BA AmEx card

kotel902

Hopefully this doesn't duplicate a pre-existing thread. Two important updates for anyone who has either the basic or Premium Plus Card.

1. An email from BA Executive Club confirms a downsizing of benefits on the basic / classic (whatever you want to call it card). From September, that hard-earned 2:1 voucher (triggered at £12K of annual card spend, not including interest and 'other' charges) will earn you a voucher which is only eligible for bookings in economy class. Vouchers issued before are still good for bookings in any cabin class. The Premium Plus flavour is unchanged from Sep, and still allows bookings in any cabin class. But there is a catch...

2. AmEx have today sent me a letter confirming the annual fee for a Premium Plus card is increasing by 67% from £150 to £250. I'm not sure what the score is for the grandfathered benefit of the PP card fee being waived for customers who also hold the Platinum Charge Card, as I binned mine long ago. AmEx has been consistent in lacking transparency by failing to disclose the old 'membership fee' vs the new one in the letters it sends out.

And all this with one of the most colossal non-distress APRs for any card in the market.

For anyone holding either of these cards, I urge you to carefully re-consider the cost-benefit.

[Deleted User]

The APR is only colossal because of the fee.  The actual interest rate is far more modest, though not market leading.

jbrassy

This topic has been covered before. To anyone considering their options when it comes to Amex's BA cards, they should probably read these two helpful articles:
https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/06/01/british-airways-american-express-credit-card-economy-voucher/
https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/06/01/british-airways-premium-plus-american-express-250-annual-fee/

APR is pretty irrelevant with these cards they're only worth having if you pay off in full every month.

2ilent8cho

I would hardly call the APR on purchases of 22.9% colossal which is what it is on the BA Premium Amex card. Have you not seen the APR Aqua, Vanquis, Marbles, are? Even my Barclaycard Platinum is a higher APR than my BA Amex. But it's 0% if you pay the statement in full. 

I will be keeping my BA Amex Premium card as I'm not grandfathered, so I'm going from £195 to £250 fee, as it still for me represents good value, especially with the changes now opening up l class buckets on top of doubling the Avios seats on every flight too. 

I just need travelling to start again 

Sandtree

2ilent8cho said:

I would hardly call the APR on purchases of 22.9% colossal which is what it is on the BA Premium Amex card. Have you not seen the APR Aqua, Vanquis, Marbles, are? Even my Barclaycard Platinum is a higher APR than my BA Amex. But it's 0% if you pay the statement in full. 

The APR for the card is 74.7%...  all card issues have to calculate it in the same way, despite the stroppy comments some prestige cards have added to their websites.

The rate, excluding fee, is 22.9% but that isnt the APR.  I suspect its probably the highest APR out there as most the higher cards are charge cards so don't have an APR or are linked to private banking and so don't have a fee for the credit card because you have to be paying the current account fee to get the credit card.