There is a decent sign up bonus at present as long as you referred - 7000 miles. Which makes the first £150 fee easier to swallow.

What is not clear is if you are asking is a) is it worth getting a BA card AT ALL or b) are you choosing between the free and paid card?

If you are planning an 'all miles' redemption then its a no-brainer. 2 tickets would be 200,000 in J to the US. With the voucher you only need 100,000. Best £150 you'll ever spend on this basis.

The trade off between the free and paid cards is discussed in the Ultimate Guide section on the card. Basically, the free card isn't worth it. The paid card earns 50% more miles so the extra miles alone justify the fee. The fact that the voucher is good for 2 years is an added bonus.

If you want to get to the US in business class on your own, BMI is the best route. THe credit card has a 24,000 mile bonus and £60 fee. You need 37,500 miles for J to the US, so you only need to spend £6,750 to get to 37,500 miles. And you never need to go near a Tesco.