Chase has made two improvements to the Chase British Airways card. The new benefits are as follows:
- Card now earns 2x miles per $1 spent on all hotel purchases made directly with the hotel
- Card now provides up to $600 in statement credits for flight taxes and fees each year
$600 Flight Taxes & Fees Credit
There are a number of things to be aware of with this new credit. You can use it up to three times each calendar year and the maximum credit you can receive depends on what cabin you’re flying in:
- Up to $200 for award flights in business or first class
- Up to $100 for award flights in economy or premium economy
Credit can be used for British Airways flights & transatlantic international travel itinerary redeemed from Cardmember’s Executive Club account with the transatlantic portion departing from the United States solely on aircraft operated by British Airways.
Our Verdict
It’s a shame that it’s not a flat $600 credit and instead you’re limited to using it three times per year. The BA card has a $95 annual fee, so I can easily see this card becoming a keeper for those that know they will take enough award flights to get more than $95 back.
Hat tip to VFTW
good god they didn’t mention the credit would apply for roundtrip redemptions only!
//Chase: hire me, please 🙂
I am going to be using the travel together twice next year for the same itinerary. So 4 people, that has to be done in the same “booking”. Is this considered one booking or 4 for the purposes of this rebate? I would consider using this card for the $300 back (traveling to Ireland with LHR stopover, so fees are much less) but if it’s only $100, I will stick with using a travel card that will cover the total fees.
I do not know the answer but it might work. I do know when I book the travel together it charges each ticket as a separate charge, so hopefully you will get 2 credits.
FYI – I remembering looking into this before, If you use 2 travel together vouchers, it would only be for 3 people in total, as you have to be one of the passenger on each voucher. They will let you add 2 companions and you have to do it by phone. (Unless you have vouchers under differnet names, then a toal of 4 passengers, but you use 2x miles)
If any of you find out about whether or not you would get 2 credits for a travel together ticket or just 1, I’d love to know. Can a follow up post be made in the event that we get an answer to this one because that really would increase the value of the card. TT ticket in business plus $400 off surcharges makes TT much more lucrative.
I use the travel together ticket every year. So this will now pay some of those taxes. If so, It might make sense to cancel an upcoming reservation and re-book. I think the cancellation fee is $55
would you not have to pay the taxes in spearate transactions to avail full benefit?
BA automatically charges the taxes for each ticket separately, even though its one booking.
Can’t see this being a game changer on the Chase BA card. Most people know already redeeming avios on transatlantic BA flight is a big no no in the game of miles and points. $100 credit only makes it slightly less awful.
I do it every year for the travel together benefit for business or first. Its still pricey but still a great value. Not the best redemption but one I am happy to use and its easy to use.
And the credit can not be used when using AA miles to book a BA flight, diminishing its value even more.
Even with $100 credit fuel surcharges are very high on these flights. I doubt too many people are getting this card these days with Chase being 5/24.
This hasn’t been called a fuel surcharge for several years. A $600 rebate — every year — is a very tangible benefit. Thank you, BA.
Not bad, but I agree with others. Would be better if it could be used in full at once. Of course they would offer this as well after most people have canceled the card and can no longer get one.
I think the 1.5x Avios everywhere like it used to have was better than this, except for a few select people who frequently travel to the UK.
Freedom unlimited can do the same job without fee, not to mention Blue Biz Plus does even better…
here is T&C on statement credit benefit
https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/british-airways/rewards-redemption/statement-credit
Thanks
” The booking must be for a transatlantic international travel itinerary redeemed from Cardmember’s Executive Club account with the transatlantic portion departing from the United States solely on aircraft operated by British Airways. The booking may include a connecting flight on a code share partner for the non-transatlantic portion of the itinerary. “
It more useful for WTP, WT (PE $273, Econ $93) but award seats fuel surcharges Ex-US to LHR are $628/$828 vs Ex LHR-US Biz and F are only $557 (but can’t be used on EX- LHR.
Sadly it can’t be used for partner award flights,
Trip Delay/interruption CC benefits is less of an issue (unless its weather related) and your connecting beyond LHR as EC241 give you some coverage – at least until Brexit is resolved.
At least they are trying to add benefit to the card.
They should cover the entire fuel surcharges on every award flight where they are charged. That might make the card useful.
Is the credit only valid for flights on BA or is it any airline?
I’d assume only BA
The transatlantic portion of the flight has to be operated by British Airways, but there can be another partner airline on the same trip.