Note: This article is about an offer that has expired.
British Airways Visa 100,000 Avios Offer, A Highly Underrated Option
It seems like every day there is a new, massive welcome offer. Seeing a 100,000 point offer used to be a rarity and sometimes something we tried years to get, hey Amex Platinum. Now they seem to be falling from trees. Benjy even did an article listing out all of the current 100K offers. But one has flown seriously under the radar, the British Airways Visa 100,000 Avios offer.
Update 5/25/22: British Airways sent out emails to members that this offer is going away soon but didn’t specify when. It could just be a marketing ploy since all it says is act quick and all good things must come to an end. I figured it was worth mentioning in case this card was on your radar. It consistently ranks 1 or 2 in first year welcome offer value for Chase cards. But that is assuming you can use Avios.
Current Offer Details
Here are the current details of the offer for the British Airways Avios credit card:
- Earn 75,000 British Airways Avios after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of card membership. Earn an additional 25,000 Avios after spending $20,000 in the first 12 months
- $95 annual fee
- Learn More
The British Airways Visa Earning Structure
- 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL
- 2 Avios per $1 on hotels when purchased directly within your first 12 months from account opening.
- 1 Avios per dollar on other purchases
British Airways Visa Card Perks
- 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
- Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Learn More
Why The British Airways Visa 100,000 Avios Offer Is Undervalued
I am surprised more people are not talking about this offer. I think a part of it is the card has had a 100,000 point offer on and off for years. But, the offer used to be a tiered earning structure and required a ton of spend, $20,000 overall. Chase has since revamped the British Airways Visa and the same 100,000 Avios bonus only requires $5,000 in spend now.
I don’t think people realize the offer has changed, so I’ll say it again, get 100,000 Avios for $5,000 in spend! Someone even commented on my Chase Personal Card Rankings article that I had the offer details wrong. They see 100K and just assume the offer requires $20,000 in spend.
Speaking of that Chase personal rankings article, guess what card came in second in terms of welcome offer value? The British Airways Visa did! I bet you didn’t see that coming. With a net value of over $1200 it was bested only by the 100K Chase Sapphire Preferred offer which is now expired.
They have also revamped the earning structure a bit. Instead of having a tiered welcome offer they now have a tiered earning structure. In the first year you can rack up a decent amount of Avios on travel related purchases if you so choose to. That is an interesting change on Chase’s part.
It Is True Avios Are Not What They Once Were
I should say British Airways Avios are not what they once were. The program has always been distanced based, which means direct flights are where the value is. But the Avios program has reclassified some routings and areas and made them cost more over the years.
American Airlines is a partner many people love to use their Avios on. But with American Airlines playing their web specials game, it has been harder to find space on their flights with Avios.
Flying British Airways metal is another option but it comes with huge taxes and fees most of the time, connecting through London. So it is more like a nice discount on premium travel vs getting an almost free flight.
So even though this welcome offer can bring you a ton back in value be sure you have a good use for Avios before diving in.
Final Thoughts
I should say that the Iberia Visa and Aer Lingus Visa have the same offer. If you prefer one of those two programs better than grab that card instead. I know Ian has shown why he likes the Iberia Visa better in the past.
The British Airways Visa 100,000 Avios offer is highly undervalued right now. It ranks as Chase’s second most valuable personal card welcome offer. That is of course assuming you have a use for British Airways Avios, which has become harder to use over the years. Having said that, if you do have a known use for your Avios, like many of us do, then do not sleep on this offer!
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[…] Update 5/25/22: An e-mail was sent out saying these offers end soon, but not when the offers actually end. Hat tip to MtM […]
Considering they refused to give me anything but a flight voucher for my $3300 Europe flight cancelled in 2020 due to the destination country being closed, why trust them to honor future business from me via points? I’m still trying to find a way to use that flight credit, which expires on 9/30/2023. Screw BA.
Can’t blame you there. I will never fly Frontier again for playing similar games with me.
Have a stack of AVIOS points/miles from previous card offers. The problem? Crazy taxes / fees to use for travel to/from UK, and PITA to use for partner flights in US. Never seem to be available.
SO, good deal for card, but then what.
They are tougher to use than mainstream airline programs for sure. But if you have a lot of direct AA flights out of your airport or fly to Hawaii from the West Coast those are some good uses for them. I burned a ton flying Aer Lingus to Dublin. But yeah to go to mainland Europe they are not great for that without big fees.