The premium tier decision
Both of these cards cost hundreds per year and target businesses with significant monthly spend. But they reward that spend very differently.
The Amex Platinum Business is a Swiss army knife — flexible points, airport lounges, travel credits, and multiple transfer partners. The BA Amex Accelerating is a laser — focused entirely on earning British Airways Avios at the fastest possible rate.
Your choice depends on one question: do you know exactly what you want from your rewards, or do you want to keep your options open?
Fee comparison
| | Amex Platinum Business | BA Amex Accelerating | |---|---|---| | Annual fee | £595 | £250 | | Fee difference | — | £345 cheaper |
The Platinum costs £345 more per year. That's a significant premium that needs to be justified by the extra perks and flexibility.
Rewards head-to-head
| | Amex Platinum Business | BA Amex Accelerating | |---|---|---| | Earn rate | 1 MR point per £1 | 1.5 Avios per £1 | | Rewards currency | Membership Rewards | Avios | | Welcome bonus | Up to 60,000 MR points | Up to 50,000 Avios | | Transfer partners | Avios, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Etihad, hotels | BA Avios only | | FX fees | None | 2.99% |
The BA card earns 50% more per pound spent — but only in Avios. The Platinum earns fewer points per pound but those points can be transferred to any of Amex's airline and hotel partners.
The Avios maths
If you're only interested in Avios, the BA Accelerating card wins on pure earn rate:
On £5,000/month spend:
| | Amex Platinum Business | BA Amex Accelerating | |---|---|---| | Annual points | 60,000 MR | 90,000 Avios | | Converted to Avios | 60,000 (1:1 transfer) | 90,000 (direct) | | Annual fee | £595 | £250 | | Net Avios after fee consideration | 60,000 | 90,000 |
The BA card earns 30,000 more Avios per year and costs £345 less. For pure Avios earning, it's not close.
When the Platinum wins
The Platinum justifies its fee through perks and flexibility that the BA card doesn't offer:
Airport lounges: Platinum cardholders get access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, and Plaza Premium lounges worldwide. If you travel frequently, this alone can be worth hundreds per year. The BA card offers no lounge access.
Travel flexibility: MR points transfer to Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, and Etihad — not just BA. If you want to fly Upper Class to New York or Emirates business to Dubai, the Platinum's transfer partners open routes that Avios can't reach (or reach as efficiently).
Hotel transfers: MR points transfer to Hilton and Marriott. Not the best value, but useful if you need hotel nights rather than flights.
No FX fees: The Platinum has no foreign transaction fees. The BA card charges 2.99% on non-GBP transactions — a significant cost if you buy from international suppliers or travel frequently.
Higher welcome bonus: Up to 60,000 MR points vs 50,000 Avios. Transferred to Avios, the Platinum's welcome bonus matches or exceeds the BA card's.
When the BA card wins
You fly BA short-haul regularly. If your travel is mostly London to European cities on BA, Avios is the only currency you need. The higher earn rate gets you more flights, faster, at a lower annual fee.
You don't travel internationally (for non-BA routes). If you're not flying Virgin Atlantic or Emirates, the Platinum's transfer partners are wasted on you.
You want simplicity. Avios are earned directly — no transfer decisions, no partner analysis, no points sitting idle. Spend, earn Avios, book flights.
Budget matters. £250 vs £595 is a meaningful difference, especially for smaller businesses. The BA card is easier to justify on lower spend levels.
The FX fee factor
This is often overlooked. If you spend internationally — buying from overseas suppliers, travelling for business, paying for software in USD — the 2.99% FX fee on the BA card adds up fast.
On £1,000/month in non-GBP transactions:
- BA Amex Accelerating: £29.90/month in FX fees (£359/year)
- Amex Platinum Business: £0 FX fees
For businesses with significant international spend, the Platinum's zero FX fee can offset the higher annual fee entirely.
Can you have both?
Yes. Some businesses use both cards strategically:
- BA Accelerating for domestic GBP spend — maximise Avios earn rate
- Amex Platinum for international spend — avoid FX fees, earn flexible MR points
- Bonus: Both cards help build your Amex relationship for future credit limit increases
The combined fees are £845/year, so this only makes sense at high spend levels (£8k+/month total).
The verdict
| If you... | Choose | |-----------|--------| | Fly BA short-haul regularly | BA Amex Accelerating | | Want maximum Avios per £1 | BA Amex Accelerating | | Spend under £5k/month | BA Amex Accelerating | | Travel long-haul (non-BA routes) | Amex Platinum Business | | Have significant international spend | Amex Platinum Business | | Want airport lounge access | Amex Platinum Business | | Value reward flexibility | Amex Platinum Business |
For most UK small businesses, the BA Accelerating card offers better value. The Platinum is for businesses where the travel perks and flexibility genuinely get used — not just admired.
See our full card comparison for a side-by-side view of all available cards.