An Avios business credit card can provide your business with fantastic opportunities to earn rewards, including flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.
But which are the best Avios cards available to UK businesses? I’ve compared sign-up bonuses, earning rates, annual fees, and other benefits to help you choose the best option.
Which Types of AVIOS Business Credit Cards are Available?
There are currently only three options for UK businesses wanting to earn AVIOS on a credit card.
Each card provides different bonus points and comes with its own unique set of features, advantages, and potential drawbacks.
Here’s how they look:
| Card Name | Features | Earning Rate | Annual Fee | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa | Choose to redeem for 1% cash back or 1 Avios per £1 spent | Choose to redeem for 1% cashback or 1 Avios per £1 spent | £99 per year | Visit |
| American Express Business Gold | Offers a 20,000 Amex points bonus, convertible to Avios at a 1:1 ratio if you spend £3,000 in the first three months of Cardmembership | For almost every full £1 you spend on your Card, you’ll earn 1 Membership Rewards® points | No Annual Fee for the first 12 months, and then it’s just £175 per year after that. | Visit |
| American Express Business Platinum | Takes rewards to another level, offering a whopping 40,000 Amex points as a bonus, which can be converted 1:1 to Avios points. | For almost every full £1 you spend on your Card, you’ll earn 1 Membership Rewards® points | Annual Fee: £650 | Visit |
The 3 Best AVIOS Business Credits Cards: in Detail
Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa
The Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa is designed for businesses looking to maximize their rewards, and it specializes in travel benefits via Avios points. I particularly like the speed of this account: the moment you finalize a transfer from your Capital On Tap account, your British Airways Executive Club account is instantly credited.
If you are a UK limited company or limited partnership with a turnover of £24,000+, then you should be eligible. Unfortunately, sole traders are not accepted at this time.
Here are some of the other features:
- Earning and Redeeming Avios With the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa, businesses can earn Avios points on every pound spent, enhancing the value of their everyday business expenses. By upgrading to the Business Rewards credit card for an annual fee of £99, businesses can turn their spending into potential travel experiences.
- Application and Credit Limits Businesses can apply and receive a decision in less than 5 minutes, facilitating fast access to credit. Furthermore, the Business Rewards card offers credit limits of up to £250,000, catering to a wide range of business sizes and funding needs.
- Welcome Bonus Points – New businesses signing up for the card can earn a bonus of 10,000 points, which can be redeemed for £100 cashback or 10,000 Avios upon spending £5,000 on the card within the first three months. This welcome bonus helps businesses get a head start on collecting rewards.
- Benefits Beyond Rewards – The Business Rewards card provides uncapped 1% cashback on card spending and exclusive offers with partners such as Dell, Hertz, and Hotels.com. Cardholders can redeem their points against their balance, for cash, or for discounted gift cards.
- Versatile Redemption Options – Avios points earned can be used for a variety of travel rewards. Cardholders can spend their Avios on flights and cabin upgrades, hotel stays, car hire, or tours, and experiences, providing a lot of variety in reward choices.
American Express Business Gold Card
The American Express Business Gold Card is a Great credit card option for businesses seeking to maximize their rewards, especially in terms of travel benefits and everyday expenses.
Here’s a comprehensive look at the features it offers:
- Earning and Redeeming Points -For every £1 spent on the Card, businesses earn 1 Membership Rewards point. This extends to Employee Cards linked to the Account, allowing businesses to accumulate rewards continuously. Businesses can earn 10,000 bonus points for spending £20,000 per quarter, potentially adding up to 40,000 bonus points annually.
- Additional Point Opportunities -Cardholders earn an additional point for every £1 spent when booking flights, hotels, car hire, or experiences through American Express Travel. Furthermore, a referral bonus of 9,000 points can be earned for each approved referral, with an annual referral bonus cap of 90,000 points.
- Redeeming Points – Points can be redeemed for a wide array of business necessities like team lunches, office supplies, online advertising, and more. They can also be used to reward employees or clients with experiences or gift cards. Alternatively, they can be redeemed for a statement credit or for rewards from popular brands like Apple or Currys PC World.
- Travel Benefits – Membership Rewards points can be transferred to frequent traveller programmes of partners like British Airways, Marriott Bonvoy™, and Virgin Atlantic to be used for hotel stays, flights, dining, and more.
- Business Benefits – The American Express Business Gold Card offers up to 54 days payment period on purchases, thereby improving cash flow management. The card has no pre-set spending limit, enhancing its spending power and flexibility. Complimentary Employee Cards can be issued to consolidate business spending under one account.
- Expense Management – The card comes with AmexExpense, a free expense management tool that integrates with accounting platforms like Xero, Quickbooks, and Sage. This can help businesses control expenses more effectively.
American Express Business Platinum Card
The American Express Business Platinum Card is a comprehensive credit card designed specifically for businesses, providing them with robust rewards, premium travel experiences, and valuable business management tools.
- Cashflow Management and Earning Points – The Business Platinum Card offers up to 54 days payment period on purchases, facilitating improved cash flow management. Unlike typical credit cards, it has no pre-set spending limit, offering dynamic spending power to cater to varying business needs. For every £1 spent on the Card, businesses can earn 1 Membership Rewards point, an earning that extends to Employee Cards linked to the Account. Additionally, Cardholders can double their points every time they spend £10,000 in one month.
- Additional Point Opportunities – Businesses can also earn an additional point for every £1 spent when booking flights, hotels, car hire, or experiences through American Express Travel Plus. The card offers up to £150 annually in statement credits for UK purchases with Dell Technologies.
- Redeeming Points – Points can be redeemed for a range of rewards from spa day experiences and department store Gift Cards and eCodes, to statement credits or rewards from popular brands such as Apple or Currys PC World. Points can also be used to reward employees or clients.
- Premium Travel Experiences – The Business Platinum Card provides an annual £200 Travel Credit for spend at American Express Travel Online. Membership Rewards points can be transferred to frequent traveller programmes of partners like British Airways, Marriott Bonvoy™, and Virgin Atlantic, and be used for hotel stays, flights, dining, and more. Complimentary access at more than 1,200 airport lounges across 130+ countries is also offered, along with benefits like room upgrades, daily breakfast for two people, a special amenity like a US$100 food and beverage credit, and more with Fine Hotels & Resorts.
- Business Benefits – Cardmembers can enjoy a complimentary annual digital subscription to The Times and The Sunday Times, worth £312 per year, and have access to a dedicated Account Management team. The card also allows businesses to issue Complimentary Employee Cards to consolidate business spending under one account.
- Expense Management – The card comes with AmexExpense, a free expense management tool that integrates with accounting platforms like Xero, Quickbooks, and Sage. This feature helps businesses control expenses more effectively, providing an overview of expenditure and freeing up time to focus on other aspects of running a business.
What about the British Airways American Express Accelerating Business Card for Earning AVIOS?
The British Airways American Express® Accelerating Business Card, which was specifically designed for businesses that frequently travel with British Airways, has been discontinued and is no longer available for application.
The now-defunct card was celebrated for its rewards system, offering customers the chance to earn Avios points and On Business Points for every pound spent, which could be used for free flights, hotel stays, and flight upgrades. It was particularly useful for companies with high expenditure, providing a substantial introductory bonus of up to 30,000 points for spending £5,000 in the first three months of membership and additional bonus Avios for every £20,000 spent per calendar year.
While it offered an interest-free period of up to 56 days on purchases, the card also allowed users to carry a balance at a purchase rate of 26.9%. However, the card did have a hefty annual fee of £250, making it most beneficial for those who used it frequently.
Despite being discontinued, the British Airways American Express® Accelerating Business Card set a high standard for travel reward business credit cards. Those looking for an alternative should compare current offers considering factors such as annual fees, rewards programs, and interest rates.
Summary: Which Avios credit card is best for your business?
For most businesses Capital on Tap offers the best choice, as it is a regular business credit card, meaning you can hold a balance over as long as you pay interest.
The American Express cards, on the other hand, are charge cards which means you have to pay the full balance off each month.
Like all financial decisions, the best card will depend on your specific requirements. If you are spending a lot and can pay the balance off each month, the American Express Gold and Platinum will give you the best AVIOS rewards of an UK card at the moment.
