Avios credit cards in the UK (2026): free or paid, Amex or Barclaycard

Short answer: both British Airways American Express cards and both Barclaycard Avios cards earn Avios on everyday spending. The free versions earn 1 Avios per £1. The paid versions earn more per pound and add perks, so they pay off only above a certain spend. Do the math at your own spend before paying a fee.

Every figure in the table below is read from our catalog, and each card page links to the issuer's own page.

The math at £1,500 a month

At £1,500 a month on the card, £18,000 a year:

The Premium Plus card earns 4,500 more Avios a year than the free BA Amex at this spend, for a £300 fee. Barclaycard Avios Plus earns 9,000 more than its free version, for £240. Whether that is worth it depends on what an Avios is worth to you, which depends on how you redeem.

Beyond the earn rate

The paid cards carry benefits the free ones do not. Barclaycard offers a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher once you reach a spend threshold in 12 months: £20,000 on Barclaycard Avios, £10,000 on Avios Plus. Premium Plus adds travel inconvenience cover and, from 1 April 2027, British Airways tier points on spend.

If you will hit a voucher threshold anyway, count that voucher in your math. If you will not, ignore it.

Amex or Barclaycard?

The earn rates are close, so acceptance and fees often decide it. Barclaycard cards run on Visa or Mastercard, which more shops take than American Express. Many Avios collectors hold one of each and use the Amex where it is accepted.

Points that convert to Avios

Membership Rewards cards, such as the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold, earn points that can move to airline partners, Avios among them. That keeps your options open if you do not fly British Airways only. Check the current transfer terms in your Amex account before moving points, since transfers usually cannot be reversed.

Want a ranking for your exact spend? Polo Match does it in a minute. For the wider picture, see our best credit cards in Europe guide.

Common questions

Do Avios expire? British Airways sets the rules for Avios accounts, so check them on its site. In general, keeping some activity on the account keeps the Avios alive, and card spending counts as activity.

Can I hold both an Amex and a Barclaycard Avios card? Yes. They come from different issuers, and each decides on its own application.

This guide explains how to compare cards. It is not financial advice. Card terms change, so confirm the current terms with the issuer before you apply.