Part of Barclaycard Avios credit cards hub · The British Airways Club hub
Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a card product change?
Card product change — also called a card upgrade or card downgrade — is the switch of an existing credit card account from one card product to another from the same issuer, rather than the opening of a fresh account. It matters because the card's fee, earning rate and benefits travel with the product, while the welcome bonus, the date a new fee starts and any rewards already collected are handled under the issuer's own rules for that change.
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Products in one card family can differ mainly in cost and earning rate: at Barclaycard, the Avios Plus card carries a £20 monthly fee and pays 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases, while the Barclaycard Avios card has no monthly fee and pays 1 Avios for every £1, as of 18 October 2026. [5]
- Welcome-bonus wording can be tied to the issuer rather than to the individual card: Barclaycard describes both Avios-card bonuses as available to customers who are new to Barclaycard. [5]
- Changing product is not the only option — HSBC publishes guidance on holding a second credit card for different spending needs. [7]
How does a card product change work?
A card product change keeps the account open and swaps the product attached to it. The cardholder stays with the same issuer and moves to a card with a different mix of fee, earning rate and benefits — upwards to a richer product or downwards to a cheaper one. What carries over and what resets is set by the issuer's terms for the products involved, so three things are worth confirming in advance: when the new card's fee begins, whether a welcome bonus is available, and how rewards earned on the old card are treated.
Barclaycard's Avios cards show how two products in one family can sit on the same card network and collect the same rewards currency while differing in cost and earning rate. The Avios Plus card collects 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases and carries a £20 monthly fee, while the Barclaycard Avios card collects 1 Avios for every £1 spent on eligible purchases with no monthly fee; both are accepted everywhere that accepts Mastercard. [5]
How do fees differ between cards in the same family?
Fees in a card family are normally attached to the product rather than to the account, and the shape of the fee matters as much as its size: a monthly fee recurs for as long as the account is open, while a transaction charge is paid once against a specific piece of business.
| Feature | Barclaycard Avios Plus | Barclaycard Avios |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £20 | No monthly fee |
| Earning rate | 1.5 Avios per £1 on eligible purchases | 1 Avios per £1 on eligible purchases |
| Welcome bonus | 25,000 Avios for £3,000 spent in the first three months, if you are new to Barclaycard | 5,000 Avios for £1,000 spent in the first three months, if you are new to Barclaycard |
| Cabin upgrade voucher spend | £10,000 within 12 months | £20,000 within 12 months |
| Representative APR (variable) | 80.1% | 29.9% |
On the Avios pair, the visible difference is a recurring monthly fee: £20 a month on Avios Plus against no monthly fee on the standard Avios card. [5] The representative APR differs too — 80.1% representative (variable) on Avios Plus and 29.9% representative (variable) on Avios, both calculated on an assumed £1,200 credit limit. [5] APR is a broad cost measure rather than a card fee in itself: HSBC's credit card guidance defines it as the cost of borrowing over a year, taking in interest as well as other charges such as an annual fee. [7] For the annual-fee version of this comparison, see card annual fee.
Does a card product change affect welcome bonus eligibility?
A welcome bonus is a one-off award for opening a card and meeting a spending condition, and the eligibility test is written by the issuer. The wording decides the outcome: a test based on being new to the issuer treats someone moving between that issuer's products differently from a test based on being new to the specific card.
Barclaycard frames both Avios-card bonuses around the issuer relationship. Avios Plus offers 25,000 Avios for £3,000 of spending in the first three months and the standard Avios card offers 5,000 Avios for £1,000 in the first three months, each described as available if you are new to Barclaycard, with terms and conditions applying. [5] Both offers require the spending to happen inside the first three months. [5] The general mechanics of these awards are covered under welcome bonus.
What happens to reward points when the card changes?
Rewards follow the earning rules of the product. Both Barclaycard Avios cards collect the same named currency, Avios, so spending on either accrues into one rewards scheme, but the rate changes with the product: 1.5 Avios per £1 on Avios Plus against 1 Avios per £1 on the standard card. [5]
Products outside that family pay in a different form. The Amazon Barclaycard gives 1% back in rewards on Amazon and 0.5% back everywhere else, and that 0.5% rate changes to 0.25% twelve months from the date the account is opened. [5] Once you have earned £5 in rewards on that card you can transfer a £5 Amazon gift card to your Amazon.co.uk account, or let the rewards keep growing. [5] A rate can therefore shift inside a single product over the life of an account, without any change of card at all.
Exceptions and limits
- Bonus conditions are offer-specific. Both Barclaycard Avios bonuses carry terms and conditions and a three-month spending window, and the Amazon Barclaycard's 0.5% earning rate drops to 0.25% twelve months after the account opens. [5]
- A second card can be the alternative to a switch. HSBC publishes guidance on second credit cards for customers managing different spending needs, and its card FAQ states that there is no limit on how many credit cards you can have, provided you manage them responsibly. [7]
- Approval and terms can differ from the advertised offer. Barclaycard states that approval depends on your financial circumstances and borrowing history, and that the terms you are offered may differ from those shown. [5]
- Introductory pricing is time-limited. HSBC's card guidance says that when an introductory rate ends, the balance moves to the standard interest rate. [7]
Because eligibility, the date a fee starts and the treatment of any bonus are set product by product, they need to be confirmed on the issuer's current terms for the specific cards involved before a change is requested.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get a welcome bonus again when you change card product?
Only if you meet the issuer's stated condition. Barclaycard describes its 25,000 Avios and 5,000 Avios bonuses as available if you are new to Barclaycard, and attaches terms and conditions to each. [5]
Is the Avios Plus card more expensive than the standard Avios card?
On the published figures, yes: Avios Plus carries a £20 monthly fee and a representative APR of 80.1% (variable), against no monthly fee and 29.9% representative APR (variable) on the Barclaycard Avios card, as of 18 October 2026. [5]
Can you hold a second card instead of changing product?
Some issuers present that as an option. HSBC has a separate page on second credit cards and states in its card FAQ that there is no limit on how many credit cards you can have, as long as you manage them responsibly. [7]
Do rewards change when the card product changes?
The earning rate belongs to the product: 1.5 Avios per £1 on Avios Plus against 1 Avios per £1 on the standard Avios card. [5] Rates can also move within one product over time, as when the Amazon Barclaycard's 0.5% rate falls to 0.25% after twelve months. [5]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Other issuers and programmes, including American Express, the British Airways Club and hotel loyalty programmes, are not covered here.
- Barclaycard credit cards, including the Avios Plus and Avios cards, checked 18 October 2026
- HSBC UK credit cards and credit card FAQ, checked 18 October 2026