The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card has long been the go-to card for UK Avios collectors who want business class rather than economy. In October 2026, American Express cut its earn rate, which has led many cardholders to ask whether the £300 annual fee still makes sense. This review explains what the card offers today, what changed, how to work out whether it pays for itself, and who should and should not hold it.
If you are comparing BA cards, read it alongside our British Airways American Express Credit Card review, which covers the free version. All details below were checked against American Express’s own pages in October 2026.
Representative example: Representative 135.7% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and an annual fee of £300. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply.
The Card at a Glance
- Annual fee: £300.
- Earn rate: 1.25 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases, including British Airways spending.
- New Cardmember offer: 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in your first three months. Not available if you have held a personal British Airways American Express card in the past 24 months.
- Companion Voucher: earned when you spend £15,000 in a Cardmembership year; usable in any cabin, with access to extra Club World reward seats.
- Tier points: from 1 April 2027, 1 British Airways tier point for every £10 of eligible spend, up to 3,000 per British Airways Club collection year.
- Insurance: travel inconvenience cover, travel accident cover up to £250,000 and Global Assist.
- Minimum income: £35,000. UK residents aged 18 or over with a UK bank account.
What Changed in October 2026
From 7 October 2026, American Express reduced the Premium Plus earn rate from 1.5 to 1.25 Avios per £1. At the same time, it removed the higher rate on spending directly with British Airways and British Airways Holidays, which previously earned 3 Avios per £1 and now earns the same 1.25 as everything else. The £300 annual fee did not change.
In return, American Express is adding British Airways tier points as a standard benefit from 1 April 2027. Cardmembers will be enrolled automatically and earn 1 tier point for every £10 of eligible spending, up to 3,000 tier points in each British Airways Club collection year. Until then, American Express has run a separate promotional tier point offer that requires enrolment, so check your Amex account for the details that apply to you.
The net effect is that the card is now less about raw Avios earning and more about two things: the Companion Voucher and, from 2027, a contribution towards British Airways status. That shift matters when you decide whether the fee is worth paying.
Who Is the Premium Plus Card For?
The Premium Plus card is built for a specific traveller: someone who puts at least £15,000 a year on one card, pays it off in full every month, and wants to fly in business class or premium economy using Avios, usually with a partner or family member. For that person, the Companion Voucher can be worth far more than the annual fee.
It is a weaker fit if you are happy flying economy, because the free BA Amex Credit Card’s voucher already covers economy without any fee. It is also a poor choice if you spend well below £15,000 a year, if you prefer flexible points that move to several airlines, or if there is any chance you will carry a balance. With a £300 fee, the representative APR is 135.7%, and interest at 29.1% p.a. would quickly outweigh any rewards.
How You Earn Avios
You collect 1.25 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases, with no categories to track. As with other American Express cards, balance transfers, cash withdrawals, foreign exchange, interest and fees do not earn Avios. Avios are credited to your British Airways Club account.
To put that into numbers, £15,000 of spending earns 18,750 Avios, compared with 15,000 Avios on the free card. The difference of 3,750 Avios a year is real but modest, and on its own it would not justify a £300 fee for most people. The case for Premium Plus rests on what you do with the voucher.
The new Cardmember bonus helps in the first year. Spend £6,000 in the first three months and you receive 30,000 bonus Avios on top of the 7,500 Avios that spending earns. That is a meaningful head start towards a premium-cabin reward, though only if £6,000 in three months fits your normal spending. The bonus is not available if you have held a personal BA Amex card, free or Premium Plus, in the past 24 months, and you cannot hold both BA cards at the same time.
The Companion Voucher: The Real Reason to Hold This Card
Spend £15,000 on the card in a Cardmembership year and you earn a Companion Voucher. The threshold is the same as on the free card, but the voucher is considerably more powerful in three ways.
- Any cabin. You can use it for a British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus reward flight in any cabin, so a companion can join you in premium economy, business or first for no additional Avios.
- Extra business class seats. American Express says Premium Plus Cardmembers booking with a voucher can access additional Club World reward seats, subject to availability. Finding two business class reward seats together is often the hardest part of a premium trip, so this matters.
- Solo option. Travelling alone, you can use the voucher for a 50% discount on the Avios price of a reward flight in any cabin.
Premium Plus vouchers have also historically lasted longer than those from the free card, typically two years from issue rather than one, which makes it easier to plan around school holidays or a special occasion. The expiry date is fixed, so check it on your voucher as soon as it arrives.
The catch is the same as with any reward flight: both travellers pay the taxes, fees and carrier charges for their own seat. On long-haul business class flights departing the UK, these can run to several hundred pounds per person. British Airways’ Reward Flight Saver and Avios plus money options can change that balance, so compare them on the final booking screen. Our guide to what an award ticket really costs explains how.
Does It Pay for Itself? A Worked Example
The simplest way to judge the fee is to compare Premium Plus with the free card, because the free card is the obvious alternative. The figures below are illustrative round numbers, not quotes, so price your own trip before deciding.
Imagine a couple who put £15,000 a year on the card and want a business class trip to New York. Suppose a return Club World reward seat on their dates costs 125,000 Avios plus charges. With a Premium Plus voucher, the second seat needs no additional Avios, saving 125,000 Avios. The free card’s voucher cannot be used in business class at all, so its best equivalent would be two economy seats.
If that couple would genuinely book business class, the Premium Plus voucher is saving them an amount of Avios that would take years to earn from spending. Even valuing Avios cautiously, that is worth comfortably more than £300. If they would never fly business and only want economy, the free card delivers almost the same voucher benefit for nothing, and the extra 3,750 Avios a year from Premium Plus will not cover the fee.
In short, Premium Plus is worth it when you will actually use the voucher in a premium cabin, and usually not worth it when you will not. Being honest with yourself about how you travel is the most important step in this decision.
Tier Points and British Airways Status
From 1 April 2027, Premium Plus Cardmembers will earn 1 British Airways tier point for every £10 of eligible spending, up to 3,000 tier points in each British Airways Club collection year. Tier points decide your membership tier, and higher tiers bring benefits such as priority check-in and lounge access.
The cap means card spending alone will not take you to a status tier. You would need to spend £30,000 to reach the 3,000 tier point maximum, and you would still need tier points from flying or other British Airways activity on top. The benefit is most useful for travellers who are already close to a tier threshold and want help getting over the line or keeping their status. Check the current tier thresholds on the British Airways Club website before relying on this.
If you are new to how status works, our guide to how airline miles and points benefit regular travellers explains the difference between Avios and tier points.
Travel Insurance and Other Benefits
Premium Plus comes with stronger travel protection than the free card. American Express lists the following.
- Travel inconvenience insurance when you pay with the card: £200 for flight delay, overbooking or missed connection; £750 for baggage delayed by the airline for six hours; and a further £1,000 for extended baggage delay.
- Travel accident insurance of up to £250,000 on public transport when you buy your ticket with the card.
- Global Assist, a 24/7 helpline when you travel outside the UK.
- Purchase and refund protection on eligible items bought with the card.
- Referral rewards: at least 9,000 Avios for each friend approved for an American Express card through your invitation, up to 90,000 Avios a year.
- Supplementary cards for a partner or family member, so their spending counts towards your Avios and voucher.
- Plan It instalments for purchases of £100 or more, and access to American Express Experiences.
This is card-linked cover, not full travel insurance. It does not replace a proper travel insurance policy for medical expenses or cancellation, and limits and exclusions apply. Read the insurance documents on the American Express website before relying on any of it.
The Downsides
- The fee is now harder to justify on earning alone. At 1.25 Avios per £1, the extra Avios over the free card will not cover £300 for most spenders.
- The £15,000 threshold is high. If you fall short, you pay the fee and get no voucher.
- Cash charges on premium reward flights can be large. The voucher saves Avios, not taxes and carrier charges.
- Interest is very expensive. With the fee included, the representative APR is 135.7%.
- Foreign spending costs extra. A non-sterling transaction fee applies, so use a fee-free card abroad. Check the current fee in the summary box.
- Acceptance gaps. Some UK retailers and billers do not take American Express, which can make the voucher target harder to reach.
- Avios are tied to one programme. Unlike flexible points, they cannot be moved to other airline schemes.
Premium Plus vs the Free BA Amex Credit Card
The free British Airways American Express Credit Card has no annual fee, earns 1 Avios per £1, offers 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in the first three months, and gives a Companion Voucher for the same £15,000 of annual spending, but only in economy. It requires a minimum income of £15,000.
Free card representative example: Representative 29.1% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable). No annual fee. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply.
A sensible approach for many people is to start with the free card, see whether they reliably reach £15,000 a year, and only move to Premium Plus if they are confident they will use the voucher for a premium cabin. American Express offers an upgrade route for existing BA Amex Cardmembers, though upgrading means you are not a new Cardmember for bonus purposes.
How to Get the Most From Premium Plus
- Pay in full every month by Direct Debit, so interest never eats into your rewards.
- Plan your voucher trip before you apply. Know which route and cabin you want, and check typical reward availability.
- Add a supplementary card for your partner so household spending counts towards the £15,000 target.
- Book early. Reward seats in premium cabins are released well in advance and go quickly on popular dates.
- Pool Avios in a household account so you reach a premium reward faster.
- Review the fee each year. If you have not used a voucher in the previous year, consider whether the free card would serve you better.
Our Verdict
The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card is less generous than it was, and it is no longer a card to hold for its earn rate. It remains a strong choice for one type of traveller: someone who reliably spends £15,000 a year, pays in full, and will use the Companion Voucher to fly in business class or premium economy with a companion. For that person, a single voucher redemption can be worth many times the £300 fee, and the tier points from 2027 are a useful bonus.
For everyone else, particularly economy travellers and moderate spenders, the free BA Amex Credit Card offers most of the practical value without the fee. As with any credit product, approval depends on your circumstances and applying can affect your credit file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Avios does the BA Amex Premium Plus Card earn?
Since 7 October 2026, it earns 1.25 Avios per £1 on eligible purchases, including British Airways spending. It previously earned 1.5 Avios per £1, and 3 Avios per £1 with British Airways.
Can I use the Premium Plus Companion Voucher in business class?
Yes. The voucher can be used in any cabin on British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus reward flights, and Premium Plus Cardmembers can access extra Club World reward seats when booking with it, subject to availability. Taxes, fees and carrier charges apply per person.
Does the card earn British Airways tier points?
From 1 April 2027, yes: 1 tier point per £10 of eligible spending, up to 3,000 per British Airways Club collection year, with automatic enrolment.
Can I hold both the free BA Amex and Premium Plus?
No. American Express’s eligibility criteria say you should not currently hold the other British Airways American Express personal card when applying.
Is the £300 fee worth it?
Usually only if you spend at least £15,000 a year and will use the Companion Voucher in a premium cabin. Economy travellers generally get better value from the free card.
Representative example: Representative 135.7% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and an annual fee of £300. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply. Late or missed payments can cause serious money problems and make it harder to obtain credit.
Card details were checked against American Express UK in October 2026 and may change at any time. Always read the current terms, summary box and insurance documents on the American Express website before applying. This review is general information, not financial advice. My Miles Journey is independent and is not affiliated with British Airways or American Express.
Photos via Unsplash: Ankur Khandelwal, Al Soot, Luca Bravo and CHUTTERSNAP.