British Airways and American Express are celebrating 25 years of partnership with a bonus Avios promotion, but the "25% more Avios" headline requires a closer look. Both the Premium Plus and free BA Amex cards are offering fixed bonus awards for hitting specific spending thresholds by April 8, 2026. Here's what you actually get and whether it's worth pursuing.
The Actual Offer Details
British Airways Amex Premium Plus: Spend £4,000 by April 8, 2026 and receive 1,500 bonus Avios. At the standard earn rate of 1.5 Avios per £1, you'd normally earn 6,000 Avios on £4,000 spend, making the 1,500 bonus exactly 25% extra at that threshold.
British Airways Amex Credit Card (free): Spend £2,000 by April 8, 2026 and receive 500 bonus Avios. With the 1 Avios per £1 base earn rate, this represents a 25% bonus on £2,000 of spend.
The catch? This isn't an automatic 25% boost on all your spending during the promotion period. It's a fixed bonus that triggers once you hit the exact threshold. Spend £5,000 on the Premium Plus? You still only get 1,500 bonus Avios, not 1,875.
Critical Action Required
You must manually save this offer to your card. Despite appearing in promotional emails, the bonus won't track automatically. Log into the Amex app or website and click "Save to Card" on the offer. The promotion is capped at the first 200,000 cardholders per card type who enroll, so don't delay.
Is This Worth Pursuing?
For most cardholders who would naturally spend £4,000 anyway, this is free money. The value proposition breaks down like this:
At a conservative 1 pence per Avios valuation, 1,500 Avios equals roughly £15 in value for Premium Plus holders. The free card bonus of 500 Avios is worth approximately £5. Not exactly transformational, but not worth skipping either if you're already using the card.
The real consideration is timing. British Airways confirmed that tier points on card spend return in April 2026 for Premium Plus holders. The previous version awarded up to 2,500 tier points annually for £25,000 spend. If you have large purchases coming up and flexibility on timing, it might make more sense to wait until the tier point earning launches rather than rush to meet this capped bonus.
For U.S. cardholders interested in earning Avios, the British Airways Visa Signature Card from Chase offers 3 Avios per $1 on British Airways purchases and serves as an accessible alternative. You can also earn Avios through Aer Lingus and Iberia co-branded cards, all of which participate in the combined Avios currency.
What Doesn't Count
Supplementary card spend doesn't qualify toward the threshold. Only transactions on your primary card count, and they must be billed (not just posted) by April 8, 2026.
The 25% bonus applies only to base earning rates. British Airways purchases normally earn 3 Avios per £1 on the Premium Plus card, but the bonus calculation ignores this enhanced rate and uses the 1.5 base rate instead.
The Broader Anniversary Strategy
This promotion kicks off what British Airways and Amex promise will be a year of anniversary celebrations, with additional prizes, experiences, and bonus opportunities throughout 2026. No specifics have been announced yet, but the companies confirmed millions of bonus Avios will be distributed during the anniversary year.
The return of tier points in April represents the more significant development for frequent flyers. Earning tier points through everyday spending provides a crucial boost toward British Airways status, especially for those who fly regularly but fall just short of the next tier. Bronze requires 3,500 tier points, Silver needs 6,000, and the tier points from card spend historically helped close those gaps.
For readers building points portfolios with American Express Membership Rewards, it's worth noting that U.S. cardholders can transfer points to British Airways at a 1:1 ratio. The Platinum Card from American Express offers 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels, while the Gold Card earns 4x at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. These cards can accelerate Avios earning when combined with strategic transfers during bonus periods.
How This Compares to U.S. Options
American cardholders have access to multiple paths for earning Avios beyond direct British Airways credit cards. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to British Airways at 1:1, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers valuable travel protections alongside its earning structure. For those focused specifically on earning transferable points that include British Airways as an option, understanding how to transfer Chase points to airline partners maximizes flexibility.
Bottom Line
If you're already a BA Amex cardholder and would naturally meet the spending threshold, save the offer now and collect your bonus. The headline "25% more Avios" oversells what's really a modest fixed bonus, but there's no reason to leave it on the table.
For Premium Plus holders with upcoming large expenses, consider whether 1,500 capped Avios now outweighs the potential value of tier points in April. If you're working toward or maintaining British Airways status, tier points likely provide more long-term value.
Most importantly, don't manufacture spend specifically for this promotion. At £4,000 required for 1,500 Avios, you'd need to value those points at more than the cost and hassle of accelerating purchases. Save the offer, spend naturally, and if you hit the threshold, enjoy the bonus. If not, wait for what promises to be additional promotions throughout the anniversary year.
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