- The British Airways Visa Signature Card is offering a massive sign-up bonus for new users: up to 100,000 British Airways Miles, or "Avios," after meeting spending requirements.
- Americans can get a ton of value from Avios, even though British Airways is UK-based.
- By taking advantage of airline alliances, partnerships, and British Airways' award chart, you can use Avios for things like free short-haul American Airlines flights in North America or - with a bit of effort - business class flights to Spain.
British Airways and Chase are offering one of the highest-ever sign-up bonuses for their co-branded credit card.
The bonus - up to 100,000 British Airways miles, called "Avios" - is broken into two parts: 50,000 Avios after you spend $3,000 on the card in the first three months, and another 50,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 total in that first year.
While most Americans - except those constantly traveling back and forth from the UK - might wonder why they would want a credit card from the flagship British carrier, British Airways Avios can actually be extremely useful in the US and for American travelers.
That's why this card might be worth opening for the sake of the sign-up bonus - collecting sign-up bonuses is one of the fastest ways to earn miles, and can even help your credit score. Read on to see a few of the best uses of the sign-up bonus from the British Airways credit card.
Keep in mind that we're focusing on earning rewards and perks, not things like interest rates and late fees, which can far outweigh the value of any rewards or benefits.
When you're working to earn credit card rewards or take advantage of travel benefits, it's important to practice financial discipline, like paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay back - or spending more than you would otherwise. Basically, treat your credit card like a debit card.
British Airways, American Airlines, and Oneworld
British Airways and American Airlines are partners through both the Oneworld alliance, and a joint venture for trans-Atlantic operations. Because of that, you can use British Airways Avios to book flights on American Airlines flights, and vice-versa - as long as those airlines are showing "saver" level availability.
Although there are many quirks in the British Airways frequent flyer program, which is called "Executive Club," some of which can lead to steep cash surcharges on some award flights - particularly long-haul (trans-Atlantic) tickets to or from London on British Airways planes - you can get phenomenal value by using Avios to book some types of flights on American Airlines or other Oneworld partners.
Flights within North America
One of the best uses of Avios is for flights within North America on American Airlines, which can be booked for as little as 7,500 Avios each way.
That's because British Airways prices award flights - either on its own planes or on a partners - based on distance. Within North America on American Airlines, any flights that are 1,151 miles or less cost 7,500 Avios. That includes busy (and sometimes pricey) routes like New York to Chicago.
Slightly longer flights on partners - those weighing in below 2,000 miles - are just 10,000 Avios each way in coach. That includes flights from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, slightly longer flights - like the West Coast to Hawaii, cost just 12,500 Avios each way, or 25,000 round-trip. That means that you could potentially fly a family of four to Hawaii using just the sign-up bonus from this card.
Flights to Ireland or onward
Irish flagship carrier Aer Lingus is owned by International Airlines Group, the same parent company that owns British Airways. One benefit of the mutual ownership is that even though Aer Lingus is not currently part of an airline alliance, you can use British Airways Avios to book flights on the Irish airline.
While generally using Avios for trans-Atlantic flights can incur big cash co-pays, flights on Aer Lingus are an exception.
Flights from northern cities in the eastern half of US, including Boston, New York, Toronto, and Washington, DC, and even Chicago, are just 13,000 Avios each way during off-peak seasons, and 20,000 Avios during peak dates. Cities in Florida and on the West Coast are just 16,250 Avios off-peak, and 25,000 peak.
There's just one catch: You can't book these awards online yet, because BA's consumer-facing system can't view Aer Lingus award availability. To get around this, search for availability on United Airlines' site - another Aer Lingus partner - and, once you find what you need - call British Airways.
This is an excellent way to get to just about anywhere in Europe for cheap. Dublin is a hub for ultra-low-cost carrier Ryanair - you can book a connecting flight to cities all across the continent for incredibly little.
Short-distance flights in Europe, Asia, or Australia
Another great way to use British Airways Avios is for short-distance flights outside of North America. Flights that are 650 miles and shorter are just 4,500 points each way. If you're planning to backpack or travel to a few destinations during a long trip, this presents a fantastic option to get around for cheap - all you'll have to worry about is the big flight to get to the region.
Japan Airlines, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, and Australian carrier Qantas are all Oneworld partners, so they can be booked with Avios.
Other card benefits
In addition to the sign-up bonus, the British Airways card has a few other perks and benefits that are worth keeping in mind.
The biggest is the "Travel Together Ticket." When you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year, you'll get this unique companion pass.
Essentially, the Travel Together Ticket lets you bring a companion on an award flight. When you hit the spending requirement, you'll have at least 120,000 Avios including the sign-up bonus. That's enough for a round flight between much of the US and London in business class. With the Travel Together Ticket, you can get two round-trips for the same mileage price.
Keep in mind that you'll still have to pay taxes and surcharges on the companion ticket, and on a business-class ticket between the US and London, that can reach over $1,000 per person. However, a bit over $1,000 each for a round-trip in business class is a fantastic deal if you're looking for a splurge, considering that the normal cash price for that ticket would be between $5,000-$6,000.
You'll earn 3x Avios on every dollar spent with British Airways, and 1x Avio per dollar spent elsewhere. The card has a $95 annual fee - however, the sign-up bonus is more than enough to make up for that for a few years.
Bottom line
The British Airways Visa card from Chase isn't for everyone, but there are some great ways to maximize British Airways Avios, and with up to 100,000 of them from this sign-up bonus, this presents an excellent chance to get a ton of value toward future travel.
Click here to learn about the British Airways Visa card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.
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