May 14, 2014, 1:15 pm
Last edit by: rrgg
This thread is a continuation of the discussion posted here from 12.08.2012 - 5.13.2014: Barclays Arrival/Arrival Cards (1.05%/2.1% travel credits)
Current offer for Arrival Plus is 70K pts w/$5K spend & AF waived 1st year.
Barclays says that you earn “miles” but you’re actually earning cash back with the card since you can’t transfer your Barclays miles to airlines. But you can redeem them for statement credits at 0.5 cents per mile (poor value) or 1.05 cent per mile if you redeem for travel.
You get 5% of your miles back if you redeem for travel, so 40,000 miles gets you $400 towards travel and 2,000 miles back (5% of your miles back). You must have at least 10K 'miles' in your acct if you wish to redeem as a travel credit. 2500 'miles' can be redeemed for a stmt credit though.
If you want, you can redeem miles to cover a portion of a travel charge instead of the full amount. For example, if you have 80k miles and a $740 airline charge, you can choose to redeem just 70k to cover $700 of the charge.
You earn 2X miles on all purchases, so you’re effectively getting 2% cash back for each purchase. But since you get 5% of your miles back when you redeem for travel, this is effectively a 2.1% cash back card when miles are redeemed for travel.
This makes the Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard® (with 2.1% cash back for travel) better than the Capital One Venture card which offers only 2 miles per $1 or 2% cash back, only if you spend $30k+ per year after first year, because Arrival Plus AF is $30 more than Venture.
If you receive a call from 302-255-8000 after applying for this or any other Barclay's card, it is a legit number! You can also call them back directly at 866-951-1437.
Very Old Wiki Info ---
Regarding official company representatives
Note that there is an official procedure for company representatives to register themselves with the FlyerTalk Community Director and verify their credentials. When that process is completed, the username will turn green in posts, rather than the standard blue.
Anyone who does not appear in green has not followed this procedure. Those posts should be considered the same as any other user's posts. It is important to remember that the moderation team does not generally monitor the veracity of any posts; it is up to you to judge a poster's content and history yourself.
Let's crowd source things that have counted towards travel redemptions that are not so obvious
="3"%Successful
Don't forget travel purchase needs to be > $100 charge for 10K mile redemption
Airlines that post purchases of multiple tickets as one amount or split them:
One Amount
BA (USD based award ticket)
Multiple Transactions
UA (award)
DL (award)
Current offer for Arrival Plus is 70K pts w/$5K spend & AF waived 1st year.
Barclays says that you earn “miles” but you’re actually earning cash back with the card since you can’t transfer your Barclays miles to airlines. But you can redeem them for statement credits at 0.5 cents per mile (poor value) or 1.05 cent per mile if you redeem for travel.
You get 5% of your miles back if you redeem for travel, so 40,000 miles gets you $400 towards travel and 2,000 miles back (5% of your miles back). You must have at least 10K 'miles' in your acct if you wish to redeem as a travel credit. 2500 'miles' can be redeemed for a stmt credit though.
If you want, you can redeem miles to cover a portion of a travel charge instead of the full amount. For example, if you have 80k miles and a $740 airline charge, you can choose to redeem just 70k to cover $700 of the charge.
You earn 2X miles on all purchases, so you’re effectively getting 2% cash back for each purchase. But since you get 5% of your miles back when you redeem for travel, this is effectively a 2.1% cash back card when miles are redeemed for travel.
This makes the Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard® (with 2.1% cash back for travel) better than the Capital One Venture card which offers only 2 miles per $1 or 2% cash back, only if you spend $30k+ per year after first year, because Arrival Plus AF is $30 more than Venture.
If you receive a call from 302-255-8000 after applying for this or any other Barclay's card, it is a legit number! You can also call them back directly at 866-951-1437.
Very Old Wiki Info ---
Regarding official company representatives
Note that there is an official procedure for company representatives to register themselves with the FlyerTalk Community Director and verify their credentials. When that process is completed, the username will turn green in posts, rather than the standard blue.
Anyone who does not appear in green has not followed this procedure. Those posts should be considered the same as any other user's posts. It is important to remember that the moderation team does not generally monitor the veracity of any posts; it is up to you to judge a poster's content and history yourself.
Let's crowd source things that have counted towards travel redemptions that are not so obvious
="3"%Successful
Don't forget travel purchase needs to be > $100 charge for 10K mile redemption
- 9/11 Museum and Memorial - NYC
- Accuracy Limo (via Square, Salt Lake City, UT limo service)
- ACE Adventures (West Virginia White Water Rafting), had to call in to get it processed manually
- agoda.com
- AirAsia Flights (airasia.com)
- airbnb bookings
- airbnb GC purchased on United MPX site
- Alaska Airlines checked baggage fee $25 charge
- Amazing Bike Tours Thailand
- AA Gift Card
- American Airlines telephone booking (including booking fee)
- Amtrak train ticket >$25 (ALB-NYP)
- Amtrak train ticket >$25 (unknown destinations)
- Arrival+ Annual Fee
- Argosy Cruises (SEA, classified as RECREATION)
- Autoeurope.com
- BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) San Francisco
- Balloons over Bagan
- Bieber bus tickets
- Boston MBTA Charlie Card reload & Commuter Rail passes & tickets
- Burj Khalifa observation decks
- Buying Lifemiles from Avianca
- Capitaine Train Tickets (capitaine.com)
- Carmel Limo (NYC car service)
- carrentals.com
- cheaptickets.com hotel
- Chinese Visa Application Fees (had to call in. Credit showed up in account in 2 business days. See Post 912 and 921 for details)
- City Taxi (Tampa)
- CostcoTravel
- Cotai Waterjet (Hong Kong)
- CT Limo
- Daily Getaways purchase of HHonors points
- DB Bahn Trains Germany (bahn.de)
- Disneyland Hong Kong (Manual redemption required)
- DriveNow - all locations in EU/US
- Dublin Bus Tours Hop on, Hop off (Green)
- Eiffel Tower (manual redemption by phone allowed)
- Empire State Building tickets
- Enterprise rent-a-car, paid at the counter when returning the car (used Chase United Visa initially for primary coverage, but asked to pay with a different card when returning the car)
- Eurostar Train Tickets (eurostar.com)
- Europcar.com
- Expedia.com
- Hertz Rent-a-Car (booked on hertz.com)
- Hong Kong Airport Express Pass
- Hotel bookings through Rocketmiles (even refundable bookings or those tied to other promotions)
- Hotels.com
- Hotwire
- ItaliaRail (online booking agency for TrenItalia)
- LA Swamp Tours, Steamboat cruise, Haunted History Tours (New Orleans)
- Lahaina-Maui Ferry Tickets - booked online at www.go-lanai.com
- Las Vegas Show Booked through hotel
Las Vegas show tickets booked online (Mandalay Bay Box office) - Limo Charges - Two limo charges that I made in March PRIOR the the recent changes to what qualifies as "Travel" showed up as eligible travel charges. I guess with the changes to what's covered, and for how long, these got pulled back in.
- Lyft
- M-Life advance reservation deposit
- Montway Auto Transport (deposit)
- New York City MTA Subway Cards
- New York Waterways Ferry (between NJ and NYC)
- Ngong Ping 360 (Hong Kong)
- Norwegian Cruise Line purchase made from telephone order from vacationstogo.com
- Norwegian Cruise Line (deposits and payments)
- NS Hispeed Train Tickets (nshispeed.com)
- NYC Taxi
- Orbitz.com purchase
- ORCA card for Seattle area tolls (considered the very typical GOVERNMENT SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED)
- Paris RATP Metro/VATP (buy 10-ticket pack for >$25 and save cost)
- PeruRail (Machu Picchu train)
- PMRF Beach Cottages (Kauai)
- Priceline
- Primetime Shuttle (Worked from LAX-SNA)
- rail europe on Travelocity
- rail JR Rail in Japan, load as tourist attraction, call in to get it credit (Post#938)
- Safari Helicopter Tour (Kauai)
- Sandals.com resort booking (unique vacations) was not redeemable last year. Is redeemable online now
- SEASTREAK LLC - NYC (Commuter Ferri)
- Singapore Cable Car
- Southwest $100 gift card
- Southwest Early Bird Check-in (billed separately from airfare charges)
- Spirit of NY Dinner Cruises - www.spiritcruises.com, which have cruises in several other cities as well.
- Starwood Vacation Ownership (SPG Timeshare) Westin Princeville Kauai (coded as Timeshare).
- St Pauls Cathedral (manual redemption by phone allowed)
- Super Shuttle (mixed, worked in SF when (billed SUPERSHUTTLE EXECUCARS), worked in Boston (SUPERSHUTTLE BOSTON), failed in LA (SUPERSHUTTLE), Worked in Cancun.
- Taxi in Zürich
- Top of the Rock tickets - NYC
- Trenitalia Online
- Trimet (Portland OR public transportation)
- Trip Advisor Rental
- TurboJET (Hong Kong)
- Uber
- Uber GC through MPX $100 (re-confirmed 11/1/2018, using Arrival Premier)
- United Baggage Fee
- Universal Studio Orlando tickets (had to call in)
- Viator (sightseeing/tours)
- Victoria Clipper (passenger ferry)
- Wedding at the Stratosphere's Chapel in the Clouds (billed as stratosphere)
- Windsor Castle (manual redemption by phone allowed)
- Wine purchases from different wine tasting rooms
- WMATA (Washington DC Metro) - [[COLOR="Red"]reconfirmed 10/5/15]
- Zipcar
="3"%Unsuccessful (please mention the amount redeemed - important as anything under$25$100 cannot be reimbursed)
Partial redemptions are possible - however you cannot redeem against that charge again. So if you have a $500 charge and you spend 40K points against it, you cannot redeem 10K points for the remaining $100 of that charge. - www.b-europe.com (SNCB rail)
- Amtrak (possibly due <$25 charge)
- Blue Water Rafting. Merchant category "Recreation Services -- Not elsewhere classified"
- Brazil airline GOL booked online codes as DIRECT MARKETING/DIRECT MARKETERS--NOT ELESWH ..
- Broadmoor Hotel Food and Beverage (Colorado Spring, CO)
- budgetair.co.uk (charged >$200)
- Car2go
- De Palm Tours, Aruba (classified as Recreation. Called Barclay twice.)
- Description: ZERVE *CA WHALES Merchant Category: THEATRICAL PRODUCERS (EXCEPT MOTION PICTURES), TICKET AGENCIES...Tickets to whale watching tour purchased over the phone.
- Evan Evans Sightseeing tours (UK based)- http://www.evanevanstours.co.uk
- Fastrak tag autoload for San Francisco bridge tolls ($25)
- Global Entry
- Gotobus.com Long Distance Buses, ~$100
- Homeaway.com, posts as real estate. Barclays said they'd make a one-time exception but future purchases won't count as travel.
- Hostelbookers.com deposit (maybe the charge which is >$25 will count?)
- Hotels.com Gift Card
- IHG points and cash hotel redemption
- Malaysian Overnight Train KUL-SIN (ktmb.com.my)
- Monterey Aquarium
- Parking at DCA - $136 (7/9/19)
- Parking at HSV ($96 in parking at Huntsville International Airport)
- Parking at IAH (Houston Intercontinental - on airport) -$76 (PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES)
- Parking at LAS
- Parking at LGA $204
- Parking at Port Imperial, Weehawken, NJ
- Parking at SNA (John Wayne Airport)
- San Francisco Clipper Card public transit (autoload from website)
- Skyjump at Stratosphere Hotel LV $150 (01/14) - not charged by hotel.
- Space Needle and Chihuly Garden Tickets
- Starwood points purchase (BUSINESS SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED)
- Taxi Magic /Curb- Taxi service
- Thello train (France-Italy night train, codes as rail-freight)
- Trenitalia (both online and in stations, posts as rail-freight)
- UBER eGift Card (bought through the UBER app) for $100 - Not coded as "travel," so couldn't redeem online and they wouldn't do it over the phone, either.
Airlines that post purchases of multiple tickets as one amount or split them:
One Amount
BA (USD based award ticket)
Multiple Transactions
UA (award)
DL (award)
Barclays Arrival Plus, now 70K w/$5k spend
Dec 14, 2014, 9:45 am
#1501
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
Travel thru the RewardsBoost portal
I book travel frequently and mostly specifically through the RewardsBoost portal i.e. Orbitz for flights, Priceline and Enterprise for cars, Hotels.com for beds and many other listed sites for extra-mile-earning.
As promoted through the RB-site, these extra miles should be accumulating in my account and adding up really fast.
However, every month I have to claim these purchases and have to keep repeatedly claiming for many months after purchase.
Does anyone else use the RewardsBoost portal on a regular basis for travel booking and if so, do you also have problems getting the RB-purchases confirmed and the extra miles earned posted as they should ?
As promoted through the RB-site, these extra miles should be accumulating in my account and adding up really fast.
However, every month I have to claim these purchases and have to keep repeatedly claiming for many months after purchase.
Does anyone else use the RewardsBoost portal on a regular basis for travel booking and if so, do you also have problems getting the RB-purchases confirmed and the extra miles earned posted as they should ?
Dec 16, 2014, 9:15 am
#1502
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,263
Does Barclay allow other cards to be converted to an Arrival+? I have an older Wyndham Rewards card that I don't use anymore and I'm trying to figure out if I should close it first or leave it open and apply for Arrival+ or call in and try to convert. I have no other Barclay cards...
Dec 16, 2014, 9:27 am
#1503
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 294
Does Barclay allow other cards to be converted to an Arrival+? I have an older Wyndham Rewards card that I don't use anymore and I'm trying to figure out if I should close it first or leave it open and apply for Arrival+ or call in and try to convert. I have no other Barclay cards...
I did two applications with Barclay yesterday, and I had to move credit line on both to open the new cards.
Dec 16, 2014, 10:26 am
#1504
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ELP
Programs: AAdvantage, Amex MR
Posts: 2,314
I book travel frequently and mostly specifically through the RewardsBoost portal i.e. Orbitz for flights, Priceline and Enterprise for cars, Hotels.com for beds and many other listed sites for extra-mile-earning.
As promoted through the RB-site, these extra miles should be accumulating in my account and adding up really fast.
However, every month I have to claim these purchases and have to keep repeatedly claiming for many months after purchase.
Does anyone else use the RewardsBoost portal on a regular basis for travel booking and if so, do you also have problems getting the RB-purchases confirmed and the extra miles earned posted as they should ?
As promoted through the RB-site, these extra miles should be accumulating in my account and adding up really fast.
However, every month I have to claim these purchases and have to keep repeatedly claiming for many months after purchase.
Does anyone else use the RewardsBoost portal on a regular basis for travel booking and if so, do you also have problems getting the RB-purchases confirmed and the extra miles earned posted as they should ?
I have seen the terms and conditions for the travel sites is extra miles won't be awarded until after the trip is complete.
By chance are you using a browser with add ons such as script blocker, blocking cookies, etc because that will interfere with the shopping portal. Just to be safe I used an incognito browser in chrome when I made my purchase and that appears to have worked like a charm.
Dec 16, 2014, 11:44 am
#1505
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,263
I don't think you'll get the bonus points if you convert to the Arrival+ card. In my opinion, you should keep the Wyndham card when you apply for the Arrival+. You can offer to move credit line from your Wyndham card to open the Arrival+ card if you are not instantly approved and have to call reconsideration.
I did two applications with Barclay yesterday, and I had to move credit line on both to open the new cards.
I did two applications with Barclay yesterday, and I had to move credit line on both to open the new cards.
Dec 16, 2014, 4:21 pm
#1506
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA, UA, DL, UR, IHG platnium, AirAsia
Posts: 323
Does anyone know if either of the two will code as a travel purchase:
Agoda.com (for hotel bookings)
JetStar (Asia-Australian Low Cost airline carrier)
Thanks
Agoda.com (for hotel bookings)
JetStar (Asia-Australian Low Cost airline carrier)
Thanks
Dec 17, 2014, 5:10 am
#1507
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 84
Another successful travel redemption for the wiki - I bought Bolt Bus tickets online to go from Washington DC to NYC and was able to redeem it as a travel purchase.
Dec 17, 2014, 6:31 pm
#1509
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 294
Are you travelling to Asia? I have not used either of these services, but I had a similar charge by low-cost airline in Vietnam,VietJetAir. I used my Arrival card, but the charge was coded as communications category. I called Barclay and explained the charge, and the rep was able to submit a ticket for this charge. It was clearly a travel-related charge. After a few days, I saw a manual redemption in my account. I'm positive that you can always call Barclay to do a manual redemption if the transaction was not coded correctly.
Dec 17, 2014, 8:09 pm
#1510
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: HOU, IAH
Posts: 194
My latest statement includes an Agoda charge from November and it's listed as eligible for points redemption.
Dec 18, 2014, 8:53 am
#1511
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 23
Has anyone tried using it at a ski mountain?
Dec 18, 2014, 9:05 am
#1512
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: EWR/SNA/SUN
Programs: United 1K; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 499
Yes - very hit or miss. Many charges post as "OTHER RECREATION SERVICES". This includes lift tickets, etc. One way around it, we have found, it purchasing lift ticket at the hotel - many have a desk at the hotel.
At my home mountains, Park City and Sun Valley, both of our season passes were coded "Category: Travel - Lodging" - however that was on AMEX statement, so YMMV.
At my home mountains, Park City and Sun Valley, both of our season passes were coded "Category: Travel - Lodging" - however that was on AMEX statement, so YMMV.
Dec 18, 2014, 11:22 am
#1513
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
Season passes for Colorado (includes Park City, Utah) Mammoth & Fusion Mt.Hood, Oregon posted i.e. as:
DESCRIPTION: VAIL PASS SALES 0374
MERCHANT LOCATION:* VAIL CO
MERCHANT CATEGORY: RECREATION SERVICES--NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED
DESCRIPTION: TIMBERLINE TKTS-SCHOOL
MERCHANT LOCATION:* GOVERNMENT CA OR
MERCHANT CATEGORY: MISCELLANEOUS AND SPECIALTY RETAIL STORES
DESCRIPTION: VAIL PASS SALES 0374
MERCHANT LOCATION:* VAIL CO
MERCHANT CATEGORY: RECREATION SERVICES--NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED
DESCRIPTION: TIMBERLINE TKTS-SCHOOL
MERCHANT LOCATION:* GOVERNMENT CA OR
MERCHANT CATEGORY: MISCELLANEOUS AND SPECIALTY RETAIL STORES
Dec 18, 2014, 12:07 pm
#1514
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
Damn, that would've been nice.
Copper Mountain also codes as recreation.
Copper Mountain also codes as recreation.
Dec 21, 2014, 7:34 am
#1515
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 15
Barclay arrival and US air
My AF is about to hit for Arrival +. I am wondering if it is possible to downgrade to Arrival and then reapply for Arrival + a few months later? My credit history is relatively young and I wouldn't want to hurt it. However, I feel like I have read that it is not possible to have a plus version and fee free version open at the same time. Can anyone confirm?
I am also thinking of taking advantage of the 50k US air promo. Would it be a good idea to keep my Arrival+ open while I apply for this so I can use my credit as leverage (to transfer from Arrival to US Air, in case they do not immediately approve)?
I am also thinking of taking advantage of the 50k US air promo. Would it be a good idea to keep my Arrival+ open while I apply for this so I can use my credit as leverage (to transfer from Arrival to US Air, in case they do not immediately approve)?