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
Aug 31, 2015, 8:03 am
#2851
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,693
Thanks for the data point, kmhills22.
I couldn't resist and applied for Frontier card #2 while #1 is still open. Instantly approved with high CL. Not sure I made the best decision to go with F9 and not A+ (I have both), but proves the possibility on at least some Barclay cards.
I couldn't resist and applied for Frontier card #2 while #1 is still open. Instantly approved with high CL. Not sure I made the best decision to go with F9 and not A+ (I have both), but proves the possibility on at least some Barclay cards.
Sep 1, 2015, 1:16 pm
#2853
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Wife's Arrival account has 6832 miles
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. Will be closing it due to the negative benefit downgrade.
We want to drain all the points and don't care about 10% back.
What's the best method? Book hotel for room costing $68.32 & $53.28 including the tax?
Thanks
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. Will be closing it due to the negative benefit downgrade.
We want to drain all the points and don't care about 10% back.
What's the best method? Book hotel for room costing $68.32 & $53.28 including the tax?
Thanks
Sep 1, 2015, 2:43 pm
#2854
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Wife's Arrival account has 6832 miles
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. Will be closing it due to the negative benefit downgrade.
We want to drain all the points and don't care about 10% back.
What's the best method? Book hotel for room costing $68.32 & $53.28 including the tax?
Thanks
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. Will be closing it due to the negative benefit downgrade.
We want to drain all the points and don't care about 10% back.
What's the best method? Book hotel for room costing $68.32 & $53.28 including the tax?
Thanks
Assure that you do not exceed available points by even a penny to avoid the $25 increment redemption issue.
Sep 1, 2015, 3:06 pm
#2855
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Anyone else get the email from TripIt this morning?
Originally Posted by TripIt
Dear TripIt Pro traveler,
You should have received notice from Barclaycard that as of September 1, 2015, TripIt Pro subscriptions will no longer be auto renewed as part of your Arrival Plus MasterCard® benefits. Current subscriptions will be good through your subscription renewal date. Because we know how important stress-free travel is to you, we are offering you a special TripIt Pro renewal rate of $29 for 1 year ($49 per year thereafter).
In order to take advantage of this offer and avoid interruption of your TripIt Pro service, please take the following steps for your account before your renewal date, May 25:
1. Sign in to the TripIt website and go to Settings.
2. Choose Billing Info and enter your credit card information.
3. Upon your renewal date you will be charged $29.
This special offer will expire when your subscription ends if you don't take action. If you have any questions about your TripIt Pro subscription, please visit our help center. Thank you for your patience.
Dear TripIt Pro traveler,
You should have received notice from Barclaycard that as of September 1, 2015, TripIt Pro subscriptions will no longer be auto renewed as part of your Arrival Plus MasterCard® benefits. Current subscriptions will be good through your subscription renewal date. Because we know how important stress-free travel is to you, we are offering you a special TripIt Pro renewal rate of $29 for 1 year ($49 per year thereafter).
In order to take advantage of this offer and avoid interruption of your TripIt Pro service, please take the following steps for your account before your renewal date, May 25:
1. Sign in to the TripIt website and go to Settings.
2. Choose Billing Info and enter your credit card information.
3. Upon your renewal date you will be charged $29.
This special offer will expire when your subscription ends if you don't take action. If you have any questions about your TripIt Pro subscription, please visit our help center. Thank you for your patience.
Sep 1, 2015, 4:36 pm
#2856
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
If you got the accounts after October 2014 and prior to July, you reportedly have until August 2016, else you have until November (17th?), so consider using the card alot until whichever deadline (or AF posts).
Assure that you do not exceed available points by even a penny to avoid the $25 increment redemption issue.
Assure that you do not exceed available points by even a penny to avoid the $25 increment redemption issue.
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. All or near all is fine and than will cancel.
Sep 1, 2015, 5:35 pm
#2857
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Any expense amount redeemed that is less than the point balance will enable you to redeem for that exact expense amount, so an expense exactly the same as the point balance (1 point = 1 penny) is the maximum you can redeem against. If you try to redeem against an expense that is greater than the point balance, then you will only be able to select the closest $25 increment below the expense amount, which could leave as much as 2,499 points remaining balance.
Last edited by uds0; Sep 1, 2015 at 5:43 pm
Sep 1, 2015, 5:45 pm
#2858
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
As always, Barclay and all other card issuers that issue points that are not directly convertible to actual airmiles, with specific purpose of misleading, simply lie about characterizing these points as miles. They are points that are specifically limited to being redeemed ONLY against travel expenses - nothing to do with miles! So not only are they not miles, they are tough to redeem because of the limited redemption against only travel, and when the new rules take affect only travel expenses at least ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH which each require at least TEN THOUSAND POINTS, or about $5,000 spend!
Any expense amount redeemed that is less than the point balance will enable you to redeem for that exact expense amount, so an expense exactly the same as the point balance (1 point = 1 penny) is the maximum you can redeem against. If you try to redeem against an expense that is greater than the point balance, then you will only be able to select the closest $25 increment below the expense amount, which could leave as much as 2,499 points remaining balance.
Any expense amount redeemed that is less than the point balance will enable you to redeem for that exact expense amount, so an expense exactly the same as the point balance (1 point = 1 penny) is the maximum you can redeem against. If you try to redeem against an expense that is greater than the point balance, then you will only be able to select the closest $25 increment below the expense amount, which could leave as much as 2,499 points remaining balance.
Against what $ amount should I redeem the miles ? Wife's Arrival account has 6832 miles
Mine with A+ have 5328 miles. All or near all is fine and than will cancel.
Sep 1, 2015, 5:56 pm
#2859
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,028
Sep 1, 2015, 6:58 pm
#2860
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Sep 1, 2015, 7:01 pm
#2861
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Sorry, you'll just have to understand the repeated explanations of the rules rather than being spoon fed a specific amount by me.
Sep 1, 2015, 7:47 pm
#2862
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Barclays FAQ about why signatures are the default:
"Your card is set up to request signature verification first. This is because many merchants don’t have PIN-verification software. You’re able to use your PIN at certain self-service terminals such as ticket kiosks and some gas pumps, in the U.S. and abroad."
Since, if the pin was higher in the CVM list (pin priority), and "don't have pin-verification software" should mean that that CVM method would fail and drop through to signature, is their explanation credible?
"Your card is set up to request signature verification first. This is because many merchants don’t have PIN-verification software. You’re able to use your PIN at certain self-service terminals such as ticket kiosks and some gas pumps, in the U.S. and abroad."
Since, if the pin was higher in the CVM list (pin priority), and "don't have pin-verification software" should mean that that CVM method would fail and drop through to signature, is their explanation credible?
Sep 1, 2015, 7:49 pm
#2863
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Since Arrival is signature priority, how can the pin be tested PRIOR to leaving for abroad? My experience with trying to fix bank card issues while traveling is mostly: royal pain.
At least Barclay lets us change the pin online without having to know the forgotten pin and doesn't require mailing the changed pin to our homes in the US while we're abroad!
At least Barclay lets us change the pin online without having to know the forgotten pin and doesn't require mailing the changed pin to our homes in the US while we're abroad!
Sep 1, 2015, 9:12 pm
#2864
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,028
So find a cancelable ticket that's up to $68.33? Pretty tough.
No question, they like keeping the slop when you cancel.
Sep 1, 2015, 11:41 pm
#2865
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,505
Barclays FAQ about why signatures are the default:
"Your card is set up to request signature verification first. This is because many merchants don’t have PIN-verification software. You’re able to use your PIN at certain self-service terminals such as ticket kiosks and some gas pumps, in the U.S. and abroad."
Since, if the pin was higher in the CVM list (pin priority), and "don't have pin-verification software" should mean that that CVM method would fail and drop through to signature, is their explanation credible?
"Your card is set up to request signature verification first. This is because many merchants don’t have PIN-verification software. You’re able to use your PIN at certain self-service terminals such as ticket kiosks and some gas pumps, in the U.S. and abroad."
Since, if the pin was higher in the CVM list (pin priority), and "don't have pin-verification software" should mean that that CVM method would fail and drop through to signature, is their explanation credible?
Since Arrival is signature priority, how can the pin be tested PRIOR to leaving for abroad? My experience with trying to fix bank card issues while traveling is mostly: royal pain.
At least Barclay lets us change the pin online without having to know the forgotten pin and doesn't require mailing the changed pin to our homes in the US while we're abroad!
At least Barclay lets us change the pin online without having to know the forgotten pin and doesn't require mailing the changed pin to our homes in the US while we're abroad!