Quick answer: A targeted Amex Offer gives a $49.99 statement credit when you spend $49.99 or more at bbc.com/subscribe, which covers the full cost of a BBC.com annual subscription. Enroll the offer first, buy the annual plan, and turn off auto-renewal, since year two reportedly bills at $89.99.

A new targeted Amex Offer just dropped: spend $49.99 or more at bbc.com/subscribe, earn a $49.99 statement credit. That covers the full cost of a BBC.com annual subscription — a free year, if you play it right. It expires December 31, 2026.

I found it on my Amex Platinum, but Amex Offers are targeted — check every Amex card you hold. If it’s there, this is about as close to free money as offers get.

Offer details verified October 14, 2026.

What the BBC.com subscription gets you

BBC.com launched its US paywall in June 2025: $49.99/year (or $8.99/month) for unlimited news articles and features, the 24/7 BBC News livestream, ad-free documentaries and podcasts, and exclusive newsletters. Casual readers still get some free content, but frequent visitors hit the wall.

For a family, the honest use case: it’s a solid news source for teens doing school research and for keeping up with world news beyond the algorithm. Whether that’s worth $49.99 is debatable — at $0 after the credit, it’s an easy yes.

How to claim it

1. Add the offer first. Open the Amex app, find “BBC.com – Annual Subscription” under Offers, and tap to add it to your card. Unenrolled spend earns nothing — this is the step everyone forgets.
2. Buy the annual plan. Go to bbc.com/subscribe and purchase the $49.99 annual subscription in a single transaction, paying with the enrolled card. The monthly $8.99 plan won’t trigger it — the purchase must be $49.99+.
3. Cancel auto-renewal immediately. Go to your BBC account settings and turn off renewal. The introductory year is $49.99, but the plan reportedly renews at $89.99 — you do not want that surprise.
4. Wait for the credit. The $49.99 statement credit typically posts within a few days, though terms allow longer.

The gotchas (read before subscribing)

• Targeted. Not everyone has this offer. Check all your Amex cards — it may appear on one and not another.
• Single purchase, $49.99+. Split payments or the $8.99 monthly plan won’t qualify.
• Online only at bbc.com/subscribe, by December 31, 2026.
• The renewal trap. Year two reportedly bills at $89.99. Cancel auto-renewal the day you subscribe — set a reminder if you want to reconsider next October.
• One-time credit. It’s per card, not per subscription — don’t buy twice expecting double credit.

Bottom line

Enroll, subscribe, cancel renewal: a free year of BBC.com for about five minutes of effort. The only way to lose is forgetting step one (enroll) or step three (cancel renewal). Check your Amex Offers now — it expires 12/31/26.