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 7, 2014, 6:26 pm
#751
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
The 1% is built into the exchange rate used to convert the foreign currency to the USD.
It is NOT separately listed as a different line item like you explained - that is for those cards carry forex fee, such as the 3% of Citi's or the 2.7% of the AMEX cards.
However, the 1% is defined as a Network processing fee, by Visa or MC, and is NOT classified as a forex fee at all.
Yes, I believe Chase absorbs that fee, so as CapOne. However FIA cards dont absorb that. So as the converted Schwab 2x to BofA's 123, also does not absorb that. You will notice the translation is more expensive, largely due to this 1% "network fee".
It is NOT separately listed as a different line item like you explained - that is for those cards carry forex fee, such as the 3% of Citi's or the 2.7% of the AMEX cards.
However, the 1% is defined as a Network processing fee, by Visa or MC, and is NOT classified as a forex fee at all.
Yes, I believe Chase absorbs that fee, so as CapOne. However FIA cards dont absorb that. So as the converted Schwab 2x to BofA's 123, also does not absorb that. You will notice the translation is more expensive, largely due to this 1% "network fee".
There was a lawsuit a few years ago - https://www.ccfsettlement.com/home/ - about how the fees for foreign transactions were hidden by the card networks. To my recollection, that hidden 1% Mastercard fee was required to be clearly published as part of the card's FTF now...
What you should be seeing now is a transaction post in USD based on the published exchange rate used my Mastercard on the settlement (posting) date of the transaction, not the actual purchase date.
So if I bought something for GBP 10 on 1-June-2014 that posted to my account on 3-June-2014, using https://www.mastercard.com/global/cu...ion/index.html I should see: 10/0.595912 = USD $16.78 on my statement.
If you're seeing a difference between the Barclay card and a Visa card, it should be because of a combination of Visa using a different published exchange rate and/or the transaction posting on a different date.
This all supposes you take the transaction in the LOCAL currency. If you instead ask the merchant to process in USD directly, you are subject to a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) fee charged by the merchant's bank, which can easily be 3%+ on top of any other fees. We have an entire thread on DCC: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...er-thread.html
If you're seeing something different from what the Mastercard conversion tool predicts, it would be interesting to see if there is a pattern. Maybe Barclays is bending the rules. (Or they are still passing along that hidden 1%)
What you should be seeing now is a transaction post in USD based on the published exchange rate used my Mastercard on the settlement (posting) date of the transaction, not the actual purchase date.
So if I bought something for GBP 10 on 1-June-2014 that posted to my account on 3-June-2014, using https://www.mastercard.com/global/cu...ion/index.html I should see: 10/0.595912 = USD $16.78 on my statement.
If you're seeing a difference between the Barclay card and a Visa card, it should be because of a combination of Visa using a different published exchange rate and/or the transaction posting on a different date.
This all supposes you take the transaction in the LOCAL currency. If you instead ask the merchant to process in USD directly, you are subject to a Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) fee charged by the merchant's bank, which can easily be 3%+ on top of any other fees. We have an entire thread on DCC: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...er-thread.html
If you're seeing something different from what the Mastercard conversion tool predicts, it would be interesting to see if there is a pattern. Maybe Barclays is bending the rules. (Or they are still passing along that hidden 1%)
Jul 7, 2014, 6:38 pm
#752
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 538
...If you're seeing something different from what the Mastercard conversion tool predicts, it would be interesting to see if there is a pattern. Maybe Barclays is bending the rules. (Or they are still passing along that hidden 1%)
Jul 8, 2014, 8:03 pm
#753
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Wine Country, Finger Lakes
Programs: LFFRS BOD
Posts: 1,355
Jul 9, 2014, 7:06 am
#755
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Jul 9, 2014, 7:11 am
#756
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hilton Diamond, Citi-Prestige,
Posts: 131
Jul 9, 2014, 7:16 am
#757
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 7
Can I get the Arrival+ if I have/had the Arrival?
Hi,
I've tried to look for this on the board but haven't been able to find the answer (though the question has been asked with other questions, just haven't seen a response!).
I'm stilll a newbie to this and made the rookie mistake of applying for the normal Arrival last year because I was wary of annual fees. I've gotten more into things and realized it's ok to cancel cards, etc. so I'm wondering if I can cancel my Arrival (not plus), wait 6 months and then apply for the Arrival+ and get the bonus?
I'm not worried about getting accepted, I'm just wondering if I can get the bonus again (though to be fair I haven't had the + bonus, just the regular one).
Any advice is much appreciated!
I've tried to look for this on the board but haven't been able to find the answer (though the question has been asked with other questions, just haven't seen a response!).
I'm stilll a newbie to this and made the rookie mistake of applying for the normal Arrival last year because I was wary of annual fees. I've gotten more into things and realized it's ok to cancel cards, etc. so I'm wondering if I can cancel my Arrival (not plus), wait 6 months and then apply for the Arrival+ and get the bonus?
I'm not worried about getting accepted, I'm just wondering if I can get the bonus again (though to be fair I haven't had the + bonus, just the regular one).
Any advice is much appreciated!
Jul 9, 2014, 7:53 am
#758
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DFW,OVB (Russia)
Programs: AA HH Gold SPG Gold BA
Posts: 1,823
Hi,
I've tried to look for this on the board but haven't been able to find the answer (though the question has been asked with other questions, just haven't seen a response!).
I'm stilll a newbie to this and made the rookie mistake of applying for the normal Arrival last year because I was wary of annual fees. I've gotten more into things and realized it's ok to cancel cards, etc. so I'm wondering if I can cancel my Arrival (not plus), wait 6 months and then apply for the Arrival+ and get the bonus?
I'm not worried about getting accepted, I'm just wondering if I can get the bonus again (though to be fair I haven't had the + bonus, just the regular one).
Any advice is much appreciated!
I've tried to look for this on the board but haven't been able to find the answer (though the question has been asked with other questions, just haven't seen a response!).
I'm stilll a newbie to this and made the rookie mistake of applying for the normal Arrival last year because I was wary of annual fees. I've gotten more into things and realized it's ok to cancel cards, etc. so I'm wondering if I can cancel my Arrival (not plus), wait 6 months and then apply for the Arrival+ and get the bonus?
I'm not worried about getting accepted, I'm just wondering if I can get the bonus again (though to be fair I haven't had the + bonus, just the regular one).
Any advice is much appreciated!
Hope that helps
Jul 9, 2014, 5:16 pm
#759
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 40
I had this card since Aug 2013, cancelled in March 2014
when is the next time I can churn? I tried looking around but did not find a definite answer.
Some says you can churn while card being open, some says every 6 month to 8 month after card closes, just wondering if anyone with personal experience can step in here?
Thank you all
ps, cheers to my first post and many moreee
when is the next time I can churn? I tried looking around but did not find a definite answer.
Some says you can churn while card being open, some says every 6 month to 8 month after card closes, just wondering if anyone with personal experience can step in here?
Thank you all
ps, cheers to my first post and many moreee
Jul 10, 2014, 12:42 am
#760
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SF
Programs: UA, VX, QF, EY, VA
Posts: 756
Most issuers who don't eat the ISA have a 1% FTF.
We need more data and also to make sure you're comparing the exchange rate to the MC published rate.
It's illegal to "bundle" a FTF without breaking out the fee into a separate line item on the statement.
Jul 10, 2014, 8:20 am
#761
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MDT
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 390
The CSR are sort of right, but the terms clearly state 0%.
Most issuers who don't eat the ISA have a 1% FTF.
We need more data and also to make sure you're comparing the exchange rate to the MC published rate.
It's illegal to "bundle" a FTF without breaking out the fee into a separate line item on the statement.
Most issuers who don't eat the ISA have a 1% FTF.
We need more data and also to make sure you're comparing the exchange rate to the MC published rate.
It's illegal to "bundle" a FTF without breaking out the fee into a separate line item on the statement.
05/03 www.scavi.va Citt del Vat 36.13
05/05 EURO
26.00 X 1.389615384 (EXCHG RATE)
So if there is a 1% in there, Chase eats it. According to xe.com, the rate on 05/05 was 1.38757...
Can anyone post what it looks like for Barclays? I haven't used mine abroad yet. Seems like if Barclays does charge the 1%, then it effectively only earns 1.2% on all purchases. Someone please tell me if I'm dead wrong and way off base here.
Jul 10, 2014, 10:09 am
#762
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 27
So this is how a foreign transaction looked on my CHASE statement:
05/03 www.scavi.va Citt del Vat 36.13
05/05 EURO
26.00 X 1.389615384 (EXCHG RATE)
So if there is a 1% in there, Chase eats it. According to xe.com, the rate on 05/05 was 1.38757...
Can anyone post what it looks like for Barclays? I haven't used mine abroad yet. Seems like if Barclays does charge the 1%, then it effectively only earns 1.2% on all purchases. Someone please tell me if I'm dead wrong and way off base here.
05/03 www.scavi.va Citt del Vat 36.13
05/05 EURO
26.00 X 1.389615384 (EXCHG RATE)
So if there is a 1% in there, Chase eats it. According to xe.com, the rate on 05/05 was 1.38757...
Can anyone post what it looks like for Barclays? I haven't used mine abroad yet. Seems like if Barclays does charge the 1%, then it effectively only earns 1.2% on all purchases. Someone please tell me if I'm dead wrong and way off base here.
(Incidentally, I had no problem using the chip + PIN at a machine at the tube station.)
Jul 10, 2014, 10:57 am
#763
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 538
02/24 02/26 XXXXXXXXXXX ISR $33.52
117.90 [email protected]
02/24 02/26 YYYYYYYYYYYYY ISR $10.24
36.00 [email protected]
I couldn't find an official MC rate for ILS transactions, but the xe.com rates on 2/24 (3.5173574177) and 2/25 (3.5182105261) are close enough. Of course, Barclays seems to be using slightly different rates for every charge, so YMMV a bit from any published rate.
Jul 10, 2014, 11:03 am
#764
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MDT
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 390
I used my Arrival in London this weekend. My online transaction info doesn't specify an exchange rate, but a 36 GBP charge on Jul 5 posted as $61.80 (1.7166666 exchange rate). That matches the rate for Jul 5 that is listed here: http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Poun...sion-page.html
(Incidentally, I had no problem using the chip + PIN at a machine at the tube station.)
(Incidentally, I had no problem using the chip + PIN at a machine at the tube station.)
Here's how two February charges from Israel appeared on the statement:
02/24 02/26 XXXXXXXXXXX ISR $33.52
117.90 [email protected]
02/24 02/26 YYYYYYYYYYYYY ISR $10.24
36.00 [email protected]
I couldn't find an official MC rate for ILS transactions, but the xe.com rates on 2/24 (3.5173574177) and 2/25 (3.5182105261) are close enough. Of course, Barclays seems to be using slightly different rates for every charge, so YMMV a bit from any published rate.
02/24 02/26 XXXXXXXXXXX ISR $33.52
117.90 [email protected]
02/24 02/26 YYYYYYYYYYYYY ISR $10.24
36.00 [email protected]
I couldn't find an official MC rate for ILS transactions, but the xe.com rates on 2/24 (3.5173574177) and 2/25 (3.5182105261) are close enough. Of course, Barclays seems to be using slightly different rates for every charge, so YMMV a bit from any published rate.
Jul 10, 2014, 2:19 pm
#765
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: RDU
Posts: 812
IMO, we don't have enough data to make any conclusions about CRC. The OP referred to "about a dollar difference". If the OP provided the same kind of transactional data as the recent posters are showing, then perhaps we could reach some conclusions.