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
Jul 9, 2015, 12:07 pm
#2596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,028
But Fido provides this card for their clients when the majority of them are not MSers. So may be the payout to MSers has not reached to an outsize proportion like the A+ has been. Virtually anyone who owns the A+ are gunning for the 2.2% redemption against Travel and many are MS on it heavily. The 2015 Closure thread is a tell tale.
We all know the OBC has survived quietly for many years until it is outed on FT then a year or so and lots of account closures, now it is capped at 50k. With the 6500 threshold, this no longer a good vehicle especially AMEX stays on its path of killing abusers. Before the outing, there were definitely abusers but might be of a much smaller percentage of the pool. as those abusers were smart enough to keep a goose alive. After the outing, it was a fair game open for all. The rest is history.
The make up of the cardholders plays an important role on how the banks can sustain a 2x card.
We all know the OBC has survived quietly for many years until it is outed on FT then a year or so and lots of account closures, now it is capped at 50k. With the 6500 threshold, this no longer a good vehicle especially AMEX stays on its path of killing abusers. Before the outing, there were definitely abusers but might be of a much smaller percentage of the pool. as those abusers were smart enough to keep a goose alive. After the outing, it was a fair game open for all. The rest is history.
The make up of the cardholders plays an important role on how the banks can sustain a 2x card.
I really think this is a general use card that is in use by a very, very wide audience. Most don't even know the pros and cons of the different redemption options, and they probably take the 1% figuring it must be 2% since they signed up for a 2% card.
Jul 9, 2015, 12:10 pm
#2597
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
Hello,
I want to cancel my card but Barclay's just assessed the 89 dollar fee at the end of June; there was a letter that announced this but it didn't appear on the statement until the deadline to cancel the card and not be assessed a fee. Do I really have to pay the fee for the following year, or can I cancel and have the fee rebated? I ask here first because I think there might be resistance from Barclay, but I understood that the law gave me 90 days to cancel.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
I want to cancel my card but Barclay's just assessed the 89 dollar fee at the end of June; there was a letter that announced this but it didn't appear on the statement until the deadline to cancel the card and not be assessed a fee. Do I really have to pay the fee for the following year, or can I cancel and have the fee rebated? I ask here first because I think there might be resistance from Barclay, but I understood that the law gave me 90 days to cancel.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
you should send an SM to get a clarification from Barclays itself on how much time you have to get a REVERSAL of the fee should you cancel the card, instead of asking here.
More importantly, if you do not want to ruin your credit, you should cancel the card BEFORE the fee's due date. Else you need to pay the fee then ask for a refund after the card is cancel. DO NOT LET THE FEE GONE PAST DUE when the card remains open. If you let it happen, you would have a past due amount and a Late Payment Fee, and worse, a blemish on your history if Barclays reports past due amount to the agency.
Since you dont want to keep the card, just cancel it and the fee will be reversed in a few days.
Jul 9, 2015, 1:02 pm
#2598
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 169
Hello,
I want to cancel my card but Barclay's just assessed the 89 dollar fee at the end of June; there was a letter that announced this but it didn't appear on the statement until the deadline to cancel the card and not be assessed a fee. Do I really have to pay the fee for the following year, or can I cancel and have the fee rebated? I ask here first because I think there might be resistance from Barclay, but I understood that the law gave me 90 days to cancel.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
I want to cancel my card but Barclay's just assessed the 89 dollar fee at the end of June; there was a letter that announced this but it didn't appear on the statement until the deadline to cancel the card and not be assessed a fee. Do I really have to pay the fee for the following year, or can I cancel and have the fee rebated? I ask here first because I think there might be resistance from Barclay, but I understood that the law gave me 90 days to cancel.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
Jul 9, 2015, 3:39 pm
#2599
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 197
Whats the general consensus here, cancel the A+ or downgrade to arrival fee free version to keep credit line, points etc ? With a lot of us getting close to annual fees being due, I know a lot are in this boat.
Jul 9, 2015, 6:55 pm
#2600
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: Delta + United Airmiles
Posts: 703
Why would you toss the sign up bonus (over $200) on the no fee version by downgrading?
Jul 9, 2015, 9:28 pm
#2601
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 197
I am already a year or so into this card so sign up has come and gone but as annual fee is coming due again just wondering what those that have had the card are thinking in terms of next steps, downgrade, cancel or keep etc
Jul 9, 2015, 10:43 pm
#2602
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
This a no-brainer for me. Headin for the shredder.
Jul 10, 2015, 6:40 am
#2603
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 427
My anniversary date is this month and I called in several times and escalated to the manager to request goodwill bonus miles or an AF waiver this week. Nothing. Nada.
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
Jul 10, 2015, 8:17 am
#2604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,028
My anniversary date is this month and I called in several times and escalated to the manager to request goodwill bonus miles or an AF waiver this week. Nothing. Nada.
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
Jul 10, 2015, 8:29 am
#2605
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
My anniversary date is this month and I called in several times and escalated to the manager to request goodwill bonus miles or an AF waiver this week. Nothing. Nada.
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
Jul 10, 2015, 10:27 am
#2606
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MDT
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 390
My anniversary date is this month and I called in several times and escalated to the manager to request goodwill bonus miles or an AF waiver this week. Nothing. Nada.
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
The manager I spoke to today tried to scare me into keeping the card open by lying about me still being required to pay the AF, even though I haven't hit my anniversary date, and the AF isn't to be charged until 7/31. He said that regardless of whether I downgrade or cancel my account today, that he was still going to charge me the AF. I told him that he was full of excrement, and to cancel my card immediately. Maybe that was hasty, but he pissed me off!
Jul 10, 2015, 1:48 pm
#2607
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
So the changes to the card don't look good, but if someone is looking to get a no foreign transaction fees along with chip and PIN support, is there any other choice? I know the Capital One Venture card seems similar in a lot of ways, but I don't think there's chip and PIN support (though I understand this card prefers chip and signature over chip and PIN)
Jul 10, 2015, 1:52 pm
#2608
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,505
So the changes to the card don't look good, but if someone is looking to get a no foreign transaction fees along with chip and PIN support, is there any other choice? I know the Capital One Venture card seems similar in a lot of ways, but I don't think there's chip and PIN support (though I understand this card prefers chip and signature over chip and PIN)
Otherwise the EMV thread might have more insight:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...signature.html
Jul 10, 2015, 2:31 pm
#2609
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,762
So the changes to the card don't look good, but if someone is looking to get a no foreign transaction fees along with chip and PIN support, is there any other choice? I know the Capital One Venture card seems similar in a lot of ways, but I don't think there's chip and PIN support (though I understand this card prefers chip and signature over chip and PIN)
Jul 10, 2015, 3:32 pm
#2610
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
You are aware Arrival+ is predominantly chip and signature not chip and pin of course. Having said that, we have passed the 01 July 2015 deadline and in theory kiosks are supposed to honor all emv compliant cards with no cvm. Whether this is being enforced or not is a question that is yet to be answered. I do know more and more, sncf machines now honor US cards without requesting a pin as do tfl machines and most unnationalized British rail machines in the UK. So cards such as the BA Travel Rewards with no AF, no ftf are just as good as Arrival as are, at least domestically, Fidelity Amex (2% on everything), BA Cash rewards (as long as you use it domestically), the Citibank double mc (again 3% ftf but for use domestically fine). What has to be determined is just how serious visa, mc are about prohibiting pin only transactions in Europe and elsewhere which would mean chip and pin or chip and signature really no longer have significance (unless you lay awake at night wondering what happens if your card is lost or stolen).
What is tfl machines?
Like I said in our recent RTW trips, we used the PIN function exactly ONCE on each trip. And each transaction was below 20 euro. All other times the Chip and Signature was the defaulted function and worked flawlessly with all our other 0 forex card.
The scare tactic (or ignorance though I doubt it) of the Barclays manager is disgusting.