Our top starter card for Avios: a large welcome bonus, transferable Membership Rewards that move to Avios 1:1, and no fee in the first year. Here is why the Preferred Rewards Gold earns its place in almost every collector’s wallet in 2026.
If you are new to Avios and want the fastest, cheapest head start, this is the card. The welcome bonus alone can be worth several reward flights, the points are flexible rather than locked to one airline, and you pay nothing for the whole first year. Very few cards offer this much upside for no cost.
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| Annual fee | Free year one, then £195 |
| Base earn rate | 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 (1:1 to Avios) |
| Bonus categories | 2x airlines & foreign spend, 3x Amex Travel |
| Welcome bonus | Large Avios head start (check current offer) |
| Lounge access | Four Priority Pass passes a year |
| Extra perk | Annual Deliveroo credit, paid monthly |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.99% |
The welcome bonus and exact benefits change often — confirm the current offer and its eligibility rules on American Express’s own site. This is general information, not financial advice.
You must not have held the Gold (and often any personal Amex) in the last 24 months to get the welcome bonus, and it can only be earned once. If you plan to hold several Amex cards, think about the order you apply in to bank every bonus.
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The Preferred Rewards Gold is the single best card to start an Avios balance: a generous welcome bonus, flexible points and a free first year make it close to a no-brainer. Take the bonus, enjoy the perks, and before the £195 fee lands decide whether to keep it, downgrade or move on. Pair it with a British Airways Amex for the companion voucher and you have the strongest two-card Avios set-up in the UK.
Pair the Gold with a co-branded BA Amex to unlock the 2-4-1 voucher it does not offer.
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The AviosArcana Editorial Team
We decode the British Airways loyalty programme in plain English, cross-checking every figure against published card terms. We are not a lender and this is general information, not financial advice.