⏰ Last Call: Amex UK Enhanced Bonuses End Monday

If you've been sitting on the fence about applying for an American Express card, consider this your final nudge. The enhanced welcome bonuses that launched back in November are ending on Monday 13 January 2026 - that's just 2 days from now.

I've been tracking these offers closely since they launched, and while Amex regularly runs promotions, we don't always see bonuses this generous. If you're eligible (and I'll explain exactly how to check below), this could be worth tens of thousands of points.

Let's break down the current enhanced offers for personal cards:

Enhanced offer (via referral): 85,000 Membership Rewards points + £250 Amex Travel credit when you spend £6,000 in your first 3 months. The public offer sits at 75,000 points.

After this promotion ends, the standard offer drops back to 50,000 points with no travel credit - so you'd be leaving 35,000 points and £250 on the table.

The annual fee is £650, which sounds steep until you factor in the benefits: unlimited Priority Pass lounge access for you and a guest, Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status, £400 in dining credits annually, comprehensive travel insurance, and Eurostar lounge access. As someone who uses my Business Platinum regularly, I can confirm these benefits genuinely add up.

👉 Apply for the Amex Platinum via referral (85,000 points)

Enhanced offer (via referral): 45,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend £5,000 in your first 6 months. The public offer is 40,000 points.

The first year is free, then £195 annually. You get 4 Priority Pass lounge visits per year and £120 in Deliveroo credit (£10/month). This is often considered the best "starter" Amex for points collectors - the spending requirement is very achievable and you've got 6 months to hit it.

The standard offer after January 13th? Just 20,000 points. That's a massive difference.

👉 Apply for the Amex Gold via referral (45,000 points)

I need to be upfront here: the enhanced business card offers (60,000 for Business Gold and 120,000 for Business Platinum) that ran last autumn have now ended. The current offers are:

Business Gold: 20,000 points (spend £3,000 in 3 months), free first year then £195/year

Business Platinum: 50,000 points (spend £6,000 in 3 months), £650/year

These are the standard offers. However, there's still a compelling reason to consider business cards - the eligibility rules changed in 2024, and you're now guaranteed the welcome bonus if approved and you meet the spend target. No restrictions based on other Amex cards you hold.

👉 View Amex Business Card options

This is where people often get caught out. For personal Membership Rewards cards (Platinum, Gold, Green, Rewards Credit Card):

You cannot receive the welcome bonus if you've held any personal Membership Rewards card in the previous 24 months.

However, you are eligible if you've only held:

There's also an important exception: The Platinum Card bonus is available even if you currently hold a BA Amex. This is specifically stated in Amex's terms and is a nice loophole for BA cardholders.

Not sure if you're eligible? Try our Amex Welcome Bonus Eligibility Tool to check.

Amex also has minimum income requirements:

Membership Rewards points transfer 1:1 to Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and numerous airline partners. 85,000 points from the Platinum would get you a one-way business class flight to New York or two off-peak return flights to Europe in economy.

Check our Avios flight pricing guide to see exactly what destinations you could unlock.

One important note: Emirates Skywards transfer rates are changing from 4:3 to 2:1 in February 2026. If you're planning Emirates redemptions, factor this in.

While we're talking credit card deadlines, the enhanced Barclaycard Avios Plus offer also ends soon - on Wednesday 15 January.

The current offer is 35,000 Avios when you spend £6,000 in 6 months (standard offer is 25,000 Avios). You also get a 12-month Apple TV subscription and a cabin upgrade voucher when you spend £10,000 in your card year.

The monthly fee is £20 (or £15 if you have Barclays Premier with Avios Rewards), and the card earns 1.5 Avios per £1 spent - making it one of the best ongoing earn rates available in the UK.

Eligibility: You must not have held any Barclaycard in the previous 6 months, or specifically a Barclaycard Avios/Avios Plus in the previous 24 months. Holding a BA Amex is fine.

For a full comparison, see our best Avios-earning credit cards guide.

If you're eligible for the Amex Gold and can comfortably spend £5,000 over 6 months, it's almost a no-brainer. First year free, 45,000 points via referral, and you can always downgrade or cancel before the fee kicks in. Those 45,000 points could get you to destinations like Dubai or the Maldives in economy, or provide significant value towards premium cabin redemptions.

The Platinum is a bigger commitment at £650/year, but if you travel regularly and can use the lounge access, hotel statuses, and dining credits, the benefits genuinely stack up. I've had my Business Platinum for a while now and the Priority Pass access alone has saved me hundreds.

Whatever you decide, don't let the deadline sneak up on you. Monday 13 January is the cutoff for Amex enhanced offers, and Wednesday 15 January for Barclaycard.

👉 Amex Platinum (up to 85,000 points)

👉 Amex Gold (up to 45,000 points)

👉 Amex Business Cards

👉 Check Your Amex Eligibility

Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions!

Jack