British Airways Visa Signature® Card vs Discover it® Student Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| British Airways Visa Signature® Card | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 75,000 Avios | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| Dining | 1x | 1x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 3x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $328 | $292 |
| Points type | Locked to Avios | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | Discover |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the British Airways Visa Signature® Card earns about $328 a year in rewards and the Discover it® Student Cash Back about $292, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The British Airways Visa Signature® Card charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Discover it® Student Cash Back delivers more total value, about $59 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it skips the annual fee the other charges. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the British Airways Visa Signature® Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the British Airways Visa Signature® Card if your spending leans toward travel.