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American Express credit card review: British Airways

THE British Airways credit card offers a fantastic frequent flyer mile reward scheme, allowing you to earn 1 BA mile for each £1 you spend. Plus, you'll also get additional BA miles when you fly with British Airways and their airline partners.

You'll also be awarded with 1,000 bonus BA Miles when you spend £500 in your first 3 months.

The potential flyer mile earnings available will soon have you on your way to free flights across the world with British Airways, and their partners.

British Airways airline partners include: Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Lan, Qantas, American Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines.

BA Executive Club membership...

When you become a British Airways credit card customer, you'll automatically become a member of the British Airways Executive Club, which offers plenty of exclusive services such as priority check-ins, access to British Airways VIP airport lounges and reward flights.

American Express cardholder services...

The British Airways credit card doesn't just offer the chance to earn free flights and the ability to kick your feet up in their exclusive airport lounges, you'll also get a really fantastic credit card with all of the great free services American Express likes to throw in; keeping you, your money and your purchases safe.

Interest Rates and Fees
		Notes..
Typical APR	19.9% APR (variable)	- The typical APR is the rate most people are offered.
Balance Transfers	n/a
Balance Transfer Fee	None
Cash Withdrawal Rate	27.9% p.a. (variable)	You can only make cash withdrawals equal to 20% of your available credit limit, and you can only draw up to £400 cash in any 7 day period.
Cash Withdrawal Fee	3% (£3 minimum)
Annual Fee	None	-
Foreign Transaction Fee	2.99%	This fee will be charged if you make a purchase or cash withdrawal in a foreign currency.

Rewards
		Notes..
Reward #1	1 BA Mile for each £1 spent	BA Miles remain valid as long as you continue to earn or redeem them. Expiry of BA Miles will only occur if you do not earn or redeem any BA Miles for 36 consecutive months (3 years) - after which all BA Miles accrued to that point will expire.
Reward #2	1,000 Bonus BA Miles	Get 1,000 bonus BA Miles when you spend £500 within your first 3 months.
Reward #3	BA Companion Ticket	If you have spent over £20,000 on your card within 12 months and you redeem your BA miles for a British Airways flight, you will also receive a free companion ticket. The companion ticket is valid for 12 months after issue.

Cardholder Services & Extras
Online Account Management		You can log in to the American Express web site and manage your American Express Platinum Cashback credit card account online. - Optional Paperless Statements - SMS & E-mail Alerts: Register for "Card Alerts" and choose to recieve updates by SMS text message to your mobile phone or e-mail relating to your American Express Platinum Cashback credit card account. Notification information includes: - Account balance - Confirmation of payments - Advance notification of nearing your credit limit - Advance notification of due payments - Notification of missed payments.
Fraud Guarantee		You will not be held responsible for any unauthorised charges.
Fraud Monitoring		Secure System American Express will monitor your account for any suspicious transactions and notify you as soon as possible to check if it's fraudulent or not.
Identity Protection
Purchase Protection Insurance		Up to £2,500 per claim Purchases made with this card will be protection against theft or accidental damage for 90 days after the purchase date. - Up to £20,000 in any 365 day period. - £50 excess applies. - Please note exclusions and limitations apply.
Purchase Delivery Insurance		Mail order items are not excluded from the 'Purchase Protection Insurance' policy.
Purchase In-Transit Insurance		As part of the 'Purchase Protection Insurance' policy.
Refund Protection Insurance		Up to £200 per item, up to £750 per year Purchases of brand new items, costing between £25 and £200, will be covered in the event that you return an unused eligible item to the retailer, within 90 days of purchase and the retailer will not refund you. - Items must be paid for entirely with the American Express Platinum Cashback credit card. - Please note exclusions apply.
Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Travel Accident Insurance		Up to £75,000 Travel accident insurance covers you against serious injury and death when you buy your travel tickets with this card. It is not an adequate substitute for a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
Travel Inconvenience Insurance
Assistance Abroad		Global Assist Emergency medical and legal help when travelling abroad.
Emergency Card Replacement		If your card is ever lost, damaged or stolen, American Express will get an emergency replacement card to you almost anywhere in the world. Emergency cash advances are also available.
Airport Lounge Access		This service is available on higher tiers of the British Airways Executive Club - it won't automatically be available as soon as you join. You'll be able to move up through the membership tiers by earning Tier Points which are awarded for flying on BA and partner airlines.
Priority Check-In		This service is available on higher tiers of the British Airways Executive Club - it won't automatically be available as soon as you join. You'll be able to move up through the membership tiers by earning Tier Points which are awarded for flying on BA and partner airlines.
Other Extras	» 24 hour customer service. » Chip & PIN.
Optional Extras	These are extras that you can choose, but you will have to pay for them. » Repayment protection.

Payments & Payment Details
		Notes..
Credit Limit	£700 minimum	Maximum credit card limit is subject to status.
Interest Free Period	Up to 56 days	For purchases if you pay your balance in full and on time. There is no interest free period on balance transfers or cash advances.
Minimum Monthly Payment	2.5% (£5 minimum)	The minimum monthly payment is the smallest amount you must pay each month (unless your credit card balance is zero).
Allocation of Payments	Interest » Insurance Premiums » Fees & Charges » Promotional Purchases & Balance Transfers » Purchases » Cash Advances	You have to clear outstanding statement transactions in this order. This means you have to repay all interest, fees and charges *before* you can repay any promotional purchases or balance transfers, and then you must clear these *before* you can repay any standard purchases, which must be cleared before you can repay any cash withdrawals.
Default Charges	£12	This is how much you will be charged for late payments, returned payments and if you go over your credit limit.
Copy of Statement Fee	£2	This is the fee you will be charged for duplicate statements.

Card Details
		Notes..
Online Application	Yes: Instant Decision	Get a decision in 60 seconds when you apply online. Remember: always ensure you meet the application requirements before applying, as getting rejected can affect your credit score.
Card Type	Classic	You will need to satisfy the approval criteria (see online application) and have a good credit rating to qualify for this card.
Payment Company	American Express	The company who provides the payment technology and infrastructure to allow you to use this credit card. Retailers and ATM machines displaying the 'American Express' logo will accept this credit card.
Card Issuer	American Express	The bank who issues this credit card. American Express Services Europe Limited Portland House Stag Place London SW1E 5BZ
Card Advertiser	American Express British Airways	The company who advertises and promotes this credit card.

Review Continued...

As an American Express card, you know you can't go far wrong with the British Airways credit card, with a heap of free services to look after you, your money and your purchases, plus the ability to earn some of the best travel rewards around, the British Airways credit card is one to carry with pride in front position in your wallet.

Earning BA air miles

With the British Airways credit card you'll be able to earn 1 BA mile for virtually every £1 you spend on purchases. The more you spend on this card, the more BA miles you'll start accruing and the sooner you'll be able to start redeeming your BA miles for free flights across the world.

You'll also get rewarded 1,000 bonus BA miles when you spend £500 in your first 3 months, you can buy something that costs as much or as little as you like. Just 9,000 BA Miles could see you on a weekend trip to Paris, or clock up a huge 50,000 BA Miles for a flight to New York.

More ways to earn BA miles

As a British Airways Executive Club member you'll also be able to earn BA miles with British Airways partners, including at hotels, car hire and your shopping. You'll can BA miles when you stay at Hilton, InterContinental and Sheraton hotels, among many others, plus you'll earn BA miles when you book your car hire with Avis or Hertz, and you can also earn BA miles when you shop with Travelex, Tesco and The Wine Club.

Free companion tickets

If you have spent over £20,000 within 12 months on your British Airways credit card in purchases when you come to redeem your BA miles for a British Airways flight, you'll also get a free companion ticket for the same flight, so you can take your partner or your friend along too! Companion tickets remain valid for 12 months after the date they were issued to you.

Redeeming BA air miles

Redeeming BA air miles is simple, and you can even book flights and pay part with cash and part with your air miles.

BA miles can be redeemed for flights with British Airways, and their airline partners including American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, LAN, Qantas, SN Brussels Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines.

Free American Express cardholder services

As an American Express card, the British Airways credit card offers up a range of free services including purchase protection, refund protection, an internet fraud guarantee, global assistance and a travel accident insurance policy.
When travelling you can benefit from up to £75,000 travel accident insurance when you purchase your trip with the British Airways credit card. You can also benefit from Global Assist, which provides emergency help when travelling abroad. Global Assist can help in emergencies with medical and legal problems and also relaying messages and providing cash if your money has been lost or stolen and there is no access to your money available.

Purchase protection will insure the goods you buy with your British Airways credit card against theft or damage for up to 90 days from the purchase date. Refund protection states that if a merchant refuses to give you a refund you are eligible too, then American Express will refund the purchase price to you instead.

Applying for the British Airways credit card

You can apply online for a British Airways credit card through the American Express web site. This application form is quick and easy to fill out, and it's securely encrypted too, so your information can only be read by American Express.

To be considered for a British Airways credit card you will need to be aged 18 or over, UK resident, have a current bank or building society account and have a household income of £30,000 or more (that's your income plus your partner's income). You will also be required to have no County Court Judgements for non-payment of debt and if you are self employed that you have been trading for over 1 year.

To apply now, click the link below or use the 'apply now' button at the top of the page, both will take you to the American Express web site, where you can apply securely online for a British Airways credit card.

Apply Online for British Airways credit card »