Chase has launched a 100,000 bonus Avios sign-up bonus for the British Airways Visa Signature card – an increase of 50,000 Avios over the previous offer.
The generous sign-up bonus, which was originally offered in 2010 and again in 2016, is available to new British Airways cardholders and to those who have not received a sign-up bonus for the card in the past 24 months.
The sign-up bonus is awarded in the following tiers:
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50k tier – Earn 50,000 bonus Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.
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75k tier – Earn an additional 25,000 bonus Avios after spending another $7,000 (for a total of $10,000) in the first year.
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100k tier – Earn an extra 25,000 bonus Avios after spending an additional $10,000 (for a total of $20,000) in the first year.
Avios points can be redeemed toward flights with British Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Iberia and other oneworld travel partners, as well as toward hotel stays, car rentals and travel experiences. Points don’t expire as long as your account remains active. That means you must collect, spend, buy or transfer at least one Avios point every three years.
Spending money to earn rewards
Unfortunately, the spending threshold required to receive the 100,000-point sign-up bonus is steep: Cardholders must charge $20,000 in the first year in order to receive the full bonus. However, if you have the means to meet the spending requirements, you will find that 100,000 Avios can go a long way. By our estimates, savvy cardholders who know where to find the sweet spots in British Airways’ rewards program can obtain an average value of 2.3 cents per Avio.
The British Airways card comes with several other great benefits that help outweigh the price, including:
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3x rewards – Cardholders receive 3 Avios points for each dollar spent directly with British Airways, OpenSkies and Iberia, for airfare and flight-related services.
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1x rewards – Cardholders receive 1 Avio for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
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Free companion ticket – As a card member, you receive a complimentary Travel Together Ticket each year that you make $30,000 in purchases.
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No foreign transaction fees – You will not be charged foreign transaction fees for purchases made outside of the U.S.
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Automatic Executive Club enrollment – Your Executive Club membership allows you to take advantage of exclusive benefits, such as member-only deals.
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Travel protection – Cardholders receive compensation for baggage delays, reimbursement for lost luggage and a waiver for auto rental collision damage.
Comparing hotel rewards cards
British Airways joins the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier card and the Hilton Honors Surpass card from American Express in offering a 100,000-point sign-up bonus. Although the British Airways Visa Signature card requires a higher spend amount to reach the 100,000-point bonus than the other two cards, according to our valuation, its rewards points are worth more per dollar.