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Amex Platinum vs British Airways Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- American Express Platinum Card®: This card is best for frequent travelers looking to maximize luxury perks like extensive airport lounge access and premium hotel benefits.
- British Airways Visa Signature®: This card is ideal for frequent international flyers, particularly those loyal to British Airways and its partners, who can take advantage of its airline-specific rewards and companion ticket benefit.
American Express Platinum Card® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at what makes the American Express Platinum Card® (See Rates & Fees) a top-tier choice for discerning travelers.
- It provides cardholders with comprehensive airport lounge access, including entry to the exclusive Centurion Lounges.
- Members receive complimentary elite status with major hotel loyalty programs and enjoy luxury perks when booking through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program.
- A wide array of annual statement credits provides value on spending with select travel, dining, retail, and entertainment partners.
Terms Apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Pros
- Unmatched airport lounge access through the Global Lounge Collection, which includes the highly-rated Centurion Lounges.
- A robust suite of benefits including numerous statement credits, complimentary elite status at partner hotels, and access to exclusive dining and travel programs.
Cons
- The high annual fee can be difficult to justify for those who don't travel frequently, as the card's value is heavily concentrated in travel-related perks.
- Maximizing the card’s benefits can be complex, with many credits requiring manual enrollment and accelerated points being limited mostly to travel purchases.
British Airways Visa Signature® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the features and perks that make the British Airways Visa Signature® card a compelling choice.
- The card offers accelerated rewards on purchases made with British Airways and its airline partners.
- A unique Travel Together Ticket allows a companion to join you on a flight for just the cost of taxes and fees after meeting an annual spend.
- Cardholders benefit from valuable travel protections and pay no foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
Pros
- A standout perk is the ability to earn a Travel Together Ticket, allowing a companion to join you on a British Airways flight.
- The card is well-suited for international travel, offering no foreign transaction fees and a suite of travel protections.
- Avios can be redeemed for flights not only on British Airways but also on its extensive network of partner airlines, including those in the oneworld alliance.
Cons
- The card has an annual fee, and its signature Travel Together Ticket requires a significant annual spend to unlock.
- Redeeming Avios for reward flights can incur substantial taxes and carrier-imposed fees, and redemption options are most valuable when used for British Airways and its partners.
British Airways Visa Signature® vs American Express Platinum Card®
Categories
When deciding which is better, Amex Platinum or British Airways Visa Signature, it's essential to understand that each card is designed for a different type of traveler.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card built for those who travel often and value luxury perks and exclusive benefits.
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card is ideal for travelers who frequently fly British Airways or its oneworld global network partners.
Redemption
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Points offer great flexibility, allowing you to transfer them to a wide network of airline and hotel partners or book travel directly through American Express Travel.
British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Rewards are earned as Avios, which are best used for booking flights on British Airways and its partner airlines within the oneworld alliance.
Travel Perks
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: This card provides access to the American Express Travel portal for bookings. It features no foreign transaction fees, making it a strong choice for international travel. A key highlight is its extensive airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges (Terms Apply).
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Cardholders book travel directly through British Airways to maximize rewards. This card also has no foreign transaction fees. While it doesn't offer a broad lounge access program, its ecosystem is built around British Airways-specific perks. These include a 10% discount on British Airways flights and the ability to earn a Travel Together Ticket after meeting a spending requirement, which allows you to bring a companion on a reward flight and only pay taxes and fees.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the right choice, you can use a tool like Kudos, which helps you compare thousands of credit cards using your real spending data for personalized recommendations.
- Test drive credit cards: Before you apply, you can simulate your potential earnings with different cards based on your actual spending history. This feature shows you a personalized projection of annual rewards and net value without impacting your credit score.
- Personalized recommendations and approval odds: Kudos analyzes your transaction history to suggest the best cards for your spending habits and provides a detailed analysis of your approval likelihood.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, the platform will match it.
- Kudos Boost rewards: Earn extra rewards on top of your regular credit card points when you shop at participating stores.
Who Should Choose the American Express Platinum Card®?
The American Express Platinum Card® is tailored for the frequent traveler who values premium experiences and can fully leverage its extensive suite of benefits. This cardholder is someone who regularly takes advantage of perks like comprehensive airport lounge access, elite hotel status, and exclusive dining reservations through Global Dining Access by Resy. Furthermore, the ideal user is adept at maximizing value by consistently using the card's various statement credits across travel, entertainment, and retail categories to offset the annual fee.
Who Should Choose the British Airways Visa Signature®?
The British Airways Visa Signature® Card is tailor-made for frequent flyers of British Airways and its Oneworld global network partners, particularly those who regularly travel internationally. It’s especially rewarding for high-spenders who can meet the annual spending requirement to earn the coveted Travel Together Ticket, which allows a companion to fly for only the cost of taxes and fees. Beyond the flight perks, the card also appeals to savvy travelers with benefits like no foreign transaction fees and valuable purchase protections.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Amex Platinum vs British Airways Visa Signature comparison has left you undecided, or if neither card quite fits your travel style, don't worry. There are several other excellent travel rewards cards on the market worth considering.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check Your Credit Score: Most premium travel cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Plan Your Spending: Ensure you can naturally meet the spending requirement for the welcome offer without forcing purchases.
- Know the Issuer Rules: Research issuer-specific policies, like welcome offer eligibility rules, before submitting your application.
Application Strategy
- Find the Best Offer: Be patient when searching for the best welcome offer, as they can vary.
- Understand the Benefits: Review the card’s benefits to ensure they align with your lifestyle, especially if they require enrollment.
- Time Your Application: Time your application before a large planned purchase to help meet spending requirements for welcome offers or special perks.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer points from the American Express® Platinum Card® to British Airways?
Yes, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to the British Airways Executive Club, often with favorable transfer ratios. This flexibility allows you to use points earned on the Platinum Card for Avios-based redemptions.
Is the British Airways Visa Signature® Card subject to the Chase 5/24 rule?
Yes, as a Chase co-branded card, the British Airways Visa Signature® Card is generally subject to the 5/24 rule. This means an application may be denied if you have opened five or more personal credit cards from any bank in the last 24 months.
Which card offers better lounge access?
The American Express® Platinum Card® provides significantly more comprehensive lounge access through its Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights (Terms Apply). The British Airways card does not offer a comparable broad lounge access benefit.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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