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Side-by-side

American Express Schwab Investor Card vs British Airways Visa Signature

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the British Airways Visa Signature from Chase at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the British Airways Visa Signature is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($940 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the British Airways Visa Signature first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardBritish Airways Visa Signature
Annual fee$0$95
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points75,000 Bonus Avios
Bonus value (est.)$110$1,050
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$5,000 in 3 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressChase
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrNone
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • 75k Avios bonus
  • Travel Together ticket at $30k
  • No foreign tx fees
  • Great for short-haul AA
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
British Airways Visa Signature
$95/yr · 75,000 Bonus Avios

Editorial take: American Express Schwab Investor Card

The hidden gem of the Amex MR lineup for Schwab brokerage customers. Flat 1.5X MR with $0 annual fee, full transfer-partner access, AND a 1.0 cents-per-point cash-into-brokerage redemption guarantees you can always extract real cash. The catch: you need a Schwab brokerage account to apply.

Editorial take: British Airways Visa Signature

Avios shine on short-haul AA flights (7,500 miles each way under 1,150 miles). The Travel Together ticket is amazing but requires $30k spend per year, only worth it if you already hit that.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or British Airways Visa Signature?
The British Airways Visa Signature has the bigger bonus, 75,000 Bonus Avios, worth roughly $1,050, versus 10,000 Membership Rewards points (~$110) on the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the British Airways Visa Signature?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the British Airways Visa Signature's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the British Airways Visa Signature's benefits to clear $95 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Can I have both the American Express Schwab Investor Card and British Airways Visa Signature?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Chase) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the American Express Schwab Investor Card or the British Airways Visa Signature first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Schwab Investor Card: $1,000 spend in 6 months. British Airways Visa Signature: $5,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.