Best Reward Credit Cards UK 2026: Points, Cashback and Travel Perks Compared

Chandraketu Tripathi

Finance Editor, Kaeltripton

Published 5 Apr 2026

Last reviewed 4 May 2026

✓ Fact-checked

By Chandraketu Tripathi | Updated April 2026

Reward credit cards earn you points, miles or cashback on every pound you spend. The best UK reward cards in 2026 offer generous welcome bonuses worth £100–250 and ongoing earn rates that can be worth 0.5–2% of your spending back. Here is a complete breakdown of the best options, what the points are actually worth and how to maximise your rewards.

Key facts April 2026

Best overall reward card 2026: Amex Preferred Rewards Gold | Best no-fee: Chase Bank (1% cashback) | Best Avios: Barclaycard Avios Plus | Best cashback: American Express Platinum Cashback | Key rule: always clear in full each month

Best Reward Credit Cards UK 2026: Full Comparison

Card	Annual fee	Welcome bonus	Earn rate	Points value	Best for
Amex Preferred Rewards Gold	£0 (year 1); £195 after	20,000 points after £3,000 spend in 3 months	1pt/£1 (2pts at Amex Travel)	~0.7p–1p per point	Best all-round; flexible Membership Rewards
Amex Platinum Cashback	£25/year	5% cashback for 3 months (up to £125)	0.75% on up to £10k/year; 1.25% above	N/A — direct cashback	Best straightforward cashback
Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday	£0	5% cashback for 3 months (up to £100)	0.5% on up to £10k; 1.0% above	N/A — direct cashback	Best free cashback card
Barclaycard Avios Plus	£20/month (£240/year)	25,000 Avios after £3,000 spend in 3 months	1.5 Avios/£1	~0.7p–1p per Avios (economy); 2p+ (business)	Best for BA flights; companion voucher
BA Amex Premium Plus	£250/year	25,000 Avios after £3,000 in 3 months; companion voucher at £10k spend	3 Avios/£1 on BA; 1.5 others	0.7p–2p per Avios	Frequent BA travellers
Virgin Atlantic Reward+	£160/year	15,000 miles after £3,000 in 90 days	1.5 miles/£1	~1–1.5p per mile	Virgin Atlantic flyers
Chase Bank	£0	No welcome bonus	1% cashback unlimited	N/A — direct cashback	Best simple no-fee cashback; no cap
John Lewis Partnership	£0	No welcome bonus (occasional promotions)	1pt per £4 (John Lewis/Waitrose); 1pt per £8 elsewhere	1p per point	John Lewis/Waitrose shoppers
Sainsbury’s Bank Nectar	£0	No welcome bonus	2 Nectar points per £1 (Sainsbury’s); 1pt elsewhere	~0.5p per Nectar point	Sainsbury’s shoppers

What Are Reward Points Actually Worth?

Points currency	Value when used for...	Best use case	Worst use case
Amex Membership Rewards	0.4p (Amazon) — 1.5p+ (flights via Amex Travel)	Transfer to Avios or Virgin Miles for flights	Cashing in for statement credit or Amazon
Avios (British Airways)	0.7p (short-haul economy) — 5p+ (long-haul business)	Long-haul business class upgrades via Avios	Buying Avios at retail price or using for short flights with high surcharges
Virgin Atlantic miles	0.8p (economy) — 3p+ (upper class)	Upper Class long-haul redemptions	Delta economy redemptions (poor value)
Nectar points	0.5p per point (standard)	Sainsbury’s shopping or Double Up events	Nectar rewards shop (often poor value)
Chase cashback	1p per point (1% cashback)	Monthly statement credit automatically	N/A — always full value

The golden rule: Reward credit cards only make financial sense if you clear the full balance every month. The interest rate on most reward cards is 29.9–59.9% APR. A single month of carrying a balance wipes out months of reward points.

How to Maximise Your Reward Credit Card Earnings

Hit the welcome bonus: Most cards offer a welcome bonus after spending £2,000–3,000 in the first 3 months. Plan large purchases (insurance renewals, holidays, home improvements) around new card applications.
Use for all day-to-day spending: Put all direct debits, bills and shopping on the card, then clear it by direct debit monthly. This maximises points without any risk of interest.
Stack rewards: Use an Amex where accepted and a Visa/Mastercard reward card elsewhere. American Express has strong rewards but is not accepted everywhere.
Double-dip at supermarkets: Pay with your Nectar or Clubcard credit card at Sainsbury’s or Tesco to earn both credit card points AND loyalty points simultaneously.
Refer friends: Amex offers generous referral bonuses (10,000–30,000 points) when referred friends are approved for a card.

Reward Cards vs Cashback Cards: Which Is Better?

Type	Simplicity	Maximum value	Best for
Cashback cards (Chase, Amex Cashback)	Very simple — money back automatically	0.5–1.25% return; predictable	Most people; those who don’t want complexity
Points/miles cards (Amex Gold, Avios)	Requires strategy and redemption knowledge	2–5%+ return if redeemed optimally for flights	Frequent flyers; those willing to learn the system
Hybrid (Nectar, John Lewis)	Simple to earn; requires planning to redeem well	0.5–1% typical return	Regular shoppers at specific retailers

Eligibility and Credit Score Requirements

Premium reward cards typically require good to excellent credit scores. Approximate requirements:

Card	Minimum credit score (Experian)	Income requirement
Chase Bank	Good (620+)	No stated minimum; assessed individually
Amex Cashback Everyday	Good (650+)	No stated minimum but assessed
Amex Preferred Rewards Gold	Good to Excellent (700+)	No stated minimum; income assessed
Barclaycard Avios Plus	Good to Excellent (700+)	No stated minimum; assessed individually
BA Amex Premium Plus	Excellent (750+)	Higher income preferred; Amex discretion
Virgin Atlantic Reward+	Good to Excellent (700+)	No stated minimum

Key facts April 2026

The best reward credit card in 2026 depends on your spending habits. Chase Bank offers the simplest 1% cashback with no cap and no fee. Amex Preferred Rewards Gold offers the best flexible points earning. Barclaycard Avios Plus gives the strongest returns for British Airways travellers. Always clear the full balance monthly — the interest rate on reward cards makes carrying a balance extremely costly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best reward credit card UK 2026?

For simplicity and guaranteed value, the Chase Bank card (1% cashback, no fee, no cap) is hard to beat. For maximum potential value, the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold offers flexible Membership Rewards points worth 1–1.5p each when redeemed for flights, plus a strong welcome bonus.

Are reward credit cards worth it UK?

Yes — if you clear the balance in full each month. Used correctly, a reward card earns you 0.5–1.25% cashback or equivalent on all your normal spending at zero cost. If you carry a balance, the interest (29.9–59.9% APR) immediately outweighs any reward earned.

What are Avios points worth UK?

Avios are worth approximately 0.7p each for short-haul economy flights, rising to 2–5p+ per Avios for long-haul business class bookings through British Airways. Avoid redeeming for statement credit (0.5p) — always use for flights for maximum value.

Related Guides

Sources: Amex, Barclaycard, Chase Bank, Virgin Atlantic UK card terms April 2026, MSE credit card comparison, Which? credit card ratings. April 2026.