BA Amex Accelerating Business
The BA AMEX Accelerating Business Card is the only business credit card in the UK that earns Avios directly, and the only Amex business card still open to sole traders. Since January 2026, Business Gold and Business Platinum are restricted to directors of Limited Companies and LLP members — leaving Accelerating Business as the sole option for freelancers, consultants, and self-employed individuals who want an Avios-earning business card.
It earns 1.5 Avios per £1 (matching the personal BA Amex Premium Plus), awards double On Business points on BA purchases, and offers annual spend bonuses that can push the effective earn rate to 2 Avios per £1 for high spenders. For businesses that route significant spend through BA, the combination of Avios earning and On Business points is uniquely powerful.
| Card Summary — March 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | £250 (refundable pro-rata, tax-deductible) |
| Earn rate | 1.5 Avios per £1 on all eligible spend. Plus 2 On Business points per £1 spent directly with BA (double the standard 1 per £1) |
| Sign-up bonus | 30,000 Avios for £5,000 spend in 3 months |
| Annual spend bonuses | 10,000 Avios at £20,000 + 10,000 at £40,000 + 10,000 at £60,000 = up to 30,000 bonus Avios per calendar year |
| Representative APR | 104.9% variable (including fee). Purchase rate: 26.6% variable |
| FX fee | 2.99% |
| Minimum income | £20,000 personal |
| Eligibility | Sole traders, directors of Ltd Co, LLP members. Must not have held any Amex business card in previous 12 months. Holding personal Amex cards (including personal BA Amex) does NOT block you |
The Annual Spend Bonuses
This is where the card separates itself from the personal BA Amex Premium Plus. Three cumulative annual bonuses are triggered at spend thresholds within each calendar year:
£20,000 spend: 10,000 bonus Avios. £40,000 spend: another 10,000 bonus Avios. £60,000 spend: another 10,000 bonus Avios.
A business spending exactly £60,000 per year earns 90,000 base Avios (at 1.5 per £1) plus 30,000 bonus Avios = 120,000 Avios. That is an effective rate of 2 Avios per £1 — the highest sustained earn rate available on any UK business card. At the £20,000 threshold, the effective rate is 1.5 + 0.5 bonus = 2 Avios per £1 at that exact point. The bonuses make this card increasingly attractive as spend increases.
In Year 1, add the 30,000 sign-up bonus: a business spending £60,000 in Year 1 earns 150,000 Avios total. That is enough for a return Business Class flight to New York for two people using a Companion Voucher (from a personal BA Amex Premium Plus).
On Business Points
On Business is BA’s loyalty programme for small businesses. It operates alongside Executive Club — your company earns On Business points for flights booked, and the Accelerating Business card doubles the earn rate on BA purchases from 1 to 2 On Business points per £1.
What On Business points do: They can be redeemed for flights on BA, Iberia, and American Airlines, or for cabin upgrades on BA and Iberia. They work alongside Avios — you can use On Business points to reduce the Avios needed for a booking, effectively creating a second currency that supplements your personal Avios balance.
VAT waiver: Normally, On Business membership requires your business to be VAT registered. Applying for the Accelerating Business card waives this requirement — an On Business account is created automatically on application. This is a back door for sub-VAT-threshold businesses to access the programme.
When you buy a BA flight with this card, you earn simultaneously: 1.5 Avios per £1 (into your personal Executive Club), 2 On Business points per £1 (into your company’s On Business account), plus any standard Executive Club tier points and Avios from the flight itself. A £500 BA flight generates 750 Avios + 1,000 On Business points from the card payment, plus the flight’s own Avios and tier point earning. No other UK card produces this dual earning on BA purchases.
Versus Business Gold and Business Platinum
Directors who qualify for all three business cards face a genuine choice. The key difference: Accelerating Business earns Avios directly (locked to BA ecosystem), while Business Gold and Platinum earn flexible MR points (transferable to 19+ programmes).
| Accelerating Business | Business Gold | Business Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | £250 | Free Y1, £195 | £650 |
| Points type | Avios (direct) | MR (flexible) | MR (flexible) |
| Base earn | 1.5 Avios/£1 | 1 MR/£1 | 1 MR/£1 |
| Sign-up bonus | 30,000 Avios | 60,000 MR (promo) | 120,000 MR (promo) |
| Sole traders | Yes | No | No |
| Travel benefits | None | Dell credit, indeed.com | Lounges, hotel status, FHR, insurance |
You can hold Accelerating Business alongside Business Gold or Business Platinum — they do not conflict. A director could hold Business Platinum (120,000 MR bonus) plus Accelerating Business (30,000 Avios bonus) and collect 150,000 points across both cards in Year 1. The 12-month business card eligibility rule means you cannot apply for both simultaneously — space applications 12 months apart.
Who Should Get This Card
Sole traders: This is your only Amex business card option. The 30,000 Avios bonus and 1.5 Avios per £1 earn rate are strong. Apply, collect the bonus, then assess whether the annual spend bonuses justify keeping it long-term.
Directors who fly BA regularly: The double On Business points on BA purchases create genuine dual earning. If your business books BA flights frequently, this card produces more total value than Business Gold on those transactions.
Directors who want Avios specifically: If you are committed to the Avios ecosystem and want direct earning (no transfer step), this card at high spend levels (£60,000+) delivers 2 Avios per £1 effectively — higher than any other UK card.
Skip this card if: You value flexibility over Avios commitment. Business Gold or Platinum earn MR transferable to 19+ programmes. If you might redeem with Emirates, Virgin, or KrisFlyer rather than BA, flexible MR is more valuable than locked-in Avios.
The only Amex business card open to sole traders. £250 fee (tax-deductible), 1.5 Avios per £1, 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus, and up to 30,000 bonus Avios per year at spend thresholds (£20k/£40k/£60k). Double On Business points on BA purchases create dual earning. At £60,000 annual spend, the effective rate is 2 Avios per £1 — 150,000 Avios in Year 1 including the sign-up bonus. Can be held alongside Business Gold or Platinum (12-month gap between applications). For Avios-committed businesses with significant spend, this outperforms any flexible-earning alternative.
