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British Airways Visa Signature®

Cory Santos

| Last updated on September 19th, 2023

British Airways Visa Signature

British Airways Visa Signature
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BestCards refers to a variation of FICO Score 9, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when deciding whether to approve you for a credit card. Please note that the range shown here is our own estimation and not a guarantee of credit needed to be approved for any given card. Recommended Credit: Excellent / Good
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$95 Annual Fee

British Airways Visa Signature

  • 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
  • 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
  • 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR

At a Glance

Points earning-heavy and very flexible when it comes to redemption, the Chase British Airways Visa Signature® is a versatile airline rewards credit card that allows you to rack up rewards on all types of purchases, no matter where you make them.

  • Best Benefits
  • Rates & Fees
  • Why Should You Apply?
  • Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening
  • Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL
  • Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Plus earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials
  • Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you'll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years
  • Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad
  • Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It's fast, easy and secure!
  • Member FDIC
  • Regular Purchase APR: 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate
  • Balance Transfer APR: 21.49% to 28.49% variable based on creditworthiness and Prime Rate
  • Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
  • Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
  • Annual Fee: $95
  • Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
  • Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
  • You travel often, especially with British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus
  • You're looking to use your credit card to make purchases abroad
  • You prefer to redeem earned rewards with a variety of airlines

British Airways Visa Signature® Review

Traveling often with British Airways and looking for a credit card that rewards you for doing so? Look no further than the British Airways Visa Signature® card. Whether you’re a seasoned British Airways traveler or just starting to book with this carrier, the card gives you automatic enrollment in the Executive Club, where you can earn Avios rewards points for just about every purchase – starting with a special welcome offer.

A Huge Welcome Offer

One of the most common features of the Avios family of credit cards – and the British Airways Visa Signature – are the impressive points sign-up bonuses they provide. That welcome offer is currently 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

How to Earn Avios

Beyond the generous welcome offer, cardholders earn up to 3X Avios on eligible purchases. Cardholders earn 3X Avios per dollar on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL purchases. Cardholders earn an additional 2X Avios on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel.

All other purchases with the card earn a single Avios for every dollar spent. There is no maximum number of Avios you can earn, but you must spend them before they expire because, unfortunately, they do. Avios expire after 36 months (three years) of account inactivity, which is something of a letdown.

How to Redeem Avios

Cardholders can redeem rewards accrued for flight awards, seat upgrades, and airport lounge access. These also apply to hotel bookings, car hires, and even activities and experiences at your destination. Users can also redeem Avios with any of British Airways’ partnered oneworld® airlines, including the following:

American Airlines Cathay Pacific Malaysia Airlines Qatar Airways
Alaska Airlines Finnair Qantas Japan Airlines
British Airways Iberia Royal Air Moroc Royal Jordanian
Sri Lankan Airlines Fiji Airways Oman Air

It’s essentially like having about a dozen airline reward credit cards in one – always a great feature when trying to maximize your airline miles.

Related Article: The Ultimate Avios Program Guide

Airline Credit Card Comparison

The British Airways Visa Signature is one of three Avios credit cards from Chase. The cards are excellent for international travelers heading to and from Europe, but how do they compare with other competitors? Here’s how the cards stack up with other options:


Avios Credit Cards

Delta SkyMiles® Gold

AAdvantage® Platinum Select®
Issuer Chase American Express Citi
Network Visa Signature American Express World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee $95 $99 annual fee ($0 year one) $99 annual fee ($0 year one)
Rewards Earn 3X Avios with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL; 2X Avios on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel, 1X on all else. Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; 1X on all other purchases. Earn 2X Miles at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases, 1X on all other purchases.
Perks Up to $600 in credits; earn a Travel Together Ticket after spending $30K/year, no foreign transaction fees. 20% inflight savings, 1st checked bag free, $100 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10K/year, no foreign transaction fees. 25% inflight savings, 1st checked bag free, preferred boarding, no foreign transaction fees.

British Airways Perks

You’d expect decent airport perks with the card, given the $95 annual fee. Fortunately, there is value in the card to recoup that charge, starting with up to $600 in statement credits.

Cardholders earn statement credits of $100 for Economy and Premium Economy – or $200 for Business and First Class seats – three times per year, up to $600 when booking a reward flight to London. This bonus requires traveling on BA, traveling to London, and using the British Airways Visa to pay taxes, fees, and carrier. Surcharges.

Cardholders also earn a Travel Together Ticket every calendar year when they make $30,000 on British Airways credit card purchases. These impressive tickets are valid for two years when redeeming Avios for a flight on British Airways for a companion traveling on the same flight. This benefit is also redeemable for a 50% discount on the Avios price when booking a solo reward flight.

Other Card Features

Other features of the British Airways credit card include no foreign transaction fees and EMV technology. This technology, seen on the chip on the front of your card, provides an enhanced level of security and enables contactless payments wherever the Contactless symbol is seen. Cardholders also enjoy access to My Chase Plan, Chase’s program that lets you finance purchases of $100 or more over time in equal monthly payments.

Cardholders also enjoy partner benefits from Chase and Visa. First, Chase provides access to a one-year complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar. On the other hand, Visa provides comprehensive protections and benefits designed to keep you safe. These features include:

Zero Fraud Liability Cardholder Inquiry Services Emergency Card Replacement Luxury Hotel Collection Extended Warranty Coverage
Roadside Dispatch Lost/Stolen Card Reporting ID Navigator from Norton Travel & Emergency Assistance

FAQs About Avios

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Avios frequent flyer program, along with the answers:

  • Yes. Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity on the account. That said, Avios are easy to keep active – especially with a British Airways credit cards – simply use the card to make a purchase and you are all set for 36 months!
  • No. Avios can only be used by the accountholder.
  • You can contact Avios at 0344 49 333 49 in the UK and 1 (855) 585-8264 in the United States.

Chase Ratings

How does the Chase British Airways Visa stack up? Here is a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of JP Morgan Chase as a bank:

Should You Apply for the Chase British Airways Visa Signature®?

Overall, the British Airways Visa Signature® from Chase Bank is a great card for the Avios-friendly flyer that prefers British Airways. While similar offers are available from other Avios partners (Aer Lingus and Iberia), the British Airways version of the Chase Visa Signature is probably the best option for most travelers.

British Airways is one of the pre-eminent names in global travel, and the Chase British Airways Visa Signature is the ideal companion for those who prefer to fly with the prestigious carrier. The huge sign-up bonus is likely enough to lure plenty of potential applicants. Still, the $600 statement credits, up to 3X Avios per dollar spent, and impressive bonus offers each year make the card a robust, high-quality airline card.

 

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