New Benefits on British Airways and American Express Companion Vouchers

British Airways and American Express Companion Vouchers have a new benefit for solo traveller or odd-numbered group.

Cardmembers who have earned a Companion Voucher on either the British Airways American Express® Credit Card or the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card since September 2021 can now redeem it when booking a solo trip and receive a 50% discount on the Avios cost. This significantly increases the card’s competitiveness in comparison to the new Barclaycard Avios card, which offers upgrade vouchers and a similar earning rate.

In terms of Avios, a 50% discount is worth more than an upgrade voucher, and at only £10 more per year than the Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard, the BA Amex Premium Plus is now a better choice for solo travelers. You can use companion vouchers earned from September 2021 onwards for flights departing from outside the UK as well as from within the UK, saving you a significant amount of money on taxes and charges. That is not possible with the Barclaycard.

You can still use the Companion Voucher to travel with someone else as before, receiving a second seat for a companion traveling on the same Reward Flight booking for no extra Avios.

Companion Vouchers are given to travelers who have either a British Airways or an American Express card and spend the required amount during their Cardmembership year. They can be redeemed on available British Airways Reward Flights that do not have to begin in the UK, allowing Cardmembers to book either one journey for half the Avios required, or take a second traveller on the same flights and in the same cabins for no additional Avios, plus paying taxes, fees, and charges per person.

In addition to this change, those booking British Airways Reward Flights with a Companion Voucher (either alone or with a companion) will now have more control over their Avios spend. They will be able to select how many Avios to spend versus cash on each booking from a menu of options. Previously, there was only one Avios and cash option based on the route and cabin.