If you want to collect Avios without paying a fee, the free BA Amex is the obvious starting point. It's simple, it earns Avios on everything, and it still comes with a Companion Voucher. But there's a catch that matters if you might ever want the Premium Plus card. Here's the full picture.
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Free BA Amex Credit Card Review 2026: Is It Worth Getting?
Free British Airways Amex review for 2026. 1 Avios per £1, a 5,000 Avios bonus, the economy 2-4-1 voucher at £15,000 and when Premium Plus is the smarter pick.
Key takeaways
- No annual fee. Representative 29.1% APR variable. Credit is subject to status.
- Earns 1 Avios per £1 on eligible spending.
- Welcome bonus: 5,000 Avios for £2,000 spend in three months (Reward Flight Finder, 26 Oct 2026).
- Economy 2-4-1 Companion Voucher when you spend £15,000 in a cardmembership year.
- The catch: holding any personal BA Amex in the last 24 months rules you out of the Premium Plus welcome bonus, which is 30,000 Avios on the standard offer.
What does the free BA Amex include?
| Feature | BA Amex (free) |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0 |
| Representative APR | 29.1% variable |
| Welcome bonus | 5,000 Avios for £2,000 spend in 3 months |
| Earn rate | 1 Avios per £1 |
| Companion Voucher | 2-4-1 in economy (World Traveller) at £15,000 spend in a card year |
| Foreign spending | 2.99% non-sterling fee |
Avios go straight into your British Airways Club account. You can spend them on BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways and other partner flights, or on hotels and car hire, though flights usually give the best value.
How valuable is the economy Companion Voucher?
The free card's voucher works like the Premium Plus one, but only in economy. Two people fly on an Avios reward booking for the Avios price of one, and you pay taxes and charges for both.
In economy, the saving is smaller than in business class. Taxes and charges on long-haul economy rewards from the UK can be high, so the voucher tends to work best on routes and dates where the cash price is expensive and the Avios price is low. For many people, it's a nice extra rather than a reason to get the card.
Is the free BA Amex worth it?
Yes, if you want to earn Avios without a fee and you don't plan to get the Premium Plus card in the next two years. Here's what the Avios could be worth on your spending:
Calculator
What could the free BA Amex earn on your spending?
- Monthly card spending£1,000
- Avios value (% of spend)1%
- Annual fee£0
Cashback a year£120
Per month£10.00
Over 5 years£600
Assumes 1 Avios per £1 valued at about 1p each. Head for Points suggests aiming for 1p to 1.75p per Avios when you redeem. Ignores the welcome bonus and Companion Voucher.
On £1,000 a month, that's 12,000 Avios a year, worth about £120 at 1p each, for no fee.
Free BA Amex or Premium Plus?
This is the decision that matters most, because of the 24-month rule. If you get the free card now, you can't earn the Premium Plus welcome bonus (30,000 Avios on the standard offer) until 24 months after you close it.
| BA Amex (free) | BA Premium Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0 | £300 |
| Representative APR | 29.1% variable | 135.7% variable |
| Welcome bonus | 5,000 Avios for £2,000 spend | 30,000 Avios for £6,000 spend |
| Avios per £1 | 1 | 1.25 |
| Voucher at £15,000 | Economy only | Any cabin |
A common approach is to apply for Premium Plus first, collect the bigger bonus, then downgrade to the free card before the second annual fee if you don't need the any-cabin voucher. Downgrading keeps your account open without the fee.
You can apply for the BA Premium Plus card with our referral link (Representative 135.7% APR variable, credit subject to status). Read our BA Premium Plus review for the full details.
Take Action: If you think you'll want Premium Plus within two years, don't apply for the free card first.
Free BA Amex vs other no-fee options
| BA Amex (free) | Barclaycard Avios | Amex Rewards Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Earns | 1 Avios per £1 | 1 Avios per £1 | 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 |
| Voucher | Economy 2-4-1 at £15,000 | Upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios at £20,000 | None |
| Network | Amex | Mastercard | Amex |
Barclaycard Avios (Representative 29.9% APR variable, credit is subject to status) is a Mastercard, so it's accepted in more places. Our cashback vs Avios guide can help you decide whether Avios are right for you at all.
Eligibility
You need to be over 18 with a UK address and pass Amex's credit checks. To get the welcome bonus, you must not have held a personal British Airways Amex card in the last 24 months. Holding Amex Gold or Platinum doesn't affect it. Credit is subject to status.
Things to watch out for
- Interest at 29.1% variable wipes out the value of Avios if you don't pay in full each month.
- 2.99% on foreign spending. Use a fee-free card abroad.
- Avios can expire if your British Airways Club account has no activity for 36 months.
- Amex acceptance is good in the UK but not universal.
FAQ
Is the British Airways Amex credit card free?
Yes. The British Airways American Express Credit Card has no annual fee. The Representative APR is 29.1% variable. It earns 1 Avios per £1 and offers an economy 2-4-1 Companion Voucher when you spend £15,000 in a cardmembership year.
What is the free BA Amex welcome bonus?
The free BA Amex welcome bonus is 5,000 Avios when you spend £2,000 in the first three months, according to Reward Flight Finder on 26 October 2026. You won't qualify if you've held a personal British Airways Amex card in the previous 24 months.
Can I upgrade from the free BA Amex to Premium Plus?
You can usually upgrade, but you won't receive the Premium Plus welcome bonus, because you've held a BA Amex in the last 24 months. Many people apply for Premium Plus first to get the bonus, then downgrade to the free card later if they don't need the any-cabin voucher.
Does the free BA Amex give a Companion Voucher?
Yes. Spend £15,000 on the free BA Amex in a cardmembership year and you'll get a 2-4-1 Companion Voucher for economy (World Traveller) reward flights. Two people fly for the Avios price of one, but you pay taxes and charges for both.
Is the free BA Amex or Barclaycard Avios better?
Both are free and earn 1 Avios per £1. The BA Amex gives an economy 2-4-1 voucher at £15,000 spend, while Barclaycard Avios gives an upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios at £20,000. Barclaycard is a Mastercard, so it's accepted more widely.
The bottom line
The free BA Amex is a good no-fee Avios card, especially for people who'll never pay for a premium card. But because of the 24-month rule, anyone who might want Premium Plus should usually get that first, collect the bigger bonus, and downgrade later.
Apply for the BA Premium Plus card with our referral link if you want the bigger Avios bonus. Representative 135.7% APR variable. Credit is subject to status.
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