British Airways Visa Signature Jumps to 90,000 Avios, Up From 75,000

British Airways' co-brand card normally hands you 75,000 Avios. Right now it is 90,000, and the spend to get there is only $5,000 in three months.

• 90,000 Avios after $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• $95 annual fee, not waived the first year. No foreign transaction fees.

Aer Lingus business class from the US East Coast to Dublin runs 60,000 to 72,500 Avios one way, and it carries lower fuel surcharges than British Airways' own transatlantic metal. This bonus covers that seat with Avios still left over.

Which points at the real trap with Avios: British Airways operated transatlantic business class carries heavy fuel surcharges, paid in cash on top of the miles. Book Aer Lingus, Iberia, American or Cathay metal instead and the same Avios go much further.

Two things worth reading closely before you apply. The card is not available to current cardmembers, or to anyone who took a new cardmember bonus on it in the last 24 months. And the Reward Flight statement credit advertised at up to $600 a year actually pays $100 per Economy or Premium Economy flight and $200 per Business or First flight, three times a year, and only on a Reward Flight to London. You reach $600 only by booking premium cabins. The Travel Together Ticket needs $30,000 of purchases in a calendar year, and the 10 percent discount on British Airways flights from the US works only through the link in your welcome materials.

At 90,000 the card is sitting 15,000 Avios above its standard offer. If you fly transatlantic and can put $5,000 on a card in three months, it is worth taking now rather than waiting to see. If you never fly to Europe, $95 buys you very little.