Credit Cards!!
There are several credit and charge cards on the UK market right now. However the offers associated with can alter from time to time when bonus offers get announced. I will aim to let you know when this happens.
Most cards come with a 3% FX fee if used abroad, therefore link your Mastercard or Visa to a Curve Card (click here for the article)
Disclaimer: This article is not recommending any credit or charge card. I/We are not authorised to give financial advice. Any applications that you make are your own choice. Seek financial advice if unsure.
Quite often you will earn cashback on Credit Card Applications via TopCashback – click here to view the options. Can often be a decent amount. PLus currently you will get a £5 Amazon gift card for signing up. Click here.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card
No Fee in Year 1 (£140 thereafter) – can cancel at any time
10,000 Membership Reward Points when you spend £3,000 within 3 months (12,000 if I refer you – PM me)
(no bonus if held a personal Amex card in previous 24 months)
Converts to 10,000 or 12,000 Avios, Virgin Miles, Etihad, Delta, Finnair, SAS, Singapore, Alitalia, Emirates, Flying Blue amongst others. Or 30,000 Radisson, 20,000 Hilton, 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Or maybe 660 Eurostar miles
Two free airport lounge passes each year, £20 thereafter
10,000 bonus Membership Reward points when you renew if you have spent £15,000 in the previous year
10% discount and free additional driver at Hertz
1 Membership Reward point per £1 spent
Foreign transactions and airline transactions 2 points per £1
Travel bookings via Amex Travel 3 points per £1
American Express Rewards Credit Card
No Annual Fee
5,000 Membership Reward Points when you spend £2,000 within 3 months
(no bonus if held a personal Amex card in previous 24 months)
1 Membership Reward point per £1 spent
Platinum Card from American Express
£575 Annual Fee
30,000 Membership Reward Points when you spend £4,000 in 3 months (35,000 if I refer you – PM me)
Converts to 30,000 or 35,000 Avios, Virgin Miles, Etihad, Delta, Finnair, SAS, Singapore, Alitalia, Emirates, Flying Blue amongst others. Or 90,000 Radisson, 60,000 Hilton, 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Or maybe 2,000 Eurostar miles
(no bonus if held a membership reward earning card in previous 24 months)
Travel Insurance for you and your family up to 70 years old
Full hire car insurance (no need to pay with your card)
Priority Pass for you and first supplementary card holder (one guest per card)
Status in hotel schemes – Gold in Marriott Bonvoy, Gold in Hilton Honors, Gold in Radisson Rewards, Jade in Shangri-La Golden Circle, Gold in Melia Rewards, Inner Circle Gold in Taj Hotel via status match
Eurostar Lounge in London, Brussels and Paris
£10 Addison Lee credit per month
$200 cashback on one fine stay rentals
Extra benefits via Amex Travel Site with Fine Hotel & Resorts
1 Membership Reward point per £1 spent
British Airways American Express Premium Plus Credit Card (BAPP) – Avios
£195 Annual Fee (can downgrade at anytime to the free BA American Express Card)
Current offer of 25,000 Avios when you spend £3,000 within 3 months (26,000 if I refer you – PM me)
(no bonus if held a BA Amex in the previous 24 months – supplementary holder is fine)
Spend £10,000 in a year to receive 2 for 1 companion voucher, enabling you to book two seats on BA for the Avios of one. Voucher valid for two years. Can save 100,000+ Avios on long haul flights.
1.5 Avios per £1 spent
3 Avios per £1 spent on flights or holidays directly with British Airways
British Airways American Express Credit Card – Avios
No Annual Fee
5,000 Avios when you spend £1,000 within 3 months
(no bonus if held a BA Amex in the previous 24 months – supplementary holder is fine)
Spend £20,000 in a year to receive 2 for 1 companion voucher, enabling you to book two seats on BA for the Avios of one. Voucher valid for just one year.
1 Avios per £1 spent
3 Avios per £1 spent on flights or holidays directly with British Airways
The BAPP card above is a much better option, despite the annual fee.
Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard
No Annual Fee
5,000 bonus miles with first card purchase inside 90 days
0.75 Flying Club Miles per £1 spent
1.5 Flying Club Miles per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays
Upgrade to Premium or a companion voucher when you spend £20,000 in a year
Unlimited access to Virgin Money lounges in the UK
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard
£160 Annual Fee
15,000 bonus miles with first card purchase inside 90 days
1.5 Flying Club Miles per £1 spent
3 Flying Club Miles per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays
Upgrade to Premium or a companion voucher when you spend £10,000 in a year
Unlimited access to Virgin Money lounges in the UK
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
HSBC Premier Mastercard
No Annual Fee
HSBC Premier Current Account holders only
1 point per £1 spent – convert to Avios, Asia Mile (Cathay Pacific), Singapore and Etihad at 0.5 mile per point
2 points per £1 spent abroad
Free Boingo wi-fi hotspots
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard
£195 Annual Fee
HSBC Premier Current Account holders only
40,000 bonus points if you spend £2,000 in first 3 months
Additional 40,000 points if you spend £12,000 in the first year
2 points per £1 spent – convert to Avios, Asia Mile (Cathay Pacific), Singapore and Etihad at 0.5 mile per point
4 points per £1 spent abroad
Free Boingo wi-fi hotspots
Airport Lounge access via LoungeKey
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
IHG Rewards Club Mastercard
No Annual Fee
10,000 points sign up bonus if you spend £200 in first 3 months
1 IHG hotel point per £1 spent
2 IHG hotel points per £1 spent at IHG Hotels
2 IHG hotel points per £1 spent abroad
Can convert to Avios or Virgin at 5 points per 1 mile
Free IHG Rewards Club Gold Status
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
IHG Rewards Club Premium Mastercard
£99 Annual Fee
20,000 points sign up bonus if you spend £200 in first 3 months
2 IHG hotel point per £1 spent
4 IHG hotel points per £1 spent at IHG Hotels
4 IHG hotel points per £1 spent abroad
Can convert to Avios or Virgin at 5 points per 1 mile
Free IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite Status
Free voucher for a free night if you spend £10,000 per year
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
£75 Annual Fee
30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points if you spend £1,000 in first 3 months
(no bonus if held a personal Amex card in previous 24 months)
Can convert to Avios and Virgin (and others) at 3 points per mile
3 Marriott Bonvoy points per £1 spent
Free night voucher when you spend £25,000 per year
Free Marriott Silver Status
Free Marriott Gold STatus when you spend £15,000 in a year
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
Lufthansa Miles & More Diners Club and Mastercard
£79 Annual Fee
Both are charge cards and not credit cards
10,000 Miles & More points on first purchase (until 31/12/19 then 5,000)
1.25 miles per £1 spent
Link Mastercard to free Curve Card for foreign spend
Tesco Clubcard Mastercard
No Annual Fee
1 clubcard point per £8 spent per transaction
1 clubcard point per £4 spent in Tesco
One clubcard point is worth 2.4 Avios or 2.5 Virgin Miles
Link to free Curve Card for foreign spend
Capital On Tap Small Business Visa Card – Capital Club
£99 Annual Fee
5,000 Avios or £50 bonus when you spend £5,000 in your first 3 months
1 Avios per £2 spent or 0.5% cashback
No FX or ATM Fees
Capital On Tap Small Business Visa Card – On Tap Club
£299 Annual Fee
20,000 Avios or £200 bonus when you spend £5,000 in your first 3 months
1 Avios per £1 spent or 1% cashback
No FX or ATM Fees