British Airways Amex Card Now Earns Tier Points

After years of speculation and countless forum debates, British Airways has finally introduced tier point earning through credit card spending. Starting June 18th, 2025, holders of the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card can earn up to 2,500 tier points by spending £25,000 during the offer period. But before you get too excited, let's dive into whether this is the game-changer we've all been waiting for – or simply another way for BA to extract more revenue from loyal customers.

The Complete Details: What You Need to Know

Based on the official British Airways website, the mechanics are more generous than initially reported. The key updates include:

Enrolment Period Extended: You can now enrol until 25 January 2026, giving cardholders much more flexibility to join the programme. The earning period still runs until 1 February 2026, but this extended enrolment window is a welcome change.

Future Offers Confirmed: BA has officially confirmed there will be "a further opportunity to earn tier points using your Premium Plus Card starting in April 2026." This suggests the programme will become an annual feature, which is excellent news for long-term planning.

New Cardmember Incentive: Until 15 July 2025, new Premium Plus cardholders can earn a 50,000 Avios welcome bonus by spending £6,000 in their first three months, alongside access to the tier points offer.

The earning structure remains:

• £15,000 spend: 750 tier points

• £20,000 spend: Additional 750 tier points (1,500 total)

• £25,000 spend: Additional 1,000 tier points (2,500 maximum)

My Updated Take: Significantly More Attractive

The extended enrolment period fundamentally changes my opinion of this offer. Previously, the tight registration window felt artificially restrictive and designed to catch people off-guard. Now, with nearly seven months to decide whether to participate, it feels much more customer-friendly.

More importantly, the confirmation of future annual offers makes this feel like a permanent programme enhancement rather than a one-off revenue grab. This addresses my primary concern about the sustainability of adjusting spending patterns for a limited-time offer.

The Strategic Value Proposition

Let's be more specific about the value mathematics. Using our BA tier point calculator, these credit card tier points become particularly valuable when combined with flight earnings.

For context, British Airways tier thresholds are:

• Bronze: 3,500 tier points

• Silver: 7,500 tier points

• Gold: 20,000 tier points

The 2,500 tier points from maximum card spend represents:

• 71% of Bronze requirements

• 33% of Silver requirements

• 12.5% of Gold requirements

This makes the offer most compelling for those targeting Bronze or Silver status, where the credit card earning can provide the majority of required tier points.

Real-World Scenarios Where This Makes Sense

Scenario 1: The Bronze Chaser Someone targeting Bronze status could earn 750 tier points at £15,000 spend, then supplement with a couple of European business class flights or one long-haul return in premium economy. This is genuinely achievable for many people.

Scenario 2: The Status Top-Up Perhaps more valuable is the "top-up" scenario. Imagine you're sitting at 6,000 tier points in November, needing 1,500 more for Silver. The £20,000 spend threshold suddenly becomes very attractive, even if it means accelerating some planned purchases.

Scenario 3: The Business Spender For business owners who can channel company expenses through personal cards (always check your company policy first), £25,000 annually is entirely reasonable. The combination of 1.5 Avios per £1 plus tier points creates compelling value.

Integration with Existing Strategies

This offer works particularly well alongside other tier point earning opportunities we've covered recently:

• Royal Jordanian status matches for those with hotel status (covered here)

• Vietnam Airlines status matches to SkyTeam Elite Plus (detailed here)

• Strategic Avios redemptions using tools like our Award Travel Finder

The key is viewing this as part of a broader status strategy rather than a standalone solution.

The Competitive Landscape

This move brings British Airways closer to parity with international competitors, though we're still behind in some areas:

• American carriers typically offer more generous credit card tier earning

• Delta's co-brand cards can earn substantial Medallion Qualifying Dollars

However, the combination with Avios earning (1.5 per £1) makes the BA offer reasonably competitive, especially for UK residents who value Avios highly.

Warning: Don't Chase Status for Status' Sake

Before getting carried away with the possibilities, remember that status should enhance your existing travel patterns, not drive unnecessary spending. A few important considerations:

1. Opportunity cost: £25,000 on the Premium Plus card foregoes potential earnings on other cards

2. Annual fee: The Premium Plus card has a £300 annual fee that needs factoring into value calculations

3. Status utility: Ensure you'll actually benefit from the tier you're chasing

Use our how many Avios points for a flight tool to understand whether higher status will genuinely benefit your redemption patterns.

Bottom Line: Worth It for the Right Person

My updated verdict is significantly more positive than my initial reaction. The extended enrolment period, confirmation of future offers, and strong welcome bonus (50k right now) for new cardholders address most of my initial concerns.

This offer makes sense if you:

• Already hold or plan to get the Premium Plus card

• Can naturally put £15,000+ annual spend through it without sacrificing better earning opportunities

• Are strategically targeting Bronze or Silver status

• Value the combination of Avios and tier points earning

It doesn't make sense if you:

• Would need to move significant spend from better-earning cards

• Are targeting Gold status through credit card spending alone

• Don't have a natural path to £15,000+ annual spend

The programme feels sustainable, customer-friendly, and genuinely useful rather than a cash grab. For many British Airways loyalty programme members, this could be exactly the boost they need to reach their target tier.

Next Steps: If you're considering this offer, start by calculating your natural annual spend on credit cards, then use our BA tier point calculator to see how credit card tier points might fit into your overall strategy.

Are you planning to enrol? Let me know your thoughts on Instagram – I'd love to hear how this might change your approach to British Airways status earning.

Remember: You have until 25 January 2026 to enrol, but tier points are only earned on spend after enrolment, so don't wait too long if you're planning to participate.