Bottom Line

This card shouldn't be at the top of your list. If you've got a bunch of short haul flights in your plans, especially around Europe, it might be worth adding for you. But unless you are a really big spender, the $30,000 bonuses with this card are probably aren't worth the bonuses you would have missed if you had spent that 30k on other cards.

Why You Might Want This Card

Avios Are A Different Breed

Avios can be super useful for short haul flights that don't go through London. They don't expire, there are no blackout dates, no booking fees, no close-in booking fees. Also points can be used for airfare, upgrades, hotels, car rentals and one-way tickets. British Airways is part of the Oneworld Alliance, and therefore, Avios can be transferred for big value on partner airlines. When you book on long-haul British Airway flights using Avios, you'll end up paying so many surcharges that it typically erodes a significant amount of value from your point redemption. The best use is short haul flights that avoid surcharges. Check out more on using Avios here>. If you're a big spender, $30,000 in spend will get you a Travel Together Ticket. This is good for two years. You must be leaving from and returning to the US, and you still have to pay taxes and fees on the second ticket, so you'll want to avoid London if possible. The reality is, unlike the Southwest Companion Pass, this is probably only useful to less than 1% of people. If you are in that 1% of big spenders who's travel itinerary matches British Airways flight routes, it can be a find, especially for Business and First class tickets.

Exceptions To The Rule

About British Airway Executive Avios

We used to shy away from British Airways because of the enormous surcharges they hit you with while flying through London. But, if used right, Executive Club can be your best friend. Collecting Avios is easy, especially considering the occasional 100,000 sign-up bonus through the British Airways Visa -- and the fact that Chase’s Ultimate Rewards and American Express Rewards can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio.

British Airways uses a distance-based award chart, meaning the best value can come from non-stop, short trips. They also partner with Aer Lingus, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. So consider using Avios to get you to the west coast and then Alaska Airlines to get you to the shores of Hawaii. Another good value is booking your Aer Lingus flight with your Avios for a route to Ireland. Or, because Avios are distance-based, you can do multi-city trips within Europe or Asia, making sure you're hopping through Oneworld hub airports, avoiding London and their surcharges.

For example, because British Airways is distance-based you can take advantage of booking flights between 500 and 1150 miles for, 9,000 Avios and that means anywhere in the world, so if you wanted to hop around Asia or Europe, this works out to be much more efficient than even using one of their partners. If you are staying in the states, be sure to look into using Avios to book AA business class flights where you can score an amazing deal on one of their wide-body planes. Earn Avios with the Chase British Airways card that occasionally has big welcome bonuses or transfer Ultimate Rewards or Amex rewards, who also occasionally runs promotions, to your Avios account. Using Avios can be quite diverting if you know what you're doing, avoid big surcharges and get creative and you can really cash in on these little jewels.

Bottom Line: The most treasured part about Avios is the fact that you can transfer them. Using Avios to book non-stop, short flights is a good idea. But if you're looking to travel overseas, and that includes Hawaii, or if you land somewhere international and want to country hop, it’s a good idea to look into their transfer programs. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the seats you can get with the same exact amount of Avios transferred to one of their more surcharge-friendly partners.

Where British Airways Fits In This Point Ecosystem

Personal Experience