HfP ‘Credit Cards’ page updated for August 2017 – what are the best deals this month?

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UPDATE – DECEMBER 2021: This article is now out of date, but don’t worry. We produce a monthly directory of the top UK travel credit card offers – please click HERE or use the ‘Credit Card Offers’ menu above. Thank you.

It is time for our monthly round up of what is coming and what is going in the world of UK airline and hotel credit card sign-up deals.

Our updated directory of all 22 UK travel credit cards can be found by clicking the ‘Credit Cards’ tab at the top of the site or – for email, Flipboard, Apple News or mobile readers – by clicking here. This article is a summary of the recent changes, and will hopefully be a useful starting point for new readers.

MBNA American Airlines credit card

What’s changed this month?

The main development last month did not involve a new bonus. It was American Express losing the first round of its legal challenge to stop the British Airways American Express having its fees to retailers capped at 0.3%. This would have long term repercussions on the benefits that Amex could afford to give cardholders. My very long article discussing this is here if you’ve got a cup of coffee handy.

We lost another credit card last month. Lloyds Bank pulled its Choice Rewards cards, which came as an Amex and MasterCard double-pack. This card offered Avios points alongside various other reward options, but it was not ‘best in class’ by any means and won’t be missed. I doubt many readers had one.

These are the most interesting special offers currently running:

In June, MBNA scrapped its existing American Airlines cards (free, a dual Amex / Visa package) and replaced them with something completely different, together with a bonus which ends soon.

The American Express card has gone. You now have a package which looks like this:

£70 annual fee
15,000 American Airlines miles for signing up by 22nd August (likely to drop to 5,000 miles)
an excellent 1.25 miles per £1 spent
Visa only

Full details, and my view on whether to apply, are in this article here.

In other news:

British Airways is still running an improved sign-up bonus on its two British Airways American Express cards. No closing date has been given for this deal.

There is a slight tweak this time. The Premium Plus card is back to 25,000 Avios for signing up. The free BA Amex, however, is only up to 5,000 Avios from the usual 3,000 Avios – this is usually increased to 9,000 Avios.

I would guess that Amex is trying to encourage more people to take the Premium Plus card by widening the gap in the sign-up bonus. Frankly, you shouldn’t get the free BA Amex if you are planning to earn the 2-4-1 Avios flight voucher – this article explains why.

Tesco is offering a £50 Tesco gift card if you sign for the Tesco Premium Credit Card before the end of August. My review of the card is here. If you convert your Clubcard points from purchases into Avios it works out at 0.6 Avios per £1 which is very good for a Visa or MasterCard. My full article on the deal is here.

Finally, the additional bonus points on the HSBC Premier credit cards end on 31st August. The £195 World Elite MasterCard is currently at 90,000 points (45,000 Avios or other miles) although 20,000 Avios of this is only paid after a year and only if you have spent £12,000. The free HSBC Premier card does not usually have a bonus but currently offers 10,000 points (5,000 Avios when converted). The snag is that qualifying for HSBC Premier is very difficult – see my full article here.

Want to earn more points from credit cards? – December 2021 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit or charge card, here are our November 2021 recommendations based on the current sign-up bonus.

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the top current deals:

British Airways BA Amex American Express card

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up, no annual fee and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending ….. Read our full review

British Airways BA Premium Plus American Express Amex credit card

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the UK’s most valuable credit card perk – the 2-4-1 companion voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers.

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and free for a year Read our full review

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and a long list of travel benefits Read our full review

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending:

Barclaycard Select Cashback Credit Card

1% cashback and no annual fee Read our full review

Category

American Airlines and AAdvantage, American Express Gold card, American Express Platinum card, British Airways American Express, Tesco Clubcard

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Optimus Prime says:

6 Aug6 August 10:50

OT : about the delays in security controls at EU airports, specifically Brussels: if you fly Club Europe do you get any fast track access which actually makes any difference?
Nick M says:

6 Aug6 August 11:15

OT – Eurostar

Does anyone know if transferring points from Amex MR counts activity? – I thought it did and so thought I basically had 2 years to use them… it’s been 12 months and AwardWallet has just told me they’ve been removed from my account
- Rob says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 11:48
  
  As the new scheme launches in 3 months that seems tight. I would drop them a note.
Mycity says:

6 Aug6 August 12:53

Slightly O/T. I cancelled my Lloyds Avios Card last December, has anyone any experience of opening up a new one 7/8 months later?
- Rob says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 16:19
  
  You probably can but you won’t get the refer a friend bonus. The record currently stands at 10 years (ie the longest gap a reader has had between Lloyds products but still been declined for refer a friend for not being a new customer).
- Alex W says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 17:28
  
  I’ve done this. Got signup bonus but only a goodwill gesture after Twitter messages. Also got interest free period, no Avios and £300 compo!
rob says:

6 Aug6 August 16:20

OT – Does anyone know if using BAPP to transfer £ to Revolut counts as a purchase or cash advance?
- Genghis says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 16:27
  
  Enlighten me?
  - Rob says:
    
    6 Aug6 August 17:49
    
    Revolut doesn’t take Amex IIRC. May be a purchase on other cards but the 1% fee makes it a weak deal.
  - rob says:
    
    6 Aug6 August 18:13
    
    Gengis : Ooops, might have over-egged my BAPP’s (pardon the pun) I’m still a relative newbie to this (just collecting – no points redemptions yet!) I have the BA Amex Premium Plus and was wondering if crediting a balance to my Revolut card account from the BAPP is classed by the BAPP as a purchase instead of a cash advance? This excerpt from Anika’s HfP email of 23rd July about her use of Revolut initiated my query:
    
    How does it work?
    You can top up your Revolut account by bank transfer, debit or credit card. There is a 1% fee for credit card top ups.
    
    My TSB credit card treats Revolut top-ups as a ‘purchase’. Comment online suggest that some credit cards treat Revolut as a cash advance (no points, cash fee) and others as a purchase (would earn points, no fee). There could be potential here for ‘purchasing’ miles relatively cheaply if you had a very high earning Visa or MasterCard such as Virgin Black, although I haven’t tested it with an MBNA card.
    
    I’m aware of Revolut’s 1% fee but IIRC that’s recharged to the underlying card?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    - Genghis says:
      
      6 Aug6 August 18:31
      
      When Revolut first started accepting credit card top ups they said, “For now, we’re accepting MasterCard and Visa credit cards; American Express isn’t supported just yet.”
      http://news.revolut.com/post/148205788442/acceptingcreditcards
      
      So I thought you were saying Amex cards were being accepted. Just checked and they’re not.
    - Genghis says:
      
      6 Aug6 August 18:34
      
      When I experimented a while back with MS opportunities, MBNA charged cash advance fees quite often though not tried it with Revolut.
      - rob says:
        
        6 Aug6 August 19:55
        
        Thanks Genghis!
AVM says:

6 Aug6 August 16:21

Hi, can you please let me know if anyone was offered 3000 avios (or anything at all) to add a supp BAPP card? Cheers!
- Rob says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 17:49
  
  Yes, it seems to be showing on (all?) accounts.
  - AVM says:
    
    6 Aug6 August 20:22
    
    Thanks, Rob! The problem is – I don’t see it. I had it on my Gold charge card before, but don’t have it on BAPP (or Gold card anymore…).
    - Rob says:
      
      6 Aug6 August 22:20
      
      It keeps reappearing on the statement page of my wife’s BAPP. Try a different browser or computer, perhaps.
    - Jay says:
      
      6 Aug6 August 22:57
      
      I had it appear in my account but disappeared. However it’s being advertised on FB so you can click through there and get the 3k avios points as I did. Available until 31st Aug so hope that might be of help 🙂
      - Drav says:
        
        7 Aug7 August 08:27
        
        excellent news… just got my first BAPP. with the supplementary card i should get about 37500 avios in one churn… not bad
Chelseafi says:

6 Aug6 August 17:20

O/T trying to check in for my BA flight Corfu to Heathrow getting this message –
Sorry, we are unable to offer you Online Check-in for this flight on this occasion.
To check in and receive your boarding pass, please contact the operating carrier at the airport.

Is this normal as we are family of 4 and wanted seats together? Thanks
- the real harry1 says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 19:25
  
  it is a tell-tale sign that your flight has been cancelled / over-booked – or perhaps switched aircraft
  
  I’d get on the phone to customer services
  - Chelseafi says:
    
    6 Aug6 August 21:22
    
    Now I’m worried not really with children (19 & 17) I don’t have phone signal should I try at reception in morning to call and do you know number thanks
    - the real harry1 says:
      
      6 Aug6 August 21:29
      
      I shouldn’t worry over-much – BA will sort you out if there is a cancellation – your flight is not noted on other threads (FT) as being cancelled
      
      probably nothing or you’ll maybe get to fly Qatar
      
      but could be a good idea to get there 3hrs before flight
      - Chelseafi says:
        
        6 Aug6 August 21:51
        
        Thanks for details
- Anna says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 20:53
  
  If you’re travelling with children you should have your seats allocated about 5 days prior to travelling.
- Anna says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 20:55
  
  Though I have known this message to come up if you’re travelling with a baby who doesn’t have its own seat.
- Leo says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 21:19
  
  I’ve had that message coming back from Greece with BA loads of times – nothing wrong, just OLCI wasn’t available. I’ve not had it from the UK with BA but I’ve had it with Virgin for no good reason. If you are fretting, phone Customer services and try not to worry too much.
Ell says:

6 Aug6 August 17:34

Can someone confirm to me if the table at the below link is still the correct prices? If not I’d appreciate a link to an updated one (if it exists!)

Thanks

https://headforpoints.com/2015/07/27/british-airways-avios-redemption-pricing-by-route/
- Rob says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 17:48
  
  The numbers are correct. There is no updated version which includes new routes like Fort Lauderdale.
Cate says:

6 Aug6 August 19:30

The disparity between our sign up bonus points and those in the US – for the same card – is depressing….
- Bill says:
  
  6 Aug6 August 19:43
  
  The yanks can’t churn cards though
  - Talay says:
    
    8 Aug8 August 00:19
    
    Why ?
    
    Take out, cancel, re-apply.
    
    What is impossible about that ?
    - Alan says:
      
      8 Aug8 August 00:32
      
      New Amex USA rules re sign-up bonuses. In reality they’d probably give them again after a few years, but definitely not after just 6/12.