: Obtain a press release credit score 3 times a 12 months of $100 for Economic system (World Traveller) and Premium Economic system (World Traveller Plus) seats — or $200 for Enterprise (Membership World) and first-class seats (as much as $600 per calendar 12 months) — while you e-book a reward flight to London touring on British Airways and pay taxes, charges and fees along with your British Airways Visa Signature Card. This can assist you fight British Airways’ notoriously excessive gasoline surcharges.
- Journey Collectively Ticket: Spend $30,000 on the cardboard every calendar 12 months and earn a Journey Collectively Ticket, which lets you add a companion to a Reward Flight for no extra value or save 50% on the Avios required if touring solo. That is on any round-trip British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus redemption in any class.
- 10% flight low cost: Ebook by way of the web site supplied in your welcome supplies and get 10% off eligible British Airways flights.
- Visa Signature perks: As a result of it is a Visa Signature card, you will get perks like misplaced/delayed baggage safety, buy safety, secondary automotive rental insurance coverage and entry to the Visa Signature Luxurious Lodge Assortment.
- No international transaction charges: You will not be charged further charges while you use your card overseas.
Once more, these are completely different advantages than you will discover on many cobranded airline playing cards, however they’ll present vital worth to those that often e-book award flights utilizing Avios.
Associated: British Airways Membership: Information to Avios, elite standing and switch companions
Incomes Avios on the British Airways Visa
- 3 Avios per greenback spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Degree
- 2 Avios per greenback spent on lodge bookings made immediately with the lodge
- 1 Avios per greenback spent on all different purchases
Whereas these aren’t spectacular incomes charges, the bonus classes and the worth cardholders can get from the cardboard’s extra advantages make this a superb card possibility for a lot of British Airways frequent flyers.
Associated: The most effective methods to earn British Airways Avios
Redeeming Avios on the British Airways Visa
The obvious solution to redeem the Avios you earn with the British Airways Visa is to e-book award tickets with British Airways. Due to British Airways’ distance-based award chart, one of many greatest candy spots in this system is for short-haul awards.
This system fees a mere 6.500 miles for award flights which might be 651 miles to 1,151 miles lengthy throughout off-peak season and 12,750 miles for enterprise class throughout off-peak season. To place that in perspective, a flight from London to Rome matches into that band.
Nonetheless, British Airways imposes hefty taxes and surcharges on a few of its personal worldwide award tickets.
Subsequently, one of the best makes use of for Avios are generally for associate awards. You might redeem your factors on greater than a dozen Oneworld alliance airways, similar to American Airways, Alaska Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways.
Associated: Easy methods to maximize the British Airways distance-based award chart
Transferring Avios on the British Airways Visa
You’ll be able to switch Avios on the British Airways Visa to different Avios-earning airways like Aer Lingus, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways. This lets you journey to many Oneworld locations and e-book them with these Avios.
Because the mileage forex of British Airways and these 4 companions, you possibly can switch Avios between the 5 airways.
Iberia tends to cost considerably decrease taxes and surcharges than British Airways. Moreover, Iberia fees based mostly on complete miles flown as an alternative of per section, making it the winner for some connecting itineraries.
I’ve gotten good worth from my Avios by utilizing them to e-book by way of Iberia to fly from O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) and San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Madrid in enterprise class for below 34,000 Avios every time.
Associated: Easy methods to e-book Iberia flights to Spain (and past) utilizing Avios
Which playing cards compete with the British Airways Visa Card?
Chances are you’ll determine to go together with a distinct card that earns Avios or a card that earns transferable factors that you would be able to switch to Avios, like one among these:
- If you’re not over the 5/24 rule: The Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) additionally comes with a $95 annual price and earns 5 factors per greenback spent on journey when booked by way of the Chase Journey℠ portal and a pair of factors per greenback spent on all different journey. It additionally earns bonus factors on eating and choose streaming providers. For extra data, learn our full evaluate of the Chase Sapphire Most popular.
- If you’re over the 5/24 rule. The American Specific® Gold Card has a better annual price of $325 (see charges and costs) but additionally gives increased incomes charges and comes with many worthwhile perks that offset the annual price, together with a wide range of assertion credit (enrollment required). The Membership Rewards factors earned by this card will be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to British Airways. For extra data, learn our full evaluate of the Amex Gold.
- If you wish to earn Avios with a distinct card: The Iberia Visa Signature® Card has the identical incomes construction because the British Airways Visa. Nevertheless, it has extra Iberia-specific perks, like a 10% low cost when reserving choose Iberia flights.
The data for the Iberia Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
For added choices, try our full listing of one of the best airline bank cards.
Associated: 5 the reason why you must care about British Airways Avios
Is the British Airways Visa value it?
Backside line
Diversifying your portfolio of loyalty currencies is essential on the planet of journey rewards, and the British Airways Visa represents a incredible solution to just do that. With a worthwhile welcome supply, a low annual price and the chance to get a few of your taxes and costs credited again, this card is a superb alternative for British Airways loyalists.
Apply right here: British Airways Visa Signature Card
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold card, click on right here.
