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
Sep 2, 2014, 8:56 pm
#1021
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 632
In case anyone was curious about this, you cannot transfer Arrival points between accounts. Just found this out when I asked.
Sep 3, 2014, 10:12 am
#1022
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
I received a snail mail notification yesterday that my Arrival + (had it since January 2014) was being upgraded to the World Elite.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
Sep 3, 2014, 3:43 pm
#1023
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BAY AREA
Posts: 1,125
How's your usage with the card. Do you use it a lot or just here and there
I received a snail mail notification yesterday that my Arrival + (had it since January 2014) was being upgraded to the World Elite.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
Sep 3, 2014, 3:51 pm
#1024
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
FYI: anyone looking to add this to SERVE and getting errors
1) you need to use a SINGLE LINE for your address in both SERVE & Barclay profile
2) Barclay profile updates at midnight regardless of what it shows online
I changed my address yesterday and then waited 24 hours and today I was finally able to add the barclay card. been using the chase card for 18 months
1) you need to use a SINGLE LINE for your address in both SERVE & Barclay profile
2) Barclay profile updates at midnight regardless of what it shows online
I changed my address yesterday and then waited 24 hours and today I was finally able to add the barclay card. been using the chase card for 18 months
Sep 3, 2014, 4:18 pm
#1025
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449
Sep 3, 2014, 4:58 pm
#1026
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
I received a snail mail notification yesterday that my Arrival + (had it since January 2014) was being upgraded to the World Elite.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
Though, Citi's new 2% card with no AF has me intrigued, especially now that Amex is no longer on the Barclay portal or any portal for that matter.
Sep 3, 2014, 5:46 pm
#1027
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
How's your usage with the card. Do you use it a lot or just here and there
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashap
I received a snail mail notification yesterday that my Arrival + (had it since January 2014) was being upgraded to the World Elite.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashap
I received a snail mail notification yesterday that my Arrival + (had it since January 2014) was being upgraded to the World Elite.
I didn't call in or ask about the upgraded card at all because I have other world elite mastercards, but hopefully some others who were waiting for the upgrade will also get the notification.
Sep 4, 2014, 1:45 pm
#1028
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BAY AREA
Posts: 1,125
Barclays Arrival/Arrival+ Cards (1.1%/2.2% travel credits)
just got an email stating that my account got upgraded to the elite. I guess they are starting to convert people.
Sep 5, 2014, 12:53 am
#1030
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
man, I had it GREAT in Rhode Island.. all the Stop & Shops in Cranston & Warwick DID NOT CARE that I would purchase with CC
I would grab as many RIs and Pay Powers as my heart desired ($1500 max or else they would write me up)
mixed this in with AGCs and straight MS, I was running 30k a month on the arrival and couldn't do more because of the CL hold up.
now I'm in the bay area.. my god Safeways are IMPOSSIBLE to get someone to sell you something.
I am like 1/20 on paypower and 2/20 on RIs
I would grab as many RIs and Pay Powers as my heart desired ($1500 max or else they would write me up)
mixed this in with AGCs and straight MS, I was running 30k a month on the arrival and couldn't do more because of the CL hold up.
now I'm in the bay area.. my god Safeways are IMPOSSIBLE to get someone to sell you something.
I am like 1/20 on paypower and 2/20 on RIs
Sep 5, 2014, 1:56 pm
#1031
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
man, I had it GREAT in Rhode Island.. all the Stop & Shops in Cranston & Warwick DID NOT CARE that I would purchase with CC
I would grab as many RIs and Pay Powers as my heart desired ($1500 max or else they would write me up)
mixed this in with AGCs and straight MS, I was running 30k a month on the arrival and couldn't do more because of the CL hold up.
now I'm in the bay area.. my god Safeways are IMPOSSIBLE to get someone to sell you something.
I am like 1/20 on paypower and 2/20 on RIs
I would grab as many RIs and Pay Powers as my heart desired ($1500 max or else they would write me up)
mixed this in with AGCs and straight MS, I was running 30k a month on the arrival and couldn't do more because of the CL hold up.
now I'm in the bay area.. my god Safeways are IMPOSSIBLE to get someone to sell you something.
I am like 1/20 on paypower and 2/20 on RIs
Sep 5, 2014, 4:14 pm
#1032
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 817
How many recent inquiries is too many for the Barclay+? I got turned down for that reason a while back. (I'd just gotten a CSP, MP, and had a couple hard pulls for credit limit raises)
Sep 6, 2014, 8:00 am
#1033
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA, UA, DL, UR, IHG platnium, AirAsia
Posts: 323
Wonder if Air Asia flight purchases will code as "travel" when I travel to Southeast Asia this winter, since it's a non-U.S. based business obviously..
Sep 6, 2014, 9:54 am
#1035
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Programs: All of em...
Posts: 1,265
This is my favorite use of Arrival miles. Makes award flights actually "free" assuming you used fee-free MS (AP, Serve) or normal purchases to get your points!