💳 Massive Amex Business Card Bonuses: How to Maximise Your Rewards
Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast where we dive into the world of travelling with miles and points. I'm your host, Jack, and today we're discussing some exciting news from American Express. They've just launched massive welcome bonuses for their business cards, and I'm genuinely excited about these offers. As someone who carries both these cards in my wallet, I think they represent some of the most generous point opportunities we've seen from Amex in the UK market, especially for business owners looking to maximise their rewards. American Express has dramatically enhanced their welcome bonuses on their business card lineup, introducing something we rarely see in the UK - retention bonuses for keeping your card into the second year. The new enhanced offers are as follows: the American Express Business Gold Card now comes with an initial bonus of 45,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend six thousand pounds in the first three months. This is up from the standard 22,000 points. There's also a new retention bonus of 20,000 points when you make any purchase between months 14 and 17 of card membership. The total potential bonus is 65,000 Membership Rewards points, and the annual fee is 195 pounds, although it's zero in the first year. This offer ends on the 8th of April, 2025, and you must apply through a referral link to get this offer. The American Express Business Platinum Card now comes with an initial bonus of 85,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend 12,000 pounds in the first three months. This is up from the standard 55,000 points. There's also a new retention bonus of 40,000 points when you make any purchase between months 14 and 17 of card membership. The total potential bonus is 125,000 Membership Rewards points, and the annual fee is 650 pounds. This offer also ends on the 8th of April, 2025, and you must apply through a referral link to get this offer. What makes these offers particularly interesting is the second-year retention bonus, which is relatively rare in the UK credit card market. American Express is clearly incentivising cardholders to keep their accounts open beyond the first year, which could signal a shift in their acquisition strategy. For business owners, these offers represent exceptional value, especially when you factor in the additional benefits that come with these cards. The Business Gold Card benefits include 10,000 bonus points when you spend 20,000 pounds per quarter, up to 54 days of deferred payment on purchases, travel accident insurance up to 250,000 pounds, and purchase protection and refund protection. The Business Platinum Card benefits include a monthly bonus of 10,000 points when you spend 10,000 pounds, access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, a 200-pound annual travel credit, comprehensive travel insurance, and a complimentary Times and Sunday Times digital subscription. As a current holder of both these cards, I've found significant value in the Amex Business lineup. The Platinum, in particular, has been worthwhile for me despite its higher fee, primarily due to the lounge access and travel insurance benefits that I use frequently when travelling for business. The Business Gold offers excellent value in the first year with the waived annual fee, making it essentially a no-brainer if you can meet the minimum spend. When the 195-pound fee kicks in for year two, the 20,000-point retention bonus effectively offsets it, as Membership Rewards points are typically valued around one penny each. The Platinum's 650-pound fee is substantial, but the 40,000-point retention bonus alongside the ongoing benefits can make it worthwhile if you'll use the travel perks and can hit the monthly spending bonuses. If you're considering applying, here are some tips to make the most of these enhanced offers: plan your timing to ensure you can comfortably meet the minimum spend requirements within the first three months, calendar the retention bonus to ensure you don't miss the window for the second-year bonus, combine with referrals to earn additional points, utilise our Avios Balance Booster Calculator if you're planning to convert these points to Avios, and consider your business spending patterns to maximise your points earning. These enhanced offers represent some of the best value propositions we've seen from American Express in recent years. The addition of retention bonuses is particularly innovative for the UK market and suggests Amex is focusing on long-term customer value rather than just acquisition. For business owners who can comfortably meet the spending requirements, these offers provide an excellent opportunity to earn a substantial number of flexible Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners or used for statement credits. Thanks for listening to this episode of Smart With Points. If you want to stay up to date with the latest news and tips on travelling with miles and points, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on all major platforms or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk.
