Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Barclaycard Avios credit cards hub · The British Airways Club hub
GUIDE
How to use Avios and upgrade vouchers with the Barclaycard Avios Business Card
Barclaycard Avios Card is Barclaycard's Avios credit card: a Mastercard that collects Avios, the reward currency of The British Airways Club, on eligible purchases. [2] It has no monthly fee, earns 1 Avios per £1 spent on eligible purchases and offers a choice between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher and 7,000 bonus Avios once £20,000 is spent within 12 months; this guide sets out what the card earns, how Avios and vouchers reach a British Airways Club account, and the published rate and eligibility conditions. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Avios is the reward currency of The British Airways Club, and the Barclaycard Avios card collects 1 Avios per £1 spent on eligible purchases with no monthly fee. [2]
- Customers new to Barclaycard collect 5,000 Avios if they spend £1,000 in the first three months; existing Barclaycard customers who switch to the card collect 1,000 Avios for £1,000 spent within three months of receiving it. [2]
- Spending £20,000 on the card within 12 months gives a choice between a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher and 7,000 bonus Avios. [2]
- The card is linked to a single British Airways Club membership, and Avios collected with Barclaycard are transferred to that account on the second working day of the next month. [2]
- The representative example is 29.9% APR variable, based on a £1,200 credit limit, and Barclaycard says it may offer 31.9% APR variable instead. [2]
What does the Barclaycard Avios card earn and cost?
Barclaycard publishes these headline figures for its Avios card, as checked on 18 October 2026. The rates shown are the card's published rates; the approval of an application depends on the applicant's financial circumstances and borrowing history, and the interest rates may differ from those shown. [2]
| Feature | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Earning on eligible purchases | 1 Avios per £1 spent [2] |
| Monthly fee | £0 [2] |
| Welcome bonus, new to Barclaycard | 5,000 Avios for £1,000 spent in the first three months [2] |
| Welcome bonus, switching an existing Barclaycard | 1,000 Avios for £1,000 spent within three months of receiving the card [2] |
| Reward for reaching the spending target | Cabin upgrade voucher or 7,000 bonus Avios at £20,000 in 12 months [2] |
| Representative APR | 29.9% variable, based on a £1,200 credit limit; 31.9% variable may be offered instead [2] |
Purchases, balance transfers and money transfers made inside the credit limit earn Avios, while transactions that make up the cash balance — cash withdrawals, wire transfers and buying currency — do not. [2] Transactions later returned or refunded are removed, and spending that takes the account over its agreed limit earns nothing. [2] Spending abroad does earn, provided the balance stays inside the limit. [2]
How do Avios and the cabin upgrade voucher reach your account?
At application the card is linked to a British Airways Club membership — either an existing one or a new one Barclaycard sets up — and only one membership can be attached to the card. [2] Avios collected in a month are moved to that account on the second working day of the next month, and the balance can also be read in the Barclays or Barclaycard app. [2]
One cabin upgrade voucher is available for each 12-month period in which the spending target is reached. [2] After it is redeemed, it can take up to five working days to appear in the British Airways Club account under Member vouchers; it does not show in the Barclays or Barclaycard app, nor in the British Airways or Avios apps. [2]
The voucher moves the booking up one cabin class where available, for example from World Traveller Plus premium economy to Club World business class, and it must be applied when the Avios Reward Flight is booked rather than added to an existing booking. [2] The British Airways Club member has to make the booking, and travel must begin within 24 months of the voucher's issue date. [2]
What are the eligibility and rate conditions?
Approval and rate. Approval depends on the applicant's financial circumstances and borrowing history, and the interest rates offered may differ from the published example. [2] Depending on individual circumstances Barclaycard may offer 31.9% APR variable instead of the 29.9% example, and an applicant who is not happy with that alternative does not have to go ahead with it. [2]
Eligibility check. Barclaycard's free eligibility checker takes a few minutes and, the page states, will not affect a credit score; applicants need to be 18 or over, and if approved the card could arrive in seven working days. [2] Barclaycard adds that applying for more than one credit card in a short space of time could affect a credit score. [2]
What the application asks for. Barclaycard lists a British Airways Club membership number if the applicant has one (otherwise one is set up), address details for the last two years, phone number and email address, current employment details, yearly income before tax, monthly income after tax, a good idea of monthly outgoings, and the main bank account sort code and account number; in some situations accepted applicants must also provide copies of their last two bank statements or payslips. [2] Before applying, Barclaycard asks applicants to read and understand the summary box of rates and terms and conditions. [2]
Existing Barclaycard customers. A customer who already holds a Barclaycard can use the Barclays or Barclaycard app to check whether they are eligible to change to a different card, such as the Barclaycard Avios card. [2]
Limits on Avios and upgrade vouchers
- The upgrade voucher cannot be used to reach a First class cabin. [2]
- Reward flights and cabin upgrades depend on availability, and taxes, fees and carrier charges are payable per person. [2]
- Reward Flight Saver pricing requires at least 1 Avios collected in the previous 12 months. [2]
- The welcome bonus can only be collected once: switching between the Avios and Avios Plus cards does not earn a second bonus, and money spent on an existing Barclaycard Avios card does not count toward spending targets for extra rewards. [2]
- Only one British Airways Club membership may be linked to the card. [2]
- Transactions above the agreed credit limit earn no Avios, and refunded or returned transactions are removed from the total. [2]
- If a balance transfer is requested, the credit limit might go down if the transfer is not completed within 60 days of opening the account. [2]
The annual spend target is counted over a 12-month period: Barclaycard says one cabin upgrade voucher is collected for every 12-month period in which the spending target is reached. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Can a card be linked to more than one British Airways Club account?
No. Only one membership can be linked, and you'll need to decide which British Airways Club membership to link. [2]
How much spending produces a cabin upgrade voucher?
£20,000 within 12 months on the Barclaycard Avios card, at which point the cardholder chooses between the voucher and 7,000 bonus Avios. [2]
Can the voucher be added to an existing reward flight booking?
No. It has to be used at the point of booking an Avios Reward Flight, and travel must begin within 24 months of the voucher's issue date. [2]
When do the Avios appear in the British Airways Club account?
On the second working day of the month following the month in which they were collected. [2]
Does spending over the credit limit still earn Avios?
No. Transactions above the agreed limit earn nothing, and refunded or returned transactions are removed from the total. [2]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026.
- Barclaycard Avios card: rates, earning and cabin upgrade voucher terms, checked 18 October 2026