The best credit card for collecting air miles
The Barclaycard Avios and Avios Plus are more widely accepted than Amex, says Ruth Jackson-Kirby.


For years the only way to collect Avios points – the British Airways air miles scheme – has been with an American Express credit card. The issue with that has always been that many retailers don’t accept Amex. But now you can collect your Avios points with a Mastercard.
Barclaycard has launched two new credit cards that earn Avios points every time you spend. They are “the most generous Mastercard or Visa credit cards available,” according to Rob Burgess, the editor of Head for Points, a website for frequent flyers looking to maximise their rewards.
The first new card is the Barclaycard Avios. It has no fee, and you can earn one Avios point for every pound spent. If you spend £1,000 in the first three months, you’ll get a bonus 5,000 Avios. That’s enough for a flight to Paris or Amsterdam. Plus, if you spend £20,000 a year on the card, you’ll get a free flight upgrade voucher.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Alternatively, you can pay £20 a month for the Barclaycard Avios Plus card. That gets you 1.5 Avios points per £1 spent. If you spend £3,000 in the first three months, you’ll get 25,000 bonus Avios points and spend £10,000 a year and you’ll get a cabin upgrade voucher.
On top of that with both cards you’ll get a five-month free subscription to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade. “You honestly couldn’t ask for more from a non-Amex credit card,” says Burgess.
The Amex option
The key advantage of the Barclaycard Avios cards is they are operated via Mastercard rather than American Express. Mastercard is much more widely accepted than American Express, so you won’t face the annoyance of missing out on Avios points when your Amex is rejected. That said, the Amex cards are still attractive.
The fee-free British Airways American Express card earns points at the same rate as the free Barclaycard version and has the same joining bonus. But you only need to spend £12,000 a year to get a companion voucher – that’s £8,000 less than the Barclaycard and you get a free flight (although taxes and charges apply) rather than just an upgrade.
The Barclaycard Avios Plus card is £10 a year cheaper than the Amex equivalent and certainly worth considering if you are willing to pay a fee for your credit card. It offers the same earnings rate as the BA Premium Plus Amex and the same welcome bonus. The difference is that if you spend £10,000 a year on the Amex card, you’ll again get a free companion voucher rather than just a cabin upgrade. So, it all depends on whether you want a cheap flight for a friend or to fly in style yourself.
Reward credit cards can be a great way of getting more when you shop but are best avoided if you can’t pay off your balance in full each month. The interest rates on these types of credit card tend to be high and, if you pay it, you’ll soon wipe out the benefits. Both the Barclaycard Avios cards charge interest at a 23.9% annual rate, but you can avoid this if you pay your bill on time and in full every month.
Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.
Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.
Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping among many other titles both online and offline.
-
Equity release rates drop – is it worth unlocking cash from your home?
News Lifetime mortgage rates are falling from their record highs - is equity release worth another look?
By Marc Shoffman Published
-
Hargreaves Lansdown launches fixed-term cash ISA product
savings/hargreaves-lansdown-fixed-cash-isa-launch Investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown is to offer fixed term cash ISAs via its Active Savings platform paying 4.8%, tax free - but is it any good?
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick Published
-
How to cut the cost of home insurance
Home insurance policies are becoming increasingly expensive, but there are several ways you can keep costs down.
By Ruth Jackson-Kirby Published
-
Are lifestyle funds still fit for purpose?
Lifestyle funds have failed to do what they were supposed to do – shield savers from risk in the run-up to retirement.
By David Prosser Published
-
NatWest-owned Ulster bank boosts easy access savings rate to 5.2%
Rates on easy access savings accounts have hit over 5%, with Ulster Bank now giving savers the chance to earn 5.2% on their cash savings. We have all the details.
By Marc Shoffman Published
-
Moneybox raises market-leading cash ISA to 5%
Savings and investing app MoneyBox has boosted the rate on its cash ISA again, hiking it from 4.75% to 5% making it one of top rates. We have all the details.
By Ruth Emery Published
-
October NS&I Premium Bonds winners - check now to see what you won
NS&I Premium Bonds holders can check now to see if they have won a prize this month. We explain how to check your premium bonds
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick Published
-
October’s NS&I Premium Bond winners revealed - have you scooped £1 million?
Two lucky NS&I Premium Bond winners are now millionaires this October. Find out here you are one of them
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick Published
-
The best packaged bank accounts
Advice Packaged bank accounts can offer great value with useful additional perks – but get it wrong and you could be out of pocket
By Tom Higgins Published
-
Energy bills to fall 7% under new price cap
Energy bills could fall by an average 7% from October under the new Energy Price cap announced today. We explain what the new cap mean for you and when it will come into play
By Pedro Gonçalves Published