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.
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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
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 21, 2014, 5:40 pm
#1516
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 825
Anyone able to set up text alerts for their barclay card account profile? When I select the drop down under text messaging, there is no phone number listed and I cannot find where to set it anywhere...
Dec 22, 2014, 7:09 am
#1517
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,057
Are there automated filters to deny auto-approval for Barclays account? I opened one back in July, and I'm almost done removing all my hard pulls from TU. When I apply in Jan, my TU will be clean, and I'm expecting auto-approval. Does anyone know if Barclays system also check when you last applied, e.g. if you applied for another Barclays card in the last 6 mth, it will go to manual review.
Dec 22, 2014, 8:01 am
#1518
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 25
Anyone have an estimated timeline on how long it takes Barclays to remove an annual fee from my account? I called in late October to downgrade my Arrival+ to the standard Arrival a couple of days before the annual fee was due. The fee still hit my account on 10/31, and, despite multiple phone calls, the fee has not been removed from my account.
Dec 22, 2014, 8:37 am
#1519
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
What are the experiences with Barclay Arrival and length of time before you can close and reapply and get bonus again?
Dec 23, 2014, 10:33 am
#1520
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 42
I'm not sure it matters as long as you get instant approval. I applied for a new Arrival+ card while my current one was still open and was automatically approved. Applied for a new Arrival+ for my wife about a month after closing her previous one and it was also automatically approved.
Dec 23, 2014, 11:13 am
#1521
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
^, yes, but will you get the sign up bonus again on one, both, or neither???
Dec 23, 2014, 12:19 pm
#1522
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 223
has anyone been reimbursed for aa.com miles purchases since they are now billed under american rather than points.com?
thanks all
thanks all
Dec 26, 2014, 7:36 pm
#1523
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 34
Anyone know if it's possible to PC Arrival+ to Sallie Mae? Would rather do that than downgrade do the no annual fee version.
Dec 26, 2014, 7:42 pm
#1524
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 73
Has there been any recent problems with the Barclay card? When I called their number today, there was a recorded message about how one shouldn't give SS# etc. if you get a call/email from them. Then while surfing, I also came across a couple of posts where people reported that their accounts got hacked multiple times in the recent past. Curious since I am planning to apply for a new card.
Dec 26, 2014, 10:23 pm
#1525
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
Has there been any recent problems with the Barclay card? When I called their number today, there was a recorded message about how one shouldn't give SS# etc. if you get a call/email from them. Then while surfing, I also came across a couple of posts where people reported that their accounts got hacked multiple times in the recent past. Curious since I am planning to apply for a new card.
Dec 27, 2014, 12:17 am
#1526
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,537
Has there been any recent problems with the Barclay card? When I called their number today, there was a recorded message about how one shouldn't give SS# etc. if you get a call/email from them. Then while surfing, I also came across a couple of posts where people reported that their accounts got hacked multiple times in the recent past. Curious since I am planning to apply for a new card.
Dec 27, 2014, 8:58 am
#1527
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 73
When it comes to redeem miles, how good are the other options apart from the travel statement credit, which I understand is the best value? Is there any way I can look at the options without logging in (since I am not an account holder yet)? The 'Terms and Conditions' do mention 'gift cards and merchandise', but any details?
Also, what does this exactly mean and how can it go wrong?
"To qualify for redemption, Travel Purchases must be submitted by merchants using the eligible merchant category codes for purchases in the above categories"
Also, what does this exactly mean and how can it go wrong?
"To qualify for redemption, Travel Purchases must be submitted by merchants using the eligible merchant category codes for purchases in the above categories"
Dec 27, 2014, 1:18 pm
#1528
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/BDL
Programs: MileagePlus Club, Amex Platinum, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 232
Generally speaking, any obvious travel related merchant will be coded correctly and eligible for redemption. I don't have any direct experience but from other's postings if the charges are clearly travel related but incorrectly coded you may be able to get a manual override.
Related anecdote:
A couple years ago I signed up for the Chase Ink card because it give x5 points on Communication services (and office supplies). Because this was for my business it would add up to an additional 50k points or so per year I decided to get the card and use it just for the x5 categories. However, our local telco/internet provider didn't show up with the extra points, so I called Chase and they told me their account was set up as Business Services. I called the phone company and they said it was because that was the best category available when they set their account up umpteen years ago. Of course I tried to get them to change it but they were unable to do so. Interestingly enough, I've noticed within the last 6 months or so that we're getting 5x points on their payments too.
Dec 27, 2014, 3:48 pm
#1529
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
When it comes to redeem miles, how good are the other options apart from the travel statement credit, which I understand is the best value? Is there any way I can look at the options without logging in (since I am not an account holder yet)? The 'Terms and Conditions' do mention 'gift cards and merchandise', but any details?
Also, what does this exactly mean and how can it go wrong?
"To qualify for redemption, Travel Purchases must be submitted by merchants using the eligible merchant category codes for purchases in the above categories"
Also, what does this exactly mean and how can it go wrong?
"To qualify for redemption, Travel Purchases must be submitted by merchants using the eligible merchant category codes for purchases in the above categories"
You only get a 2.2% pay out rate when redeem your earning against travel expenses. If you want gift cards, then this card is NOT for you as you would then get 1.1 pennies per pt, versus 2.2 pennies per pt against travel expenses redemption. You essentially get only 50% of the value if you want gift cards or anything outside travel expenses.
Some merchants do not use a correct category for their business - for example in Europe many small independent hotels are operated by restaurants, very common in France - the billing would then be from the restaurant side even though you get a statement showing the hotel - such charges would NOT automatically be eligible for travel expenses redemption. You would need to call and ask for a manual review, by submitting the documents.
I have 2 such lodging stays in Brittany that one is coded restaurant and the other is coded as condo services. So not show up as eligible redemption. However since I have far more travel expenses than the available points, I dont really much care as I am forever playing a catching up game to earn pts - having a few redeemable items not showing correctly is no big deal. However, you can certainly submit the documents (check out statements clearly showed hotel's name and charges with the credit card charge slip) to Barclays for manual redemption if you want to.
Last edited by Happy; Dec 27, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Dec 27, 2014, 4:24 pm
#1530
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 73
Thanks Happy for your response. Sorry, I did miss the wiki. I'll check it out.
Yes, I do understand that the card will give the best value if the points earned are used towards travel statement credit. Same is the case with Capitol One Venture Card or even Sapphire Card I believe.
Here's my situation in a nutshell:
My one and only CC of 15 years with BOA/US Air is getting transferred to Barclaycard. Hence I need a new CC (possibly two within the next 10-12 months). Due to my work related travel, I've enough airline miles and hotel points and hence I usually use them for free flights and hotel stays. So, I am looking for a card that gives me the best value
- no AF, at least for the first year. After that, may downgrade
- no foreign transaction fees
If I take Sapphire and then downgrade after a year to Freedom, then I've have to pay foreign transaction fees. Plus, Sapphire requires you to spend $4K in three months to earn 40K points.
I don't worry about other fees as I always pay every month in full.
So, any suggestions?
Yes, I do understand that the card will give the best value if the points earned are used towards travel statement credit. Same is the case with Capitol One Venture Card or even Sapphire Card I believe.
Here's my situation in a nutshell:
My one and only CC of 15 years with BOA/US Air is getting transferred to Barclaycard. Hence I need a new CC (possibly two within the next 10-12 months). Due to my work related travel, I've enough airline miles and hotel points and hence I usually use them for free flights and hotel stays. So, I am looking for a card that gives me the best value
- no AF, at least for the first year. After that, may downgrade
- no foreign transaction fees
If I take Sapphire and then downgrade after a year to Freedom, then I've have to pay foreign transaction fees. Plus, Sapphire requires you to spend $4K in three months to earn 40K points.
I don't worry about other fees as I always pay every month in full.
So, any suggestions?