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Barclays Arrival Plus, now 70K w/$5k spend

Old May 14, 2014, 1:15 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 youre actually earning cash back with the card since you cant 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 youre 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.




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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 Zrich
  • 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)

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Barclays Arrival Plus, now 70K w/$5k spend

Old Jul 27, 2015, 8:42 am
  #2716  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: BOS
Posts: 814
I redeemed all the Arrival+ points I had and then called to close the account due to these changes. Annual fee that billed in May is being fully refunded. Due to this, I actually have a credit balance and a check is being sent to me.
xSTRIKEx6864 is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 9:28 am
  #2717  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dreamland
Posts: 923
Originally Posted by PackingIt
When did you originally get your card? Wonder if it's being sorted by date.
Jan 2014 FWIW
levilevi is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 9:48 am
  #2718  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 415
Originally Posted by ttlmmky
Anyone know if Sesame Place is reimbursable? TIA!
Might not be news to you but answering my own question:

Sesame Place was under "AMUSEMENT PARKS, CIRCUSES, CARNIVALS, FORTUNE TELLERS" and was NOT redeemable with miles. Oh well.
ttlmmky is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 12:04 pm
  #2719  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
I have 6288 Arrival plus miles. I can redeem it for any travel worth up to $50 only or $62.88? Has to be for before tax?

Don't know if I can find refundable room for $62.88.


She has 7228 Arrival miles. Same thing here? Good for any travel worth $72.28?
Blueskyheaven is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 1:02 pm
  #2720  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 556
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
I have 6288 Arrival plus miles. I can redeem it for any travel worth up to $50 only or $62.88? Has to be for before tax?

Don't know if I can find refundable room for $62.88.


She has 7228 Arrival miles. Same thing here? Good for any travel worth $72.28?
The minimum redemption amount is now 10,000 miles, so you can't redeem anything. You can redeem them at half value for 'cash' (not travel credit.)
NYCFlyer10001 is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 2:11 pm
  #2721  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 441
Originally Posted by NYCFlyer10001
The minimum redemption amount is now 10,000 miles, so you can't redeem anything. You can redeem them at half value for 'cash' (not travel credit.)
Changes not effective until November
travelfreaks is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 3:08 pm
  #2722  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Originally Posted by NYCFlyer10001
The minimum redemption amount is now 10,000 miles, so you can't redeem anything. You can redeem them at half value for 'cash' (not travel credit.)
Starts in NOV.
So How do I make best use of our miles?
Blueskyheaven is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 3:31 pm
  #2723  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 530
Originally Posted by jk2
Thanks for report! I probably should call them too - it's been 12 days since automatic approval, but still card isn't showing in the profile and I didn't get a approval e-mail. When you called, did they tell you why they couldn't create account right away?
Call credit services at (866) 408-4064. They were able to straighten it out for me.

Apparently there is a glitch where sometimes the application can be approved but the account is not "built". Key symptoms being no approval email and not showing in online login. "Building" accounts seems to be their terminology so call and say you were approved but account was not built and they should be able to take care of it for you.
aradisc is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 4:51 pm
  #2724  
jk2
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,512
Originally Posted by aradisc
Call credit services at (866) 408-4064. They were able to straighten it out for me.

Apparently there is a glitch where sometimes the application can be approved but the account is not "built". Key symptoms being no approval email and not showing in online login. "Building" accounts seems to be their terminology so call and say you were approved but account was not built and they should be able to take care of it for you.
Thanks. Called this morning, CSR submitted a request to appropriate department and in 2 hours the card is listed on my account and "congratulations" email arrived.
jk2 is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 6:10 pm
  #2725  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,731
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
Starts in NOV.
So How do I make best use of our miles?
If your travel charge is ABOVE your miles value, you could only redeem at $25 increment. If your travel charge is UNDER your miles value, you could redeem the full amount of the travel charge.

Either way you would still lose the 10% rebate as you cannot redeem it until your balance grows back to $25 worth.
Happy is offline  
Old Jul 27, 2015, 6:43 pm
  #2726  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Originally Posted by Happy
If your travel charge is ABOVE your miles value, you could only redeem at $25 increment. If your travel charge is UNDER your miles value, you could redeem the full amount of the travel charge.

Either way you would still lose the 10% rebate as you cannot redeem it until your balance grows back to $25 worth.
I will get full value of my miles here?
Blueskyheaven is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2015, 6:01 am
  #2727  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: FLL / BKK
Posts: 703
Originally Posted by Blueskyheaven
I will get full value of my miles here?
No.
EVA777 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2015, 7:26 am
  #2728  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 556
I received my chipped Arrival- yesterday.

CVM list:

Online PIN (cash advance only)
Signature
Online PIN
Offline PIN (Encrypted, then plaintext)
No CVM

No FTF, no AF, and PIN fallback makes this a good card for paranoid travelers IMO. The +, OTOH, seems worthless.
NYCFlyer10001 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2015, 9:08 am
  #2729  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 9,979
Originally Posted by NYCFlyer10001
I received my chipped Arrival- yesterday.

CVM list:

Online PIN (cash advance only)
Signature
Online PIN
Offline PIN (Encrypted, then plaintext)
No CVM

No FTF, no AF, and PIN fallback makes this a good card for paranoid travelers IMO. The +, OTOH, seems worthless.
Is the CVM list/order different for the Plus? Or is it just the AF that's the issue?
josephstern is online now  
Old Jul 28, 2015, 10:38 am
  #2730  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Paranoid is being stuck or delayed without chip card? Only takes once to rethink need.

Same as Arrival+. So only differences now are:

$200 vs $400 signup bonus, $0 vs $89 annual fee, $25 vs $100 min redemption and 2 points on Travel and Dining only vs 2 points everywhere?

http://milestomemories.boardingarea....ffective-date/

Effective dates:

From Barclay rep (after several "let me check on that" interactions):

If account opened between October 1st 2014 and June 30 2015, then new terms effective August 15th 2016, else (before or after!) terms effective November 17th 2015. Note that those having the 11/17/2015 effective date can get a prorated AF refund until 11/3 if they close the account by then.

Last edited by uds0; Jul 28, 2015 at 11:48 am Reason: Effective dates added
uds0 is offline  

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