British Airways Visa Payoff Calculator 2026

Card data, May 13, 2026

• Issuer: Chase
• Network: Visa Signature
• Purchase APR: 20.99-27.99% variable
• Annual fee: $95
• Rewards: 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Level purchases; 2x on hotel stays booked direct; 1x everything else
• Avios value baseline: roughly 1.4 cents per Avios at typical short-haul redemptions per The Points Guy May 2026 valuations
• Travel Together Ticket: earn a companion ticket valid for 2 years when you spend $30,000 in a calendar year; redeemable on BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, or Level award flights (companion still pays taxes and surcharges, which can run $400-1,000 on transatlantic routes)
• Balance transfer: standard variable APR applies, 5% fee with $5 minimum; no 0% intro promo
• Late fee: up to $40
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%
• Penalty APR: up to 29.99%
• Minimum payment formula: 1% of balance plus interest and fees, $40 floor
• Typical FICO floor: 720
• Chase 5/24 rule: applies

Source: Chase British Airways Visa terms, verified 2026-05-13.

TL;DR

The BA Visa is a niche airline co-brand for travelers who fly British Airways or Oneworld partners regularly. The 3x earn category is narrow, the Travel Together Ticket is hard to earn, and Avios redemptions are degraded by BA fuel surcharges on long-haul routes. For paid-in-full BA loyalists with $30,000-plus in annual spending, the math can work; for revolvers, no.

Math worked example

$4,000 balance at 24.49% APR (midpoint of range):

• $150 per month: 37 months to payoff, $1,765 interest, total cost $5,765 plus 3 fees ($285) = $6,050
• $200 per month: 24 months to payoff, $1,148 interest, total cost $5,148 plus 2 fees ($190) = $5,338
• $300 per month: 15 months to payoff, $670 interest, total cost $4,670 plus 1 fee ($95) = $4,765
• Minimum payment only (about 1% plus interest): over 20 years to payoff and more than $6,400 in interest per TILA Regulation Z minimum-payment disclosure

Avios math: a $4,000 spend at the 1x base rate earns 4,000 Avios. At 1.4 cents per point baseline: $56 in rewards. Compare to a no-fee 2% cashback card on the same $4,000: $80 cash back. The BA Visa loses on the base earn for non-BA spending.

Run your specific BA Visa numbers

The pillar tool accepts the BA Visa purchase APR. Enter your specific rate from your Chase statement (under “Purchase APR”). The output returns months to payoff, total interest, and total cost. Add $95 per year of holding to total cost for the annual fee.

Avios redemption: where the math breaks for non-BA flyers

Avios use a distance-based award chart on BA-operated flights and a different chart on partner flights. Sweet spots:

• BA short-haul (under 1,151 miles): 7,000-10,000 Avios one-way, minimal fuel surcharges. Per-point value: 1.8-2.5 cents.
• Domestic American Airlines flights via Avios partnership: 9,000-13,000 Avios one-way. Per-point value: 1.5-2.0 cents.
• BA long-haul to London: 50,000-75,000 Avios plus $400-700 in fuel surcharges per direction. Effective per-point value: under 1 cent.

The Points Guy assigns a 1.4-cent baseline because the median redemption mixes short-haul (high-value) and long-haul (degraded by surcharges). Knowing the program well changes the math; not knowing it can produce 0.5-cent redemptions.

Avalanche priority

The BA Visa APR (20.99-27.99%) overlaps with most travel co-brands. At a 24% or higher specific rate, this card is likely at the top of your avalanche method list.

Why Chase does not offer 0% balance transfers on this card

Per the Chase Schumer box, the BA Visa does not advertise an intro 0% APR balance transfer. Airline co-brands rarely run transfer promos because the target audience is airline loyalists, not balance shoppers. To move a BA Visa balance:

• Status quo at 24.49%: $1,148 interest, 24 months
• 18-month 0% APR transfer to a different issuer’s card with 3% fee ($120 fee): $4,120 total cost, paid in 18 months at $229 per month. Savings: $1,028.

Travel Together Ticket: trap or value?

The $30,000-spend threshold for the Travel Together Ticket is the main reason this card gets recommended. Mechanics: spend $30,000 in a calendar year, earn a companion certificate valid for 2 years. Companion flies free on Avios award redemptions; companion still pays taxes and fuel surcharges (which can be $400-1,000 on transatlantic routes).

For a revolver carrying a balance: putting $30,000 on the card at 24% APR while still revolving generates roughly $7,200 in interest in the first year. The Travel Together Ticket is not worth $7,200 unless you redeem two business-class long-haul tickets and avoid the highest fuel surcharges (Avios redemptions on partner airlines like American Airlines and Cathay Pacific avoid most BA surcharges).

When BA Visa makes sense

For paid-in-full users who travel BA short-haul (London Heathrow to Madrid, Frankfurt, or other European routes) or who redeem Avios on American Airlines domestic short-haul, the BA Visa is a solid niche tool. The 3x earn on BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Level is competitive within those carriers.

For users not in that profile, a flexible currency card (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold) that transfers points to BA Avios on demand (Sapphire Preferred → BA Avios at 1:1) is the better fit. You earn flexible points and only transfer when you have a specific Avios redemption planned.

Chase 5/24 rule applies

Per public Chase application data, the BA Visa is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule: applicants with 5 or more new credit card accounts opened across all issuers in the past 24 months are typically denied. If you have opened multiple cards recently, plan around 5/24 before applying.

Sibling Chase travel cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred payoff calculator
• Chase Sapphire Reserve payoff calculator
• World of Hyatt payoff calculator
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful payoff calculator

Other airline co-brands

• Delta SkyMiles Blue Amex payoff calculator
• Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select payoff calculator

Related

• Credit card payoff calculator (home) , pillar tool
• Credit card payoff by card type , full hub
• Balance transfer calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is the APR on the British Airways Visa Signature Card?

The variable Purchase APR is 20.99-27.99% as of May 13, 2026 per the Chase pricing page. Your specific rate was set at application based on credit profile and the prime rate published by the Federal Reserve H.15 release. The BA Visa does not advertise a 0% intro APR offer on purchases or balance transfers. Check your most recent statement under “Purchase APR” for the exact figure.

Is the $95 annual fee on the BA Visa worth it?

For paid-in-full users who actually fly British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, or Level, or who redeem Avios on American Airlines domestic short-haul, the 3x category earn can justify the $95 fee. The Travel Together Ticket requires $30,000 in calendar-year spending, a threshold most users will not hit. For users without a regular Oneworld travel pattern, a flexible currency card like Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better $95 fee.

Can I do a balance transfer to the British Airways Visa?

Chase does not advertise a 0% intro APR balance transfer offer on the BA Visa. Transfers incur the standard variable purchase APR (20.99-27.99%) plus a 5% transfer fee with $5 minimum, per the Chase Schumer box. To move a balance from another card, use a dedicated balance-transfer product such as Citi Diamond Preferred, BankAmericard, or Chase Slate Edge at a different issuer.

Are Avios worth more than cashback?

Avios redeem at roughly 1.4 cents per point baseline per The Points Guy May 2026 valuation. Short-haul BA and American Airlines domestic redemptions can reach 1.8-2.5 cents per point; long-haul transatlantic redemptions are degraded by BA fuel surcharges ($400-700 per direction) to under 1 cent per point. A no-fee 2% cashback card delivers fixed value with no expiration. Avios wins for users who actively manage the program.

What credit score do I need for the British Airways Visa?

Chase typically requires a FICO score of 720 or higher for the BA Visa, and the Chase 5/24 rule applies: applicants with 5 or more new credit card accounts opened in the past 24 months across all issuers are typically denied. The 5/24 rule applies to the entire Chase co-brand and rewards lineup. Per public Chase application data tracked by consumer credit forums, 5/24 is rarely waived for any Chase co-brand product.