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
Feb 22, 2015, 12:36 pm
#1876
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 4
According to the agent she said I just call up them? Is that what you all do?
Okay so theoretically I can buy (after I have earned the 40,000 points/miles) a $400 gift card for Priceline on Priceline's website, and after a few days (waiting for the pending charge to go away) call up and have them credit me $400?
Thank you by the way.
Okay so theoretically I can buy (after I have earned the 40,000 points/miles) a $400 gift card for Priceline on Priceline's website, and after a few days (waiting for the pending charge to go away) call up and have them credit me $400?
Thank you by the way.
Feb 22, 2015, 12:43 pm
#1877
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: VA
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold, Marriott Silver, Choice Privileges Gold, National Exec
Posts: 192
Okay I'm sorry if I am very dense but I'm having a difficult time understanding how this card works. I am interested because I see there is a 40,000 mile promotion if you spend $3,000 within 90 days of opening the card. Can someone please answer my questions? I've gone all the websites and read reviews about it but I am still quite loss.
1. 40,000 equals $400 worth of travel related fees such as hotels, motels, car rentals, and airlines yes?
2. I have 120 days to use the 40,000 miles or else they expire, or does that mean I have 120 days AFTER I used them on travel expenses and then I call up ? I called the number on the back of the card and the agent said that the 120 days means I have 120 days to call after I purchased whatever or else you cannot use those miles. She seemed confused by my questions, and I was left more confused by her answers.
3. Can you use the miles to purchase travel related giftcards like for Hyatt, Avis, and American Airlines?
Thanks
1. 40,000 equals $400 worth of travel related fees such as hotels, motels, car rentals, and airlines yes?
2. I have 120 days to use the 40,000 miles or else they expire, or does that mean I have 120 days AFTER I used them on travel expenses and then I call up ? I called the number on the back of the card and the agent said that the 120 days means I have 120 days to call after I purchased whatever or else you cannot use those miles. She seemed confused by my questions, and I was left more confused by her answers.
3. Can you use the miles to purchase travel related giftcards like for Hyatt, Avis, and American Airlines?
Thanks
2. You have 120 days for the time your travel expenses post to your account to redeem your miles for those purchase. For example, if you bought a flight and it posted to your account on February 25th, you would have until June 25th to redeem your miles for that purchase.
3. You don't use the miles to purchase items. You purchase the item first, and then redeem the miles for the purchase. Some gift cards count as a travel expense and some don't. If the gift card purchase counts as travel, you can redeem your miles for that purchase.
Hope that helps!!
Feb 22, 2015, 12:44 pm
#1878
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Plastic, Delta Silver Emeritus
Posts: 1,037
Priceline probably does not code as travel. So 40,000 points is only valued at $200.
Feb 22, 2015, 1:36 pm
#1880
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 4
Thanks guys. I just want to make sure before I spend $400 on a gift card for Priceline or something that it doesn't get coded as something else. When I book hotels I typically go through Priceline, Motel 6, or use free nights that I had through other cards.
Feb 22, 2015, 6:53 pm
#1881
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 32
Why not just use the barclaycard on priceline's website?
Feb 23, 2015, 1:04 am
#1882
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,066
Barclay community
Are any of you experiencing this problem on the Barclay community?
"Sorry, you have reached the number of stories you can create in a month"
I first got that message on the 4th week of Jan after writing 100 stories that month, so I reckon they have a new rule limit of 100 stories/month.
However, I got that same message again on Feb 12 despite having only written 46 stories between Feb 1-12. On the following day, I submitted 5 stories before getting that message again. Between Feb 14-21, I was only able to submit 3 stories/day. On Feb 22- only 1 story. Today (Feb 23), I am still unable to submit anymore. Total stories I have written this month: 80.
Any rhyme or reason to this?
"Sorry, you have reached the number of stories you can create in a month"
I first got that message on the 4th week of Jan after writing 100 stories that month, so I reckon they have a new rule limit of 100 stories/month.
However, I got that same message again on Feb 12 despite having only written 46 stories between Feb 1-12. On the following day, I submitted 5 stories before getting that message again. Between Feb 14-21, I was only able to submit 3 stories/day. On Feb 22- only 1 story. Today (Feb 23), I am still unable to submit anymore. Total stories I have written this month: 80.
Any rhyme or reason to this?
Feb 23, 2015, 9:02 am
#1883
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 2
Thanks! That makes my decisions easier!
Thanks! I'll just call and see if they'll waive the fee and if not cancel the A+ card, transfer the credit line to my US Airways card, then wait a few months and apply for the A+ again.
Even though, I reached my exposure limit or overall limit on how much credit Barclays will extend me, they just granted me a third card, the Arrival, by reducing the limit on my old MasterCard. I was happy to get the Arrival, and the only reason I did not close the old MasterCard was to maintain my average AOA. So, they let me reduce the old card all the way down to a mere $1000. This way I can enjoy the maximum benefit from my new Arrival card.
This was all done by the bank calling me and offering. I did not have to ask!
This was all done by the bank calling me and offering. I did not have to ask!
I had a similar experience... had 2 USMC's and split the CL to get the Arrival. Still have all 3 open.
To the OP - if you have no future travel planned, you could always just buy gift cards from the Hotel/Airline you usually use. Also, Barclays is usually pretty good about waiving the AF if you call and ask, so that's always an option too.
To the OP - if you have no future travel planned, you could always just buy gift cards from the Hotel/Airline you usually use. Also, Barclays is usually pretty good about waiving the AF if you call and ask, so that's always an option too.
Feb 23, 2015, 11:03 am
#1884
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 78
Need help ASAP
Hey will stuff charged to a hotel room count for being able to use the credit?
Like can I charge a massage to a hotel room and pay for it with the Arrival card and use the credit?
Sorry I want to do it in an hour and don't have time to look through all the pages.
Thanks
Like can I charge a massage to a hotel room and pay for it with the Arrival card and use the credit?
Sorry I want to do it in an hour and don't have time to look through all the pages.
Thanks
Feb 23, 2015, 11:22 am
#1885
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,066
Hey will stuff charged to a hotel room count for being able to use the credit?
Like can I charge a massage to a hotel room and pay for it with the Arrival card and use the credit?
Sorry I want to do it in an hour and don't have time to look through all the pages.
Thanks
Like can I charge a massage to a hotel room and pay for it with the Arrival card and use the credit?
Sorry I want to do it in an hour and don't have time to look through all the pages.
Thanks
Feb 23, 2015, 4:01 pm
#1886
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: STL
Posts: 1,546
Can I redeem points on a purchase that's already been paid?
I purchased an airline ticket in January, paid my balance in full when the bill came a couple weeks ago. Purchased some more stuff, will PIF when I get my statement in March. After that, I need to renew my car insurance, which will put me over my $3,000 spend threshold for the signup bonus, where I'll get the $400 (plus what I've already racked up) rewards towards travel credits. Can I then redeem against the airline ticket, effectively reducing the cost of my car insurance by $400 (and then some)?
I purchased an airline ticket in January, paid my balance in full when the bill came a couple weeks ago. Purchased some more stuff, will PIF when I get my statement in March. After that, I need to renew my car insurance, which will put me over my $3,000 spend threshold for the signup bonus, where I'll get the $400 (plus what I've already racked up) rewards towards travel credits. Can I then redeem against the airline ticket, effectively reducing the cost of my car insurance by $400 (and then some)?
Feb 23, 2015, 6:42 pm
#1887
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Can I redeem points on a purchase that's already been paid?
I purchased an airline ticket in January, paid my balance in full when the bill came a couple weeks ago. Purchased some more stuff, will PIF when I get my statement in March. After that, I need to renew my car insurance, which will put me over my $3,000 spend threshold for the signup bonus, where I'll get the $400 (plus what I've already racked up) rewards towards travel credits. Can I then redeem against the airline ticket, effectively reducing the cost of my car insurance by $400 (and then some)?
I purchased an airline ticket in January, paid my balance in full when the bill came a couple weeks ago. Purchased some more stuff, will PIF when I get my statement in March. After that, I need to renew my car insurance, which will put me over my $3,000 spend threshold for the signup bonus, where I'll get the $400 (plus what I've already racked up) rewards towards travel credits. Can I then redeem against the airline ticket, effectively reducing the cost of my car insurance by $400 (and then some)?
Just go to the rewards area and it will show you what purchases are eligible for applying the points against. Note that each travel purchase can only have points applied against it a single time, and if you have less points available than a qualifying purchase, you can only use an even multiple of 2,500 points.
Feb 23, 2015, 11:22 pm
#1888
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Up In The Cloud
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA S, AA G; AS G; DL | SPG P50, M G, CC G, IHG P, HLT S | Hertz PC, Avis F
Posts: 682
If the travel purchase upon which the redemption is applied is refunded, will the redemption be clawed back?
Feb 24, 2015, 6:44 am
#1890
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
I'd verify first that a Priceline gift card can be counted as travel. It may just be a retail sale.