Find out which deals can help you earn Avios, Virgin Points and American ExpressMembership Rewards
Grace WitherdenSenior writer
Sam WilsonMarket analyst
In this article
- What is an air mile credit card?
- Best Avios air mile credit cards
- Best Virgin Points air mile credit cards
- Air mile credit card provider reviews
- How to use an air mile credit card effectively
- How to boost airline loyalty points
- Air mile credit cards: what you need to know
- How we analyse credit cards
What is an air mile credit card?
An air mile credit card is a type of reward credit card that allows you to collect points on your everyday spending and exchange them for holiday-related savings on flights (taxes apply), flight upgrades and hotel stays.
Here, Which? reveals the top cards for boosting Avios and Virgin Points.
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Best Avios air mile credit cards
These deals can help you boost your Avios points balance. Avios can be used with a variety of airlines including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways. Nectar points can be converted into Avios points.
The table is ordered by the amount of points you can earn, per £1 spent. You can click on our 'points accumulated' table to see how many points you would earn spending £500 and £1,000 per month.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of a credit card provider before committing to any financial products.
General information
British Airways American Express Premium Plus Credit Card | 62% | 1.5 Avios points per £1 (a) | 25,000 Avios points if you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months. | £250 | Get a companion voucher when you spend £10,000 each membership year, which you can use to either take a companion with you in the same flight and cabin or, if travelling solo, a 50% discount on your ticket. | 113.1% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 31% (variable), representative 113.1% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard | 72% | 1.5 Avois points per £1 | 25,000 Avios points if you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months. | £240 (c) | Spend £10,000 on your card in the first year and choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher or 7,000 bonus Avios points. | 80.1% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable), representative 80.1% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER American Express Nectar Credit Card | 79% | 2 Nectar points (worth 1.25 Avios points) per £1 (b) | 20,000 Nectar points (worth 12,500 Avios) if you spend £2,000 in the first 3 months. | £30 (d) | 37.8% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 31% (variable), representative 37.8% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. | |
British Airways American Express Credit Card | 62% | 1 Avios point per £1 | 5,000 Avios points if you spend £1,000 in the first 3 months. | £0 | Get a companion voucher when you spend £12,000 each membership year, which you can use to either take a companion with you in the same flight and cabin or, if travelling solo, a 50% discount on your ticket. | 31% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 31% (variable), representative 31% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
Barclaycard Avios Mastercard | 72% | 1 Avios point per £1 | 5,000 Avios points if you spend £1,000 in the first 3 months. | £0 | Spend £20,000 on your card in the first year and choose between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher or 7,000 bonus Avios points. | 29.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable), representative 29.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
Table notes: table updated 29 February 2024. The average provider customer score is 69%. Find out how we analyse credit cards to award Best Buys and Recommended Providers. (a) Earn three Avios points per £1 on purchases made with British Airways or BA Holidays (b) Earn three Nectar points per £1 when shopping with Nectar partners and scanning your Nectar card (c) Charged at £20 a month (d) No fee for the first year
It's clear to see that the two premium cards have the highest point-earning potential per £1 spent, however, they come with high annual fees to factor in. The Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card is £10 cheaper a year than the British Airways American Premium Plus, and as you pay £20 a month you could downgrade your card on the app to the free version once you have earned the welcome bonus and cabin upgrade voucher.
However, if you don't fancy paying for an annual fee, both the free versions of the Barclaycard Avios and British Airways are a good bet.
The British Airways American Express credit card allows you to earnone point per £1 spent. If you spend over £12,000 in a year you can also get a companion voucher - which allows you to get a second seat for a friend or loved one travelling on the same flight and cabin as you.
Our experts prefer this deal over the Barclaycard Avios Mastercard because although you earn the same rate of Avios per pound spent, the Barclaycard card requires you to spend £20,000 in a year to get an upgrade voucher, or 7,000 Avios points.
If you're a savvy Nectar collector and regularly shop at Sainsbury's, you may be better off with an American Express Nectar Credit Card and converting your points. You can exchange 400 Nectar points for 250 Avios. American Express is also a Which? Recommended Provider.
Check our guide to the best airlines to see how they stacked up against one another for everything from customer service to cabin cleanliness.
- Find out more: British Airways credit card review
Best Virgin Points air mile credit cards
Virgin Points can be used with Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club and it's not only Virgin Atlantic cards that offer deals that can earn you points; Tesco Clubcard points can be converted into Virgin Points too.
The table is ordered by the amount of points you can earn, per £1 spent. You can click on our 'points accumulated' table to see how many points you would earn spending £500 and £1,000 per month.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of a credit card provider before committing to any financial products.
General information
Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card | 70% | 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 (a) | Earn double points on spending up to £5,000 or until the 14th April 2024, whichever comes first. To qualify for this offer you must apply before 4 March 2024. 15,000 Virgin Points for first purchase made in 90 days. | £160 | Spend £10,000 in a year to acess benefits, such as companion flights or upgrades. | 69.7% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable), representative 69.7% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER American Express Gold Rewards Credit Card | 79% | 1 American Express Membership Rewards point per £1 | 20,000 American Express Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months. | £195 (d) | 3 Amex Memership Rewards points per £1 spent on American Express Travel and 2 per £1 spent with selected airlines. Four airport lounge passes a year. | 88.8% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 31% (variable), representative 88.8% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
best buy RECOMMENDED PROVIDER American Express Rewards Credit Card | 79% | 1 American Express Membership Rewards point per £1 | 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points when you spend £2,000 in the first 3 months. | £0 | Earn 4,000 points when you refer a friend who are approved for the card. | 31% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 31% (variable), representative 31% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. |
Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card | 70% | 0.75 Virgin Points per £1 (b) | £0 | Spend £20,000 in a year to access benefits, such as companion flights or upgrades. | 26.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable), representative 26.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. | |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Tesco Low APR Credit Card | 80% | 1 Clubcard point (worth 2 Virgin Points) per £8 (c) | £0 | 10.9% Representative example: assumed borrowing of £1,200 for one year, at a purchase rate of 10.9% (variable), representative 10.9% APR (variable). Credit available subject to status. Terms apply. | ||
Table notes:table updated 29 February 2024. The average provider customer score is 69%. Find out how we analyse credit cards to award Best Buys and Recommended Providers. (a) 3 points per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays (b) 1.5 points per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays (c) 3 points per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays. Earn one Clubcard point per £4 when shopping with Tesco. (d) Charged annually
The Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card offers the most competitive point-earning potential - but comes with a £160 annual fee. However, new customers only have to use the card once within 90 days to get 15,000 points. If you spend £10,000 a year you unlock a companion voucher or flight upgrade.
In this category, we've dubbed the American Express Rewards Credit Card a Best Buy. It has no annual fee and allows you to earn one American Express point per £1 spent. Amex points can be converted into Virgin Points at a ratio of 1:1. We prefer it to the fee-free Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card which only offers 0.75 points per £1 spent (unless shopping with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays when you can get a better rate of 1.5 points per £1).
If you regularly shop at Tesco, you'll earn significantly more Clubcard points with any Tesco Credit Card (5 Clubcard points per £4 spent), which can then be converted into Virgin Points at a rate of 1:2. Tesco Bank is also a Which? Recommended Provider.
To find out how Virgin Atlantic stacks up for long-haul flights against other airlines, check out our survey of the best airlines.
- Find out more:Tesco Bank credit card review
Air mile credit card provider reviews
As well as finding an air mile credit card that is the most useful to you based on your preferred flight provider, you should also consider the quality of a credit card provider’s customer service. But that's pretty hard to do unless you've been a customer before.
Which? has rated 31 of the most popular credit card providers based on real-life customer experiences to help you find out what they're like for customer service, mobile banking, and more before you sign up.
You can take a look at our full analysis in our guide to the best credit card providers.
How to use an air mile credit card effectively
With an air mile credit card, there are a few things to bear in mind to make sure you use it effectively. We've set out the golden rules below.
1. Avoid borrowing
These credit cards are a rewarding tool if you only use them to spend money you have, like you would with a debit card. They're generally not very good for borrowing, with few cards offering competitive 0% deals.
If you're already paying interest on credit card debt, it's worth considering a 0% balance transfer credit card or if you want to spread the cost of a new purchase try an interest-free purchase credit card.
- Find out more:best credit card deals
2. Pay off the balance in full every month
It's important to pay off the balance of your air mile credit card in full every month otherwise the interest could outweigh the rewards.
We recommend you set up a direct debit to clear your balance each month so you don't forget.
3. Maximise your rewards with everyday spending
To get the most out of your credit card you should try to use it as much as possible.
The best deals reward you every time you make a purchase, so it makes sense to use them instead of cash or debit cards whenever you can.
- Find out more:best cashback and reward credit cards
4. Get your partner involved
You can effectively multiply your rewards by making sure you and your partner are using the same brand of reward card. This is particularly useful for air miles, which can usually be transferred between members.
How to boost airline loyalty points
Using a specific air mile credit card isn’t the only way you can earn reward points towards your holidays. Here are other ways you can boost your points:
Check for retail partners
As well as collecting points when you fly with the airline specifically, both Avios and Virgin have retail partners where you can earn points through your shopping.
Use free loyalty schemes
You can earn both Nectar and Tesco Clubcard points by using their own loyalty schemes for free. These points can be spent on holiday-related purchases or converted into airline scheme points.
Tesco Clubcard points can only be converted into Virgin Points - this can be done on your Tesco Grocery and Clubcard app or online. You can turn every Clubcard point into two Virgin Points, so £1.50 in Clubcard vouchers will get you 300 Virgin Points.
Nectar points can only be converted into Avios points and this can be done on your Nectar app or online. Every 400 Nectar points can be converted to 250 Avios points. This means one Avios point is worth 1.6 Nectar points.
You can also earn Virgin Points by using its free loyalty scheme called Virgin Red. You can earn points by using the Virgin Red Train Ticketing app, or spending with partner retailers such as eBay, John Lewis and Just Eat.
To redeem your points for Virgin Atlantic flights you’ll need to link your Virgin Red account to your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account.
- Find out more:loyalty cards compared
Refer a friend
You might be able to earn a referral bonus once you have an air mile credit card.
For example, you can earn 4,000 AMEX Membership Rewards points for each person you refer and who gets approved for an Amex card once you become a customer.
- Find out more: best airlines
Air mile credit cards: what you need to know
Have an air mile credit card query? See if you can find the answer in our Q&A below.
Air mile credit cards come with the same Section 75 protection as other credit cards.
So if you make a purchase worth between £100 and £30,000 on an air mile credit card the card issuer is equally liable with the retailer if something goes wrong.
The attractive sign-up bonuses are often dependent on you being a new customer and spending a minimum amount in the first three months. So it makes sense to apply for a reward card before making a big purchase.
Half of the credit cards we looked at charge a fee, which ranges from £25 a year up to a staggering £250, in return for higher rates of rewards.
Some providers waive the fee in the first year, or offer a large sign-up points bonus to persuade you to join, but in the second year the fees might end up outweighing any rewards you earn.
Before signing up to a fee-charging card, estimate how much you would need to spend to make it worthwhile, and then keep track of your spending to make sure that you’re going to at least break even.
If you’re considering an air miles card, and have a particular destination in mind, check that the card won’t cost more than if you were to simply buy the flight outright.
Some cards allow you to cancel them before the end of the first year, meaning you’ll be able to avoid paying the fee. Check the terms and conditions with the provider if this is something you want to do.
Avoid using your air mile credit card abroad as in most cases they will charge foreign transaction fees on spending abroad.
Visit our guide on the best travel credit cards for cards that have no foreign transaction fees.
According to Avios your points will not expire as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios point every 36 months. If you fail to do this your points will expire and be removed.
Both Virgin Points and American Express Membership Points have no expiration date.
You can transfer up to 27,000 Avios points to another British Airways Executive Club Member each calendar year. This will also reset the 36-month period for both the person sending, and the person receiving the Avios. However, you will have to pay a fee of £15 per transaction, unless you are a Gold member.
You can transfer up to 100,000 Virgin Points to another Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Member each calendar year. However, you will have to pay a fee of £15 per transfer plus £7.50 for each 1,000 points. Flying Club Gold members can transfer for free.
American Express Membership Points cannot be transferred.
Most of the time points can only be claimed against the cost of the flight, but not taxes and fees. So even when you’ve earned enough points for a free flight, you may still have to pay hundreds of pounds. It's best to do your research to find out how to get the most value from your points.
You will need to have a decent credit score to get an air mile credit card so you should check your credit report to see if it can be improved.
If you have a poor credit history you might be better off going for a credit builder card.
How we analyse credit cards
Sam Wilson, credit card market analyst, says: 'At Which? we put credit card products and providers under the microscope to help you save time when shopping around for a new deal.
'We run a survey each year to gather the experiences of customers to help us find the best providers and we keep a close eye on the credit card market to determine which deals are the best in their category.'
Here's some more information about our research and the terms we use in this guide.
Customer score
Our provider customer scores are based on an online survey of 3,775 members of the public, conducted in October 2023.
Customer scores are worked out using a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending the provider to a friend.
Which? Best Buys
To become a Which? Best Buy, a credit card must have been one of the top five cards in its category and must also satisfy specific criteria for the type of card such as the size of balance transfer fee or length of 0% period. A provider must have also achieved a provider score of over 65% in our latest credit card provider customer satisfaction survey.
We also update our analysis regularly, which means we will withdraw Best Buys if providers make adverse changes to APRs, 0% periods or fees.
Which? Recommended Providers
We award Which? Recommended Providers to the lenders that meet our benchmarks on customer service and product offering.
To become a Which? Recommended Providers a lender must have:
- a provider score of at least 75%
- at least one top-10 card in one of the seven main categories available on the market
- a product analysis score that's average or above
- not have a representative APR of more than 33% on any of its mainstream cards at the time of the analysis.
Head back to the Avios table or Virgin Points table.
- Find out more:Which? symbols, logos and ratings explained
key information
Why should you trust Which? research?
We’re not influenced by third parties. We work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer – nobody else. See our statement of editorial independence for more.
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