A welcome bonus is the fastest way to build an Avios balance — often worth more in month three than a year of everyday spend. Here are the biggest current offers, the rules behind them and the order to apply.
Welcome bonuses move constantly, and the ones live in autumn 2026 are unusually generous ahead of earn-rate changes on 7 October. Because each Amex bonus can only be earned once, the order you apply in genuinely matters — get it right and you can bank hundreds of thousands of Avios over a couple of years.
A single welcome bonus can hand you 40,000–60,000 Avios in a few months — enough for a return short-haul reward flight or a big chunk of a long-haul redemption. Earning that from everyday spend alone would take a year or more. That is why experienced collectors treat bonuses, not earn rates, as the main event.
| Card | Welcome bonus | Spend required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA Amex Premium Plus | 60,000 Avios | £6,000 in 3 months | Enhanced offer for applications by 6 Oct 2026. £300 fee. |
| BA Amex Accelerating Business | 40,000 Avios | £5,000 in 3 months | Business card, enhanced offer by 6 Oct 2026. £250 fee. |
| Amex Preferred Rewards Gold | Large MR bonus | Set spend in 3 months | Transferable to Avios 1:1. Free year one, then £195. |
| BA Amex (free) | 10,000 Avios | £2,000 in 3 months | Enhanced offer by 6 Oct 2026. No annual fee. |
Figures correct as of September 2026 and subject to change — the enhanced offers above are tied to applications by 6 October 2026. Always confirm the live bonus and its eligibility rules on the provider’s own site before applying. This is general information, not financial advice.
Because bonuses are once-only, plan the sequence rather than grabbing the first card you see. A common approach: start with the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold for its large, fee-free-in-year-one bonus, then move to a co-branded British Airways Amex for the companion voucher, spacing applications so you satisfy each card’s 24-month rule.
Never spend money you would not otherwise spend just to hit a bonus target. A welcome bonus is only a win if you would have made the purchases anyway and can clear the balance in full.
Our current picks for the biggest Avios head start.
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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.