British Airways Amex review: Premium Plus vs the free card

The short answer

Get Premium Plus if you can spend £15,000 a year on it and want to fly two people in business class. The Companion Voucher works in any cabin and can save you far more than the £300 fee.

Get the free card if you mostly fly economy, or you're not sure you'll reach £15,000. It costs nothing and still earns Avios, but its voucher only works in economy.

Consider neither if you want flexible points. The Amex Gold earns points that can become Avios or Virgin Points later.

The two cards compared

Both vouchers are earned by spending £15,000 in a card year. Offers checked October 2026.

The Companion Voucher explained

The voucher is the reason to get either card. Spend £15,000 in your card year and you can use it in one of two ways:

• Two for one: book a reward flight for two people and pay the Avios for just one seat.
• Half price solo: book a reward flight for yourself at 50% off the Avios.

It works on reward flights with British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus. You still pay the taxes and charges for both travellers, and you need to find two reward seats on the same flight.

For the best ways to use it, see our guide to the smartest ways to spend Avios and the best business class seats you can book with points.

Premium Plus in detail

Best for business class

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

Annual fee

£300

Welcome bonus

30,000 Avios after £6,000 in 3 months

Earn rate

1.25 Avios per £1

Key perk

Any-cabin Companion Voucher at £15,000

The welcome bonus gives you 30,000 Avios, and with the points from the £6,000 spend you'll have around 37,500 Avios to start. After that, you earn 1.25 Avios per £1 on everything.

The Companion Voucher works in every cabin, including business and First, and lasts two years. That gives you plenty of time to find two reward seats on the route you want.

Tier points: you can also earn up to 2,500 British Airways Club tier points a year from spending (750 at £15,000, 750 more at £20,000 and 1,000 more at £25,000). You need to opt in. From April 2027 it changes to 1 tier point per £10 spent automatically, up to 3,000 a year.

Suits you if you spend £15,000 or more a year and travel as a pair, especially in business class.

The free card in detail

Best free option

British Airways American Express Credit Card

Annual fee

Free

Welcome bonus

5,000 Avios after £2,000 in 3 months

Earn rate

1 Avios per £1

Key perk

Economy Companion Voucher at £15,000

A simple, free way to earn Avios on your everyday spending. The welcome bonus is small, but there's no fee to cover, so every Avios you earn is a bonus.

The Companion Voucher only works in economy and lasts 12 months, so use it quickly. It's best for families flying to Europe or for a cheap long-haul economy trip for two.

Worth knowing: you can earn 4,000 Avios for each friend you refer who's approved for the card.

Suits you if you're new to Avios, fly mostly in economy or don't want to pay an annual fee.

What changed on 7 October 2026

• Premium Plus earn rate dropped from 1.5 to 1.25 Avios per £1.
• The triple Avios bonus on British Airways flights and holidays was removed. Premium Plus now earns the same 1.25 Avios per £1 everywhere.
• The welcome bonus went back to 30,000 Avios after a limited-time offer of 60,000 ended on 6 October.
• The Companion Voucher didn't change. It's still earned at £15,000 and still works in any cabin on Premium Plus.

The changes make Premium Plus less of an everyday earning card. It's now mainly a voucher card: you get it for the Companion Voucher and put other spending elsewhere.

Which one pays off?

Here's what each card gives you if you spend exactly £15,000 in a year:

Premium Plus earns only 3,750 more Avios at this level, so the extra Avios alone don't cover the £300 fee. What you're really paying for is a voucher that works in business class. If you'll use it for a long-haul business trip for two, Premium Plus wins easily. If you'd only use it in economy, the free card is the better deal.

Who each card suits

• Premium Plus: couples and families who spend £15,000 or more a year and want business class trips, or anyone chasing BA status.
• Free card: beginners, economy travellers and people who won't always reach £15,000.
• Neither: if you want flexibility between airlines. Start with Amex Gold instead. See every card in our airline card guide.

Remember the welcome bonus rules: you usually can't get a BA Amex bonus if you've held a British Airways Amex card in the last 24 months, so pick the right one first. Check the current terms before you apply.

Frequently asked questions