British Airways Visa Signature® Card
- Best for: Travelers who book at least one British Airways reward flight from the U.S. each year
- What Sets It Apart: A $100 or $200 statement credit on up to three British Airways reward bookings a year; a Travel Together Ticket after $30,000 in calendar-year purchases
- Cost: $95 annual fee; no foreign transaction fee; 19.49% to 27.99% variable APR
- Features: 75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases in 3 months; 3 Avios per $1 on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL flights; 2 Avios per $1 on hotels booked directly; 2,500 Avios each card anniversary; 10% off British Airways fares from the U.S.
- Pros: One reward booking’s $100-plus credit covers the $95 fee; American Airlines nonstops of up to 650 miles for 13,500 Avios; 10% off for you and up to seven others
- Cons: Taxes, fees, and surcharges from $300 on British Airways reward flights to London; $30,000 in purchases for the Travel Together Ticket; no free checked bag, priority boarding, lounge access, or status credit
Get the British Airways Visa Signature Card if you’ll book a British Airways reward flight from the U.S. each year, because that booking’s $100-plus statement credit covers the $95 fee. Its 75,000-point welcome offer also pays for several short American Airlines flights. If you want points that move to many airlines, pick a transferable-points card instead.
The card earns Avios, the points British Airways shares with Aer Lingus and Iberia, as does its sibling, Chase’s Aer Lingus Visa Signature. Its perks, though, suit travelers who fly British Airways to London.
Key Features
- $95 annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and a 19.49% to 27.99% variable APR
- 75,000 Avios after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months, about $1,050 at The Points Guy’s estimate of 1.4 cents each
- 3 Avios per $1 on flights bought directly from British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL, 2 on hotels booked directly, 1 on everything else, plus 2,500 Avios each card anniversary
- Up to three statement credits a year on British Airways reward flights from the U.S., $100 per booking in economy or premium economy and $200 in business or first, when you put the taxes, fees, and surcharges on the card
- A Travel Together Ticket each calendar year you charge $30,000 in purchases, which lets a companion join your reward booking for only taxes, fees, and surcharges, or takes 50% off the Avios on a solo reward
Pros
- The $100-plus credit on one British Airways reward booking from the U.S. covers the $95 fee
- Short American Airlines nonstops within the U.S., up to 650 miles, cost 13,500 Avios one way, so the 75,000-Avios welcome offer covers five
- 10% off British Airways fares from the U.S. for you and up to seven others on your flights
Cons
- Taxes, fees, and surcharges on British Airways’ own reward flights to London, from $300 in economy and $998 in business
- A Travel Together Ticket only after $30,000 in purchases in one calendar year
- No free checked bag, priority boarding, or lounge access, and card Avios don’t count toward British Airways Club status
- 1 Avios per $1 on everyday purchases
The card is worth its $95 in any year that includes a British Airways reward flight from the U.S. When those trips stop, a transferable-points card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, whose points transfer to the British Airways Club and other airlines, is the better pick.
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