Question
I posted this on the BA forum, but got no responses.
When I got my BA VISA last year, the annual fee was waived for the first year. My brother just applied for one, and he got it. He made a purchase, which triggered the bonus, and they are charging him the annual fee immediately.
Has the first year waiver gone by the wayside? I'd like to know if everyone (but us) knew that before we call and complain.
Answer
I haven't seen the BA card (which generally offers 15k points with first purchase) with the 'fee waived the first year'.
All the offers I've seen include the $75 fee right away.
However:
* you can cancel the card when the fee hits and ask to have the fee credited back. That's a matter of federal law.
* In my experience, FirstUSA/BankOne cards generally apply the fee on the second statement... with the bonus coming on the first. Did this vary in this instance?
* you can apply for the card.. get the bonus.. and then not even cancel but instead have BankOne transfer the line of credit to another BankOne card in your possession (e.g. United Visa, Marriott Visa, Southwest Visa, Priority Club Visa). Then you will have the BA 15k bonus, you'll have the credit line, you won't have the BA Visa fee. Of course you won't keep earning BA miles either, but then BA significantly devalued their program and so you probably shouldn't be focusing there anyway ... just get a Diners Club and transfer points to BA during their annual bonus promotion if you really want BA miles.