Lots of people focus on the best credit card signup bonuses and referral deals, but you should never loose sight of the best card deals for earning on normal day-to-day spending outside of bonus periods.

Over the years the credit card offering for earning points and miles on spending after introductory periods has generally got worse rather than better! However many of the old cards are still being used quite happily by thouse who continue to hold them, and they are still earning points and miles at their old legacy rates. Therefore there is a strong argument for signing up and holding on to (‘banking’) the best credit cards for earning.

The best “non-Amex” credit card currently avilable (i.e. the is still open to new applicansts) for earning Avios points is the Tesco Clubcard credit card.

The current Tesco credit card earns 2.4 Avios per £4, assuming you convert your clubcard points to Avios points at the standard rate, that is. Equivalent to 0.6 Avios per Pound. While this does not compare to what you can earn using an Amex, it is the best non-Amex card that is still available. It is far better than the pathetic Lloyds TSB Avios cards.

The old Tesco credit card, sadly not available to new applicants, earned the equivalent of 2.4 Avios per £2 spend. The earn rate for new applicants was halved overnight without warning a couple of years ago, but not for existing customers. This is why I argue to ‘bank now’.

If a better card earning rate comes along in the future it will be a current product when it does, so you will be able to switch to it. But if it doesn’t, you never know when they current offering might be ‘enhanced’ away.

The Tesco card has no-annual fee, making it a cost-neutral one to hold even if you only give it light use.

I’m happy to refer your for the current Tesco card. Under the referral setup, we both get 1000 Clubcard points (equivalent to 2400 Avios). [I wish I could refer you for the OLD Tesco card, or the old bmi (non-Amex) cards – but they are all closed to new applicants yet they are still going strong for thouse who have kept them.]

Keep hold of what is most valuable to you, I’d argue ‘bank the cards’ that earn you what you want to earn before they go. If a better product comes along in the future, you can always switch to it.