Chase British Airways Visa Signature: Our Review & Things to Consider

In this review of the Chase British Airways Visa Signature credit card, we take a look at its features to help you determine if this is the right credit card for you. This co-branded British Airways card can be a good option for those who spend heavily on international travel and dining. With an excellent bonus offer and a generous rewards scheme, you can quickly earn points for travel. You can also use this card to fast-track your loyalty status with the British Airways membership program.

Card Details to Know Up Front

Bonus, Fee or Feature
Has or Not
Has Annual Fee
Has Balance Transfer Offer
Has APR Offer
Cash Back Rewards
Travel Rewards
Hotel Benefits
Airline Benefits
Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
Has Foreign Transaction Fee
Credit Needed
Good–Excellent

Click to see this card’s rates, fees and how they compare to other cards in our dataset.

Chase British Airways Visa Signature at a Glance

The Chase British Airways Visa Signature card comes with many benefits, including a welcome offer of 100,000 Avios rewards (British Airways’ version of miles rewards) after spending $5,000 within the first three months. You can also earn Avios points with airline expenses, hotel bills and other purchases. Cardholders are eligible for a British Airways Travel Together companion ticket after spending $30,000 a year, and there are no foreign transaction fees on this card.

Chase British Airways Visa Signature
A good choice for British Airways loyalists looking to earn Avios
- Good–ExcellentCredit Needed
- $95Annual Fee
- 1–5 Avios per $1Rewards Rate
- 3xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate at Hotels
Pros
Generous welcome offer
Potential to earn high Avios points
No foreign transaction fees
Great travel-specific features
No penalty APR

Cons
No airline or airport-specific benefits
High British Airways surcharges
Not recommended outside of earning Avios points
Annual fee
100,000 Avios points as a welcome bonus
10% discount while booking British Airways flights
Earn up to $600 statement credits every year
5x Avios with every $1 spent with British Airways
Spend Avios points with Oneworld Alliance partners
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply
Compare this credit card with other top-rated cards from our partners.

Pros & Cons Explained

While the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card can have many benefits for the right cardholder, it is important to discuss its pros and cons so that you can easily decide if it is for you.

Pros

Benefits
Description
Flight discounts
Every calendar year, you can get up to three statement credits of $100 or $200 depending on the type of flight you book. You can also be eligible for a 10% discount when booking British Airways flights that originate in the U.S. with your card.
Great rewards
The welcome offer gives you 100,000 Avios points for spending $5,000 in your first three months. British Airways also has partnerships with several other airlines, which further enhances your options while booking a ticket.
Travel Together
If you spend $20,000 or more in a calendar year, you qualify for a Travel Together ticket valid for two years. This helps you bring another passenger with you on a flight in the same class of cabin free of cost, including first class, valid for round-trip British Airways flights starting from and landing in the U.S.

Cons

Drawbacks
Description
Complex rewards program
You might have a difficult time figuring out exactly how to maximize earning and redeeming rewards points to get the best possible value with British Airways.
Expensive surcharges
Surcharges for British Airways flights are usually on the higher side. This means that it can get expensive to redeem your Avios points for British Airways flights. You would have to weigh your options before deciding whether to redeem or not for specific flights.
Lack of co-branded benefits
This card does not come with many of the benefits you typically see in a co-branded card, such as priority boarding or free checked bags.

LOOKING FOR THE BEST CREDIT CARDS OF 2021?

MoneyGeek evaluates each card on a monthly basis and selects top picks across popular categories. Check out our current selections for the best travel cards of 2021.

Bonuses & Rewards Explained

The benefits that come with the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card include a welcome offer of 100,000 Avios points after spending $5,000 or more with your card within the first three months of opening your account. Further, you can earn 5x Avios points for every dollar spent with British Airways and partner airlines like Iberia and Aer Lingus for the first 12 months. After the first 12 months of card membership, you’ll earn 3x points for every dollar. Hotel bookings earn 3x Avios per dollar during the first year of card membership and 2x Avios thereafter. For all other purchases, you get 1x points per dollar spent.

You can redeem your points in many ways, including:

1

Flight booking

A great way to redeem your points is to use them to book flights with British Airways or any of its partner airlines. You can also pay for flight upgrades with reward points.

2

Travel expenses

In certain cases, you can pay for travel experiences, hotel stays and car rentals with your reward points.

3

Oneworld Alliance

You can use your points with membership programs offered by the partners of British Airways and Oneworld Alliance.

Other Features Explained

With the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card, you can expect several other features and benefits, including:

Card Feature
Description
Access to events
As a cardholder, you have access to special events and experiences through Above and Beyond events. These can include luxury hotel stays, special tours and more.
Reimbursement for lost luggage
If any of your luggage, including checked and carry-on luggage, is lost or damaged during transit, you can claim reimbursement to offset the loss up to $3,000 per passenger.
Delay insurance
If your baggage gets delayed by more than six hours, you are eligible for a daily reimbursement of $100 for essential purchases for a maximum of three days.
Zero foreign transaction fees
If you travel frequently to international locations, you can use this card for foreign purchases without worry, as there is no fee for foreign transactions.
Other benefits
With this card, you also get purchase protection coverage, secondary rental car insurance and extended warranty support for purchases made with the card.
Security features
The card comes with zero liability protection for fraud. You will not be liable for fraudulent purchases as long as you report any suspected fraud immediately.
Customer experience
Chase earned an excellent score on the Credit Card Satisfaction Study 2020 conducted by J.D. Power. This means that you can expect a seamless customer experience. The card also supports touch-to-pay technology.

MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

"British Avios can be used to book travel on partner airlines, including those in the OneWorld Alliance, which includes American Airlines. Just be sure to watch out for the taxes and fees as redemptions with British Airways can include some of the heftiest out there." - Alene Laney, Credit Card Journalist

Understanding the Fine Print

Card Feature
Amount or Rate
APR
15.99%–22.99%
Annual Fee
$95
Cash Back Rewards
Rewards Rate
1–5 Avios per $1
Airline Benefits
Rewards Rate on Groceries
1x
Rewards Rate on Gas
1x
Rewards Rate on Dining
1x
Rewards Rate on Entertainment
1x
Rewards Rate on Online Shopping
1x
Rewards Rate on TV, Phone, Internet Services
1x
Rewards Rate on Air Travel
3x
Rewards Rate at Hotels
2x
Balance Transfer Fee
5%
Balance Transfer APR
15.99%–22.99%
Late Fees
$40.00
Cash Advance Fee
5%
Cash Advance APR
24.99%
Foreign Transaction Fee
None

Regular APR
The Chase British Airways Visa Signature card comes with a moderately high variable APR of 15.99%–22.99%. There is no introductory APR offer with this card. For cash advances, there is a variable APR of 24.99%. However, there is no penalty APR associated with this card, although any late fee will still apply.
Annual Fee
The card charges an annual fee of $95.
Other Charges
For balance transfers, the card charges $5 or 5% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater. For cash advances, the charge is $10 or 5% of each transaction, whichever is greater.

FINDING YOUR CARD'S RATES AND FEES

If you are comparing this card with other airline co-branded cards or travel cards, pay attention to the APR, the value of the reward points, welcome offers and other fees and charges. When comparing with an existing card, just go through your last billing statement or check the website or mobile app of your card provider. You can also find the information you need through the credit card agreement database maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider Chase British Airways Visa Signature?

Loading...

Other Considerations for Chase British Airways Visa Signature

Whether the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card would be the right choice for you depends on how you plan to use it. Depending on whether you want this to be your only card or another card in your wallet, considerations might vary and influence your decision.

Things to Consider if This is Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card

If you plan to make this your only card, consider that you will get the most value out of this if you are a heavy traveler with frequent international travel requirements and a preference for British Airways. The annual fee, relatively high APR and complicated rewards structure make this a mediocre choice otherwise.

Things to Consider if This is Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet

For those traveling frequently to international locations, this can be a good additional card in your wallet if you prefer British Airways and partner airlines. This is also a good way to earn Avios points if you are interested in the related loyalty programs. Keeping this card along with a rewards or cash back-focused card can give you the best of both worlds.

WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

Our methodology while reviewing and comparing credit cards is streamlined and well-defined. We collect information from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s database, standardize data points for fair comparison, determine long-term value, analyze average spending profiles and re-rank regularly.

How Chase British Airways Visa Signature Compares to Other Cards

While the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card provides good value for frequent fliers who prefer British Airways, you can compare it with competing cards to ascertain whether this would be a good choice for you.

Quick Comparison of Chase British Airways Visa Signature

Chase British Airways Visa Signature

Annual Fee: $95
APR: 15.99%–22.99% variable
International Transaction Fee: 0%
Welcome Offer: 100,000 Avios
Best for: Frequent international travelers using British Airways and partners

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Annual Fee: $95
APR: 15.99%–22.99% variable
International Transaction Fee: 0%
Welcome Offer: 100,000 Chase Reward Points
Best for: Frequent international travelers who want more freedom with rewards

Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As

Here are some important frequently asked questions about the Chase British Airways Visa Signature card that you can check out to make your decision easier.

Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.

If you are still not sure whether this card is for you, take a look at other airline co-branded travel cards. If you are not interested in a travel card, you might find better value with a balance transfer card or a rewards card.