Fuel your travel dreams for 2021 with American Express

We’re looking forward to what this year brings - and imagine you might be, too. Whether you’re craving a beachside getaway with your other half or a trip away with friends to reconnect, the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card (Representative 74.7% APR variable, £195 annual fee) can help you get there. When you spend £10,000 in a year, you’ll receive a Companion Voucher that allows you to share the adventure by taking someone away with you (you’ll just need to pay the taxes, fees and carrier charges per person).*

But that’s not all. Sign up and spend £3,000 in your first three months of Cardmembership, and you’ll get 25,000 Avios as a welcome bonus** – enough for a one-way economy flight to, for example, Mexico, Morocco or Boston.** Going forwards, you will also collect 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent on purchases on the Card, and 3 Avios for every £1 spent with British Airways or British Airways Holidays.*** All that adds up fast – so you could be flying to the likes of Japan or the Maldives* before too long.

So when the world starts moving again, you can use your Avios for everything from a romantic island escape to a long-haul adventure with your friends. Read on for our pick of destinations to fuel your dreams in 2021.

Maldives – 35,000 Avios one-way economy to Malé plus taxes, fees and carrier charges

There’s a reason the Maldives is a couple’s paradise. Where else can you reconnect with your other half in a private villa cantilevered over the Indian Ocean, or spend a week on an idyllic atoll with just you and the other guests at your hotel? With some of the world's most beautiful beaches, it's the perfect place to escape reality. Maldives’ resorts are all generously spaced apart and effectively act as self-contained bubbles, making physical distancing easy and relaxing obligatory. November to April is the best time to visit so, if early 2021 isn’t possible for you, it’ll be the ultimate end-of-year trip.  

Japan – 30,000 Avios one-way economy to Tokyo or Osaka plus taxes, fees and carrier charges

Geographically diverse Japan has plenty to offer in every season, although spring is the classic first-timer visit, when the country blooms pink for the sakura cherry blossom season during April and May. Looking for something a little later? No worries – autumn is equally spectacular, with the forested landscape ablaze with russets, coppers and bright yellows, starting in September in the north, and working their way down. One of the best ways to take in the display is on a train ride. The Kurobe Gorge Railway crosses 20 bridges as it wiggles along the mountainsides awash with colour. Or, from Tokyo, take a daytrip to Nikkō, where a historic shrine is surrounded by forested mountains.

Mexico – 16,250 Avios one-way economy to Mexico City or Cancún plus taxes, fees and carrier charges

World-beating beaches, mythical ancient ruins and that amazing food – Mexico is one of the world’s great all-rounder destinations. Start in Mexico City to get a grasp on its multi-level history – it’s one of the oldest cities in the Americas, built over the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Weave through the canals of Xochimilco, visit Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul and descend beneath the colonial cathedral to see the Aztecs’ main temple, below. Then fan out, depending on your preference – to Aztec ruins such as Chichen Itza, the impossibly blue, wildlife-filled coast of Baja California, or the Yucatán peninsula. Around busy Cancún (also served by BA), you’ll find buzzy Tulum and Holbox, an island hovering across a flamingo-filled lagoon. Save your trip till autumn and you can coincide with the legendary Day of the Dead celebrations.

Morocco – 13,000 Avios one-way economy to Marrakech plus taxes, fees and carrier charges

Few short-haul destinations feel as transformative as Morocco does. First there’s the weather – warm winter sun giving way to late-spring beach breaks and a summer of surf. Then there’s the architecture – the winding medinas, elaborate riads and modern flashes of Art Deco – and the culture. Where else can you pick up artisan wares in the souks, wander around grand old palaces, and finish off with a scrub in the hammam? Marrakech is the obvious place to start, of course, while Fez has a thriving artisan scene. Although, as the temperatures start rising, you’ll want to escape the cities for hiking through the unspoiled Atlas Mountains, a stroll around Menara Gardens (pictured) or some beach time in Boho, surfy Essaouira.

USA – 25,000 Avios one-way economy to Boston, 30,000 to New York, 35,000 to Miami, plus taxes, fees and carrier charges

Big cities, epic landscapes and glorious highways – we can’t wait to get back to the US. Autumn’s a great time to visit – especially to make a short hop to the East Coast. Fly into Boston to take a road trip through New England’s fall foliage – drive up through Maine or northwest to Vermont for some of the most spectacular colour. Or take a trip down US memory lane, stopping at Newport, Rhode Island to take in the area's monumental mansions, and Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Wampanoag tribe welcomed the Mayflower pilgrims. Fancy a big-city shopping trip? Head to New York between Thanksgiving and Christmas for rock-bottom sales shopping amid streets festooned with festive lights. Or, if you’re after heat, head south to Florida – a sizzling stay on Miami Beach could be just the tonic to reset. 

Check before you travel. Please follow all relevant government and FCO guidelines.

Sign up to British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card now and start collecting 1.5 Avios per £1 spent to fuel your future travel. Also, as a new Cardmember you’ll receive a 25,000 Avios bonus when you spend £3,000 in your first three months of Cardmembership. Annual fee £195.

Representative 74.7% APR variable

*TERMS & CONDITIONS Your interest rates will change in line with the Bank of England base rate. See amex.co.uk for details. Reward flights are subject to availability. Fare quoted is for one passenger travelling one way with British Airways in economy. Terms, taxes, fees and carrier charges apply. Terms and Conditions apply to Avios redemptions. Reward flights and companion voucher bookings are subject to availability. Detailed information on companion vouchers can be found here or by calling 0844 493 0750. Please note, calls cost a maximum of 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge. All applicable T&Cs will be provided within your Welcome Pack if you are approved.

**Introductory offers are not available if you currently hold or have held any personal British Airways American Express Card product in the past 24 months. Terms and exclusions apply to collecting Avios. For the Premium Plus Card, the 25,000 bonus Avios will be awarded onto your Account once you have been approved and you have spent and charged a minimum of £3,000 on goods and services to the Account within three months of account opening.

***For the Premium Plus Card, you will be awarded 1.5 Avios for every £1 spent and charged per transaction, and 3 Avios for every £1 you spend direct on British Airways flights and holidays. Avios are not earned on Balance Transfers, Cash Withdrawals, American Express Travellers Cheques purchases, Foreign Exchange, interest, any spending in excess off your credit limit, charges for returned payments, late payment or referral charges and American Express Credit Card finance charges.

Applicants must be UK residents, aged 18 or over. Approval is subject to status and terms and conditions apply. All information including Representative APR is correct as at 30 November 2020. Interest rates link to the Bank of England base rate. See amex.co.uk for details. American Express Services Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. American Express Services Europe Limited has its registered office at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX, United Kingdom. It is registered in England and Wales with Company Number 1833139 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.