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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Regarding official company representatives
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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 10, 2015, 11:24 pm
#2626
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,762
I can't tell you that as of yet. Probably not universally true but visa has assured people they will more vigorously enforce their regs regarding the blanket rejection on non pin equipped emv cards. Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath that this will be universally enforced although I have noticed that in many places where heretofore pins were absolutely required, more and more transactions seem to be going through with no cvm's.
Jul 10, 2015, 11:52 pm
#2627
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
That's the thing though--even if Visa never made that rule change there are low/no-cost cards other than the Arrival+ that would have served the same purpose, if all you care about is having a PIN for kiosk use. (There aren't really any solutions that take care of the other C&S pain points, unless you count using Apple Pay.)
Jul 11, 2015, 6:01 am
#2628
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,762
Until we clarify just how effective these new visa, mc, amex regs are and just how vigorously they will be enforced, it is probably wise to have a back up card available which has pin capabilities if not the UNFCU card which is pin preferred just in case even if means taking a small hit either with a ftf if used outside the country or a losss of rewards. Life is so unfair sometimes.
Jul 11, 2015, 8:34 am
#2629
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 540
Just called to cancel my Arrival+ since the annual fee hits on July 31. Was told by the rep to wait until July 14 or 15 for the "new, free version of the Arrival card". But a free version has existed for a while.
Are they just jerking me around to increase their "called to cancel, but were convinced otherwise" rate? Is there a new free version coming in a week that anyone is aware of? I did ask what new features were coming, but they couldn't tell me anything, other than "You'll like it".
I was going to call back and see if CSR Roulette gives me a different story, but I wanted to check here first (searched the thread and read back a few pages, but didn't see anything about it). I can wait a few days, but if the rep did lie to me, is there an official place to complain?
Are they just jerking me around to increase their "called to cancel, but were convinced otherwise" rate? Is there a new free version coming in a week that anyone is aware of? I did ask what new features were coming, but they couldn't tell me anything, other than "You'll like it".
I was going to call back and see if CSR Roulette gives me a different story, but I wanted to check here first (searched the thread and read back a few pages, but didn't see anything about it). I can wait a few days, but if the rep did lie to me, is there an official place to complain?
Jul 11, 2015, 8:48 am
#2630
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
I had the same experience. Called to cancel and they told me the new regular arrival will have new benefits and I should wait until end of next week to downgrade to that one. Right now they cannoy downgrade anyone to arrival... No retention offers at all. Ispent 65k last year...
Jul 11, 2015, 2:34 pm
#2631
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 427
There is an official place to complain. I'm going to complain about the manager lying to me about having to pay the annual fee even if I cancel or downgrade before my anniversary. I cancelled but I am still a Barclaycard customer (I have the Sallie Mae card) so maybe they will listen.
https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/ccsite/help/complaintDynamic.jsp
https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/ccsite/help/complaintDynamic.jsp
Jul 11, 2015, 4:37 pm
#2632
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
Can I add an authorized user to my arrival plus who is a foreigner (no SSN, etc)?
Jul 11, 2015, 11:10 pm
#2633
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Here and there.
Programs: Brooks Beta Runner
Posts: 116
I had the same experience. Called to cancel and they told me the new regular arrival will have new benefits and I should wait until end of next week to downgrade to that one. Right now they cannoy downgrade anyone to arrival... No retention offers at all. Ispent 65k last year...
Jul 12, 2015, 6:07 am
#2634
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,112
I added a relative as an authorized user on a different Barclay card when I called in to solve a different issue. All I needed was the name and the address. If they ask for a social, say that you don't currently have it on you.
Jul 12, 2015, 12:45 pm
#2635
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 197
It will be interesting to see what if anything does come out July 14/15 from Barclays. I was going to downgrade or cancel this week as AF is also coming due and I'm not going to stick with the negative changes on the Arrival+ that have been shared by the many blogs and threads. With what you posted may be worth waiting until Tuesday/Wednesday to make the call.
I do wonder if the 'you'll like it' comment from the CSR is the positive spin they are trying to put on the changes rather than anything else but with only a few days to find out (based on the date they gave you), it won't be long until we are all aware of any positive changes or just call BS. Either way gives enough time to cancel before AF comes due.
Let us know if you hear something before the rest of us
Thanks for sharing
I do wonder if the 'you'll like it' comment from the CSR is the positive spin they are trying to put on the changes rather than anything else but with only a few days to find out (based on the date they gave you), it won't be long until we are all aware of any positive changes or just call BS. Either way gives enough time to cancel before AF comes due.
Let us know if you hear something before the rest of us
Thanks for sharing
Just called to cancel my Arrival+ since the annual fee hits on July 31. Was told by the rep to wait until July 14 or 15 for the "new, free version of the Arrival card". But a free version has existed for a while.
Are they just jerking me around to increase their "called to cancel, but were convinced otherwise" rate? Is there a new free version coming in a week that anyone is aware of? I did ask what new features were coming, but they couldn't tell me anything, other than "You'll like it".
I was going to call back and see if CSR Roulette gives me a different story, but I wanted to check here first (searched the thread and read back a few pages, but didn't see anything about it). I can wait a few days, but if the rep did lie to me, is there an official place to complain?
Are they just jerking me around to increase their "called to cancel, but were convinced otherwise" rate? Is there a new free version coming in a week that anyone is aware of? I did ask what new features were coming, but they couldn't tell me anything, other than "You'll like it".
I was going to call back and see if CSR Roulette gives me a different story, but I wanted to check here first (searched the thread and read back a few pages, but didn't see anything about it). I can wait a few days, but if the rep did lie to me, is there an official place to complain?
Jul 12, 2015, 12:58 pm
#2636
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Maybe they're going to combine both Arrival cards and make the AF $0? Not sure what else they could do that would be considered "positive".
Jul 12, 2015, 1:20 pm
#2637
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 96
Was so close to getting Arrival+.. glad I waited out and did not get it.
Jul 13, 2015, 12:20 pm
#2639
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Agreed that the $400 bonus still makes it worthwhile, but no, you wouldn't have the "good" rules for a year. The changes go into effect for existing cardholders in November.
Jul 13, 2015, 1:24 pm
#2640
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: Whoever Has the Best Bonus
Posts: 5,183
Thanks for the discussion. I already have two Visa (Marriott and Southwest) which have chips with no forex fee, but neither of them support PIN at all. Depending on who and where you read having chip and PIN priority is a big deal, or at least having chip and PIN as an option is a big deal.
I will be doing some considerable traveling in the next year so the no forex fee will make a difference. The $400 sign up bonus seemed good (especially with no annual fee) but after I'm hearing all of the bad customer service and the possible limitations of redemption, I'm thinking my best choice is to
1) join American Consumer Council (free)
2) join State Department Federal Credit Union (also free, but looks like I have to at least open a 'regular share savings account' (which has no minimum) but it looks like this would require its own credit inquiry
3) get the SDFCU EMV card (which is chip and PIN priority)
I know this is going off topic now. The part that I'm not sure about is if step 2 is required -- when I jumped straight to step 3, it didnt ask me for a member number from #2 or #1. But dont want to randomly apply, take the credit hit and then get rejected..
Decisions, decisions. Guess want no forex and chip and PIN for no fee. Maybe the new Arrival "free" card will be worth it, and I can use my 'primary' cards above (which are chip and signature).. and if they fail, I can use it as my backup chip and PIN card.
I will be doing some considerable traveling in the next year so the no forex fee will make a difference. The $400 sign up bonus seemed good (especially with no annual fee) but after I'm hearing all of the bad customer service and the possible limitations of redemption, I'm thinking my best choice is to
1) join American Consumer Council (free)
2) join State Department Federal Credit Union (also free, but looks like I have to at least open a 'regular share savings account' (which has no minimum) but it looks like this would require its own credit inquiry
3) get the SDFCU EMV card (which is chip and PIN priority)
I know this is going off topic now. The part that I'm not sure about is if step 2 is required -- when I jumped straight to step 3, it didnt ask me for a member number from #2 or #1. But dont want to randomly apply, take the credit hit and then get rejected..
Decisions, decisions. Guess want no forex and chip and PIN for no fee. Maybe the new Arrival "free" card will be worth it, and I can use my 'primary' cards above (which are chip and signature).. and if they fail, I can use it as my backup chip and PIN card.