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Hey everyone, welcome back to Smart with Points. I'm Jack, and if you're listening to this on January twelfth, two thousand and twenty-six, well, I have some urgent news for you.

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In fact, I'm interrupting our regular programming because tonight at midnight, some of the best American Express welcome bonuses we've seen in the UK are disappearing, and I mean properly disappearing.

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So grab a cup of tea, settle in for just a few minutes, and let me tell you what you need to know. All right, let's get straight to it.

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The enhanced American Express welcome bonuses that have been running since November are ending tonight, midnight, gone.

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And the drop off is significant, so if you've been on the fence about applying for either the Platinum Card or the Gold Card, this is your final call. Let me break down exactly what changes at midnight.

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The Platinum Card right now through our referral links offers eighty-five thousand Membership Rewards points plus a two hundred and fifty American Express travel credit.

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Tomorrow, that drops to fifty thousand points with no travel credit at all.

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So you'd be losing thirty-five thousand points plus two hundred and fifty pounds, which translates to roughly six hundred pounds or more in actual travel value. That's not pocket change. Then there's the Gold Card.

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Today, you can get forty-five thousand points with the first year completely free when you apply through our referral links. Tomorrow, twenty thousand points.

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You'd be losing twenty-five thousand points, which is enough for a return flight to most European cities. The Gold has been one of the best no-brainer offers we've seen in ages, especially with that first year free.

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Now, before you rush off to apply, let's talk eligibility because this trips people up. You're eligible for the welcome bonus if you haven't held a personal Membership Rewards card in the last twenty-four months.

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And by that, I mean the Platinum, Gold, Green, or Rewards Credit Card. Those are the cards that earn transferable Membership Rewards points. But here's the good news.

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If you hold a British Airways American Express, a Marriott American Express, a Nectar American Express, or any business card, you're still eligible. Those don't count against you.

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And there's a special exception for the Platinum Card. Even if you currently hold a BA Amex, you can still get the Platinum bonus because it's specifically excluded from the twenty-four-month rule.

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Pretty generous actually. If you're not sure about your eligibility, we have an eligibility checker on the website. I'll put the link in the show notes. So let me give you the two-minute version to help you decide.

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If you can spend five thousand pounds over six months and you want an easy win, get the Gold. First year free, forty-five thousand points, and you can cancel before renewal if it's not for you. It's really that simple.

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The dining benefits alone, two pounds back for every pound spent at restaurants, up to three hundred pounds per year can be fantastic if you eat out regularly.

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Now, if you travel regularly and can actually use lounge access, hotel status, and various dining and entertainment credits, consider the Platinum.

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Eighty-five thousand points plus that two hundred and fifty pound travel credit makes the six hundred and fifty pound annual fee much easier to swallow. I won't lie. The Platinum fee is steep.

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But with these benefits, especially during the first year with this massive bonus, it can absolutely pay for itself. And if you run a business, the business cards don't have enhanced offers right now.

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But here's the thing, you're guaranteed the bonus regardless of what other American Express cards you hold. Personal and business card eligibility is tracked separately, so that's worth keeping in mind.

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Now, while we're talking about ending offers, I should mention the Barclaycard Avios Plus.

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The enhanced offer of thirty-five thousand Avios compared to the standard twenty-five thousand runs until Wednesday, January fifteenth. So you've got a couple more days on that one.

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But if you're planning a credit card application spree, it's worth noting we have a full Avios credit card guide on the website if you want to compare all your options. So here's what you need to do.

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If you want either of these cards, you need to apply today.

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Don't leave it until eleven fifty-nine tonight because websites can be slow, applications can have issues, and you really don't want to miss out on tens of thousands of points because your internet decided to buffer at the worst possible moment.

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You can get the American Express Platinum with eighty-five thousand points plus the two hundred and fifty pound credit by clicking the link in our show notes.

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Same for the Gold card, forty-five thousand points with the first year free. The links are all there, and importantly, using our referral links is what gets you these enhanced bonuses.

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Going directly to the American Express website might show you different, usually lower offers. And of course, check your eligibility first. We've got that checker tool linked in the show notes as well.

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All right, that's all for this urgent update. I know it's short and sweet, but when offers this good are about to disappear, sometimes you just need the facts fast. Good luck with your applications.

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Don't leave it until the last minute, and I'll be back soon with our regular content. Thanks so much for listening to Smart with Points.

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If you're not already subscribed, please do subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also subscribe directly on our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk.

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That way, you won't miss episodes like this when time-sensitive offers are ending. Before you go, a quick word about a tool I use all the time. Looking for the best award flights?

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Use awardtravelfinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and more. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Take care, and happy points earning.