Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.
Select Chase co-branded airline credit cards are offering new members a generous welcome bonus to help offset their next flight abroad.
New cardholders signing up for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card, Iberia Visa Signature® Card and Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card can now earn up to 100,000 Avios: earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening and earn an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 in the first 12 months of account opening.
If you assume a 1 cent value per point, the welcome bonus offers can be worth $1,000 — although it's easy to get more value than that with the right redemption. All three cards have a $95 annual fee, but the welcome bonus can more than offset it for several years to come. Cardholders can use their Avios to book airfare, upgrade to business class, rent a car and even cover the cost of a cool travel experience like whale watching.
While this card may not first appeal to U.S.-based flyers, using Avios points for American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights can provide great value.
Those who open a British Airways card get even more perks:
British Airways Visa Signature Card perks
New British Airways cardholders get 10% off BA flights departing from the U.S. when they book through the website provided in their new card welcome materials.
And if you don't want to fly BA, no worries. You can use your BA Avios to book flights on the other 13 airlines that are part of the Oneworld® Alliance, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, when flying domestic. Using Avios points can often be a better value than using the American or Alaska's own award currency.
BA cardholders can also earn a Travel Together Ticket each year that they make $30,000 in purchases on their British Airways Visa Signature Card.
A Travel Together Ticket gives you a second seat for family member or friend who is on the same travel itinerary (same flight and same cabin) when you book a reward flight with British Airways. The flight must originate in and return to the U.S. (You're still required to pay taxes, fees and carrier charges for both you and your companion's tickets.)
British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus cardholder rewards
Beyond earning the 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening; you can earn an additional 25,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 in the first 12 months of account opening totaling up to 100,000 Avios, British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus cardholders can also maximize rewards on eligible flights and hotel stays:
- Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL.
- Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
- Earn 1X Avios per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Plus, cardholders using any of these three Avios cards overseas will enjoy no foreign transaction fees.
Who qualifies for the 100k Avios welcome bonus?
To qualify for the bonus Avios, you must be a new cardholder who hasn't earned a bonus for the card you're applying for within the last 24 months.
For example, if you want to apply for the Iberia Visa Signature card and earn the welcome bonus worth up to 100,000 Avios, you must meet these two requirements:
- You don't currently have the card, and
- You haven't earned a bonus for the Iberia card within the past 24 months.
The co-branded British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus also reportedly fall under Chase's 5/24 rule, which means that you can't be approved for the card if you've opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months. For example, if you've opened two Citi cards and three Amex cards within the past 24 months, then you will likely be denied for a new Chase card until your 5/24 score decreases. There really aren't any workarounds to the 5/24 rule, beyond waiting for a new account to be over 24 months old.
These cards are considered separate products, so it's possible to get the up to 100,000 point bonus on each card if you're eligible.