2nd credit card 30 January 2016 at 1:46PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Credit Cards 17 replies 1.6K views

samma90

So last year I got my first credit card, an Aqua Advance card. I didn't particularly need one, but I wanted to improve my credit rating and have a cheap way of spending money abroad. I am now considering getting a BA AmEx card to start accumulating avios points for some cheap flights. This card has attracted me as there is a 9000 bonus avios points after spending a certain amount in the first 3 months, which I will easily do. My first question is;

If I get this card, obviously I will be using it over my aqua card to accumulate as many points as possible, and so wont be using my aqua card(with the exception of using it when AmEx isnt excepted) will keeping my Aqua card, but it not being used, have a bad effect on my credit rating?(I want to keep it as it's the best card for spending abroad)

Secondly, for those of you who have experience with Avios, could you tell me how easy it is to book a flight with avios points? Are the flights extremly limited, or is there a good selection?

Thanks for you help

grumbler

samma90 wrote: »

... will keeping my Aqua card, but it not being used, have a bad effect on my credit rating?

No, unless its limit is very big (unlikely for Aqua).

samma90

The limit is £2000, would that be small enough to not have an effect?

CLAPTON

samma90 wrote: »

The limit is £2000, would that be small enough to not have an effect?

best to keep it and use it occasionally (say every 3 months or so and pay in full)

guesswho2000

samma90 wrote: »

...
Secondly, for those of you who have experience with Avios, could you tell me how easy it is to book a flight with avios points? Are the flights extremly limited, or is there a good selection?

Thanks for you help

Re Avios, it depends entirely on where you want to go and when. I've not had many issues finding availability when I need it. You can also use the Avios to reduce the price of cash tickets (various amounts, usually equal to 0.66p per Avios).

msallen

The Avios question is not straightforward. If you play the scheme well they can be very worthwhile to collect, but if you don't they can be worth very little and you may not be able to find the flights you want.

Do not just dive into collecting them without some research first. The headforpoints blog is good for beginners, but the BA section of the FlyerTalk forum is better if you understand the basics.

Ben8282

If your sole credit card history consists of 1 Aqua card with a £2000 credit limit, it is questionable as to whether you will be accepted for the BA Amex card or given a credit limit sufficiently high to allow the spend necessary to accumulate any significant number of Avios.

planteria

if you can get an Amex card, great
i would keep the Aqua card as an Amex backup, initially
but then when you can i would upgrade to a Barclaycard backup, for example

adindas

samma90 wrote: »

So last year I got my first credit card, an Aqua Advance card. I didn't particularly need one, but I wanted to improve my credit rating and have a cheap way of spending money abroad. I am now considering getting a BA AmEx card to start accumulating avios points for some cheap flights. This card has attracted me as there is a 9000 bonus avios points after spending a certain amount in the first 3 months, which I will easily do. My first question is;

If I get this card, obviously I will be using it over my aqua card to accumulate as many points as possible, and so wont be using my aqua card(with the exception of using it when AmEx isnt excepted) will keeping my Aqua card, but it not being used, have a bad effect on my credit rating?(I want to keep it as it's the best card for spending abroad)

Secondly, for those of you who have experience with Avios, could you tell me how easy it is to book a flight with avios points? Are the flights extremly limited, or is there a good selection?

Thanks for you help

I used to have AVIOS with Lloyds, and already collect some points, the problem is that you could only use it on particular flight, mostly on BA flight. For the cheapest flight you wanted to use the point it was higkly unlikely you would be able to use it.

So if you are using budget airlines instead of main airlines for self funding flight, it is hardly any use at all. For that reason alone I canceled my AVIOS CC back a couple of years ago without using any point that I had collected.

onthefencepost

interesting post, im in a similar boat.

I had my Aqua last year and my credit limit has increased, not by much i'm guessing this is because i always pay it off in full so there is little point Aqua upping my limit as they are not seeing me carrying a balance?

Can i ask what your starting limit was and how often you got an increase?

I too i'm looking into Amex to build up points as i have 2/3 long haul flights every year with BA. I fear that i wont be accepted as my credit limit is low and my previous record of adverse credit, which most of it is sorted out but still have a few defaults which are to come off next year.

I'm considering the Lloyds amex issued card as im guessing this will allow me a better chance of acceptance?

grumbler

Ben8282 wrote: »

...it is questionable as to whether you will be ...given a credit limit sufficiently high to allow the spend necessary to accumulate any significant number of Avios.

The limit is for the balance, not for spending. One can easily spend multiple credit limits in a month.