One of the UK's best-known Avios credit cards just got less rewarding. American Express has cut the earn rate on the BA Premium Plus card by a sixth on everyday spending, and by more than half on British Airways purchases. That makes Barclaycard's Avios Plus card the higher earner on everyday spending. Here's exactly what changed, what it costs you, and whether you should switch.
Key takeaways
- Earn rate cut: BA Amex Premium Plus fell from 1.5 to 1.25 Avios per £1 on 7 October 2026. BA and BA Holidays spend fell from 3 to 1.25 Avios per £1.
- Unchanged: the £300 annual fee and the 2-4-1 Companion Voucher after £15,000 of spend in a card year.
- New from April 2027: 1 tier point per £10 spent, now credited as you go, with the annual cap rising from 2,500 to 3,000.
- Barclaycard Avios Plus earns 1.5 Avios per £1 for £20 a month (£240 a year), with an upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios after £10,000 of spend.
- On £15,000 of spend, Premium Plus now earns 18,750 Avios against 22,500 on Avios Plus.
What changed on the BA Amex Premium Plus card?
American Express cut the card's Avios earn rate from 7 October 2026. The change was first reported by Head for Points on 17 July, when Amex began writing to cardholders.
| Before 7 October 2026 | From 7 October 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday spending | 1.5 Avios per £1 | 1.25 Avios per £1 |
| British Airways and BA Holidays | 3 Avios per £1 | 1.25 Avios per £1 |
| Annual fee | £300 | £300 |
| Companion Voucher | After £15,000 spend | After £15,000 spend |
| Tier points | Lump sums at £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 | 1 per £10, as you go, up to 3,000 (from 1 April 2027) |
American Express's card page now confirms the 1.25 Avios rate. The Representative APR is 135.7% variable, based on an assumed £1,200 credit limit and including the £300 fee. The purchase rate is 29.1% variable, and credit is subject to status.
The BA spend change hurts most. If you put £2,000 of flights and holidays on the card each year, you used to earn 6,000 Avios on that spending. Now it's 2,500.
How much will the cut cost you?
For a typical cardholder, a few thousand Avios a year. On £15,000 of everyday spending, the amount needed to earn the Companion Voucher, you now earn 18,750 Avios instead of 22,500. That's 3,750 fewer.
Avios are often valued at around 1p each, and Head for Points suggests aiming for 1p to 1.75p when you redeem. On that basis, the cut costs a £15,000-a-year spender roughly £37 to £66 a year, on top of the £300 fee.
There's one small upside. From 1 April 2027, Premium Plus will credit tier points as you spend rather than at fixed thresholds, and the annual maximum rises from 2,500 to 3,000. That matters if you're chasing British Airways Club status, but it won't replace the lost Avios for most people.
How does Barclaycard Avios Plus compare?
Barclaycard Avios Plus is now the higher-earning Avios card. It earns 1.5 Avios per £1 on eligible spending, the rate Premium Plus used to offer, and costs £20 a month. These are the details from Barclaycard's card page:
| BA Amex Premium Plus | Barclaycard Avios Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | £300 a year | £20 a month (£240 a year) |
| Avios per £1 | 1.25 | 1.5 |
| Welcome bonus | 30,000 Avios for £6,000 spend in 3 months | 25,000 Avios for £3,000 spend in 3 months |
| Spend reward | 2-4-1 Companion Voucher at £15,000 | Upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios at £10,000 |
| Network | American Express | Mastercard |
| Representative APR | 135.7% variable | 80.1% variable |
| Purchase rate | 29.1% variable | 29.9% variable |
The Premium Plus welcome bonus is from Head for Points' June 2026 card review. You don't qualify if you've held a personal BA Amex card in the past 24 months. The Barclaycard bonus is for people new to Barclaycard. Both APRs assume a £1,200 credit limit, and credit is subject to status.
Avios Plus has three other advantages:
- It's cheaper. £240 a year, or £15 a month if you also hold Barclays Avios Rewards on your current account, according to Head for Points.
- It's monthly. You can cancel without paying a year's fee upfront.
- It's a Mastercard, so it's accepted in more places than American Express.
You need to be 21 or over with a personal income above £20,000 to apply.
Companion Voucher vs upgrade voucher: which is worth more?
This is the deciding factor, and it depends entirely on how you fly. The Premium Plus 2-4-1 Companion Voucher lets two people fly on an Avios reward flight for the Avios price of one, in any cabin. It's valid for two years.
The Barclaycard upgrade voucher works on a single Avios reward flight booking, or you can take 7,000 Avios instead.
Here's what each card gives you on exactly £15,000 of spend in a year:
| Avios earned | Spend reward | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA Amex Premium Plus | 18,750 | 2-4-1 Companion Voucher (any cabin) | £300 |
| Barclaycard Avios Plus | 22,500 | Upgrade voucher, or 7,000 Avios (29,500 in total) | £240 |
| Free BA Amex | 15,000 | 2-4-1 voucher, economy only, valid 1 year | £0 |
If you'd use the Companion Voucher for two people in business class, Premium Plus is still likely to be the better card. On a long-haul route, the Avios you save on the second seat can far outweigh the 3,750 Avios you lose to the cut. Remember that you still pay taxes and charges on both tickets.
If you don't use the voucher, or only fly economy, Avios Plus now earns more, costs less and lets you take the 7,000 bonus Avios instead.
Take Action: Look at how you used your last Companion Voucher. If you didn't use it, or used it in economy, the switch to Avios Plus is worth considering.
Should you keep, switch or downgrade?
It depends on how much you spend and how you redeem. This is the simplest way to decide:
| If you... | What may suit you |
|---|---|
| Spend £15,000+ a year and use the voucher in business or first | Keep Premium Plus |
| Spend £10,000 to £15,000 a year and don't use the voucher | Consider Barclaycard Avios Plus |
| Spend under £10,000 a year | The free BA Amex (1 Avios per £1, no fee) |
| Want flexible points rather than just Avios | Amex Preferred Rewards Gold |
| Are chasing British Airways Club status | Keep Premium Plus for the tier points from April 2027 |
If you do switch, use up or note your Companion Voucher first, and time the change around your card anniversary. Amex refunds Premium Plus fees pro rata if you cancel, according to Head for Points' review.
Is Amex Gold a better alternative?
For some people, yes. The Amex Preferred Rewards Gold card earns Membership Rewards points instead of Avios. They transfer to British Airways Avios at 1:1, but also to other airline and hotel schemes. It has a Representative APR of 85.8% variable, and credit is subject to status.
According to Amex's Gold card page, Gold earns:
- 1 point per £1 on everyday spending
- 2 points per £1 when you buy directly from airlines
- 3 points per £1 at American Express Travel
Gold also includes 5,000 bonus points after £10,000 of spending a year and four Priority Pass lounge visits. The £195 annual fee is waived in the first year. The welcome bonus is 20,000 points for spending £3,000 in three months, if you haven't held a personal Amex card in the past 24 months.
On everyday spending, Gold earns less than Premium Plus. But if you book flights directly with airlines, its 2 points per £1 now beats Premium Plus's 1.25 Avios on BA spending. Read our full Amex welcome bonus guide and Amex Gold vs Platinum comparison for more detail.
A note on all of these cards: only use a rewards credit card if you clear the balance in full every month. At a purchase rate of around 29% variable, interest would wipe out the value of any Avios you earn. If you're carrying a balance, read our guide on how to get out of debt first.
Other ways to earn Avios without a credit card
You don't need an expensive card to collect Avios. Two free options stack well with any of the cards above:
- Uber: linking your Uber account to the British Airways Club earns 2 Avios per £1 on Comfort, XL, Exec and airport trips. See our guide to stacking Uber One, Avios and RevPoints.
- Revolut RevPoints: paid Revolut plans earn RevPoints on card spending, which convert to Avios at 1:1. Compare the rates in our Revolut plans guide.
FAQ
What is the BA Amex Premium Plus earn rate now?
From 7 October 2026, the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card earns 1.25 Avios per £1 on eligible spending, down from 1.5. British Airways and BA Holidays purchases also earn 1.25 Avios per £1, down from 3. The £300 fee and the Companion Voucher at £15,000 spend are unchanged.
Is the BA Premium Plus card still worth it?
It's still worth it if you spend at least £15,000 a year and use the 2-4-1 Companion Voucher in business or first class, where it saves the most Avios. If you don't use the voucher, or only fly economy, the Barclaycard Avios Plus card now earns more Avios for a lower fee.
Is Barclaycard Avios Plus better than BA Amex Premium Plus?
For earning Avios, yes. Barclaycard Avios Plus earns 1.5 Avios per £1 against 1.25 on Premium Plus, and costs £240 a year against £300. Premium Plus is still better for heavy BA flyers who value its 2-4-1 Companion Voucher and the tier points coming in April 2027.
When does the BA Amex Companion Voucher expire?
The Premium Plus Companion Voucher is valid for two years from when you earn it, and can be used in any cabin. The voucher from the free BA Amex card is valid for one year and is for economy only. Both need £15,000 of eligible spending in a card year.
Can I earn tier points with the BA Amex Premium Plus?
Yes. From 1 April 2027, Premium Plus earns 1 British Airways tier point per £10 of eligible spending, credited as you go, up to 3,000 tier points a year. Previously, tier points were awarded in lump sums when you reached £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 of spending, with a cap of 2,500.
The bottom line
The BA Amex Premium Plus card is now a voucher card first and an earning card second. At 1.25 Avios per £1, it no longer beats the Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard on everyday spending, and it's lost its big bonus on British Airways purchases.
If you reliably use the 2-4-1 voucher in a premium cabin, keep it. If you don't, switching to Avios Plus, or using the free BA Amex alongside flexible points from the Amex Gold card, could earn you more for less. For help planning which card fits your spending, see our personal finance review.