Discuss the BA Amex credit cards

135

Comments

  • samtheman1k
    samtheman1k Posts: 473 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Does anyone know if you still need to be an AMEX customer to use the companion voucher? I am looking to get the Premium BA card, paying the £150 fee, spend £10k within the next 12 months & get the companion voucher, then cancel the card...sometime before the voucher expires (24 months), use the voucher...

    Is that allowed?
  • OllyM
    OllyM Posts: 370 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    samtheman1k wrote: »
    Does anyone know if you still need to be an AMEX customer to use the companion voucher? I am looking to get the Premium BA card, paying the £150 fee, spend £10k within the next 12 months & get the companion voucher, then cancel the card...sometime before the voucher expires (24 months), use the voucher...

    Is that allowed?

    Not according to the terms and conditions, no. You are supposed to have the card when you fly.
  • samtheman1k
    samtheman1k Posts: 473 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Which bit of the T&C says that it's not allowed? I can't seem to find it :(
  • OllyM
    OllyM Posts: 370 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    samtheman1k wrote: »
    Which bit of the T&C says that it's not allowed? I can't seem to find it :(

    This bit probably:
    Members must remain eligible for this promotion at the time of travel. BA and Amex reserve the right to refuse to issue or honour any Companion Voucher in the event that the Member is in breach of the terms of the British Airways American Express Card or the BA Executive Club Membership.

    Of course in practice it may well be fine, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it!
  • krankyjones
    krankyjones Posts: 1 Newbie
    Hello, I'm new to credit cards. Just wondering how you can spend £20,000 a year with an assumed credit limit of £1200 per month?
  • OllyM
    OllyM Posts: 370 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    krankyjones wrote: »
    Hello, I'm new to credit cards. Just wondering how you can spend £20,000 a year with an assumed credit limit of £1200 per month?

    Because the £1200 "assumed credit limit" is what they have to use to calculate the representative APR (EU legislation) - you'll probably be given a higher limit. Mine is over 10x that!
  • mrchiggles
    mrchiggles Posts: 103 Forumite
    samtheman1k wrote: »
    Does anyone know if you still need to be an AMEX customer to use the companion voucher? I am looking to get the Premium BA card, paying the £150 fee, spend £10k within the next 12 months & get the companion voucher, then cancel the card...sometime before the voucher expires (24 months), use the voucher...

    Is that allowed?

    Sort of - you just need to request to downgrade the card to the free one once you've got the voucher through. You then need to use that card to pay for the taxes/fees when you redeem the voucher.
  • Freefall
    Freefall Posts: 431 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I wonder if anyone can help me.

    The BA AMEX Premium site states that you earn 3 points for every £1 spend on BA flights.

    However, can you also get points from the standard avios scheme as well?

    Otherwise it is pointless buying tickets with your BA AMEX card which seems pointless.

    An example:
    Ticket bought without BA Amex; Heathrow to JFK is 3458 points, costs £261 (next May)

    The same flight bought with BA AMEX Premium would only get you 783 points (261 x 3)



    Am I missing something?

    TIA
  • thesaver79
    thesaver79 Posts: 189 Forumite
    Freefall wrote: »
    I wonder if anyone can help me.

    The BA AMEX Premium site states that you earn 3 points for every £1 spend on BA flights.

    However, can you also get points from the standard avios scheme as well?

    Otherwise it is pointless buying tickets with your BA AMEX card which seems pointless.

    An example:
    Ticket bought without BA Amex; Heathrow to JFK is 3458 points, costs £261 (next May)

    The same flight bought with BA AMEX Premium would only get you 783 points (261 x 3)



    Am I missing something?

    TIA

    You get 3 miles per £1 spent with BA in addition to the normal Avios you will earn for flying.
  • gph73
    gph73 Posts: 18 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    athorny wrote: »
    Hi,

    I find the Companion voucher absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to use and therefore absolutely USELESS as a benefit. This is over a four year period of trying and trying.

    I have school going kids so can only fly on holiday in school holidays. I have tried EVERYTHING to get the voucher to come on exactly the right day to then book exactly the maximum amount of time in advance that I can book. All absolutely useless because BA never keeps any flights open. (Oh, except for Economy where the taxes are so high you might as well book on another airline for the same cash).

    Any tips or is this actually all a big BA / Amex con?

    Thanks

    I totally agree. I've received a companion voucher every year for the last 4 years. I've only managed to use it once. On the day I got the voucher I checked availability on their long haul routes. There was zero availability for Australasia, East/SE Asia, Southern Africa and South America, even up to 12 months in advance.

    Availability for Europe and the US is much better, but don't expect to fly long haul with this.

    I also find it difficult to use my Avios points on flights. I'm now considering ditching this card for a cash back card. This one is a false economy/benefit.
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards