Jul 20, 2015, 8:00 am
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
See also, this thread in the US Airways forum:
New AAdvantage Aviator Silver and Red Cards from BarclayCard (US targeted)
Differences between Red and Silver card
Any Aviator cardholders always had the option to upgrade to Silver. You just had to call Barclaycard and pay the $195 annual fee. Beyond that, there's nothing "exclusive" about it.
In short, it depends on if the extra $100/year annual fee the silver card has over the red is justified by the following benefits the silver card has over the red:
5000 EQM after $20k annual spend
Companion certificate after $30k annual spend
Another 5000 EQM after $40k annual spend
3 miles per dollar charged on AA purchases
Global entry reimbursement
Above copied from patmcpsu's post.
New AAdvantage Aviator Silver and Red Cards from BarclayCard (US targeted)
Differences between Red and Silver card
Any Aviator cardholders always had the option to upgrade to Silver. You just had to call Barclaycard and pay the $195 annual fee. Beyond that, there's nothing "exclusive" about it.
In short, it depends on if the extra $100/year annual fee the silver card has over the red is justified by the following benefits the silver card has over the red:
5000 EQM after $20k annual spend
Companion certificate after $30k annual spend
Another 5000 EQM after $40k annual spend
3 miles per dollar charged on AA purchases
Global entry reimbursement
Above copied from patmcpsu's post.
Any success upgrading Barclays AA Aviator Red MC to AA Aviator Silver World Elite MC?
Apr 8, 2015, 7:32 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: Aadvantage
Posts: 74
as far as spending towards EQM, a CS told me when I asked about that earlier that the spend does carry over.
That line about federal regulations seems to be along the lines of :
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Cred...s/td-p/1192727
But he might mean more generally that because of concern for this type of thing, the policy at Barclays is to disallow changes until the merger is complete and all cards have been transitioned, to avoid any missteps in the regulations from the CARD act.
That line about federal regulations seems to be along the lines of :
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Cred...s/td-p/1192727
But he might mean more generally that because of concern for this type of thing, the policy at Barclays is to disallow changes until the merger is complete and all cards have been transitioned, to avoid any missteps in the regulations from the CARD act.
Last edited by Scsweet; Apr 8, 2015 at 7:49 pm
Apr 9, 2015, 8:37 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MIA LAX GIG, AA CK
Posts: 211
IIRC when I upgraded my Citibank AAdvantage Mastercard to the Citibank AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, I had to wait 90 days from the date I asked for the upgrade. They said at the time it had to do with the Dodd-Frank act and that I could change my mind within the 90 days. So I basically agreed to the upgrade and had a 90 day period in which I could change my mind and after the 90 days passed I received the new card. I hope it is not the same thing. That might explain why the first people offered the Silver card back in November had until December to except as after that date would start the 90 day probation period. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I as well don't want to waste spend on the Red card at $30k to qualify and then find out I will have to spend another $40k to get the 10k EQM. Although it will only have to be done once to step up from Red to Silver it would be a waste of spend that I could apply to another card.
I as well don't want to waste spend on the Red card at $30k to qualify and then find out I will have to spend another $40k to get the 10k EQM. Although it will only have to be done once to step up from Red to Silver it would be a waste of spend that I could apply to another card.
Apr 13, 2015, 9:08 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MIA LAX GIG, AA CK
Posts: 211
Called in today to inquire about upgrading from Red to Silver and was told that it will be available July 1 after the merger goes through and to check back then. I believe the merger for Barclays is the conversion of all current US Airways Mastercards to the AA Aviators Card since AA & US have merged the mileage programs already and have already received the "single operating certificate" from the FAA. Maybe Barclays wants to get everyone on its Aviators Platform before going forward.
Apr 13, 2015, 9:48 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LHR
Programs: AA
Posts: 773
Called in today to inquire about upgrading from Red to Silver and was told that it will be available July 1 after the merger goes through and to check back then. I believe the merger for Barclays is the conversion of all current US Airways Mastercards to the AA Aviators Card since AA & US have merged the mileage programs already and have already received the "single operating certificate" from the FAA. Maybe Barclays wants to get everyone on its Aviators Platform before going forward.
Apr 13, 2015, 10:27 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,590
Based on the conversation, I don't think the CS agent I spoke with really knew what she was talking about so hopefully she was incorrect when she stated that YTD spend will not apply toward EQM spend qualification upon upgrade from red to silver.
Apr 14, 2015, 12:45 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Ritz-Carlton Gold, Hyatt Plat, AAdvantage Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 135
Apr 23, 2015, 9:41 am
#25
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
I called a few days ago and they told me upgrades could be requested beginning June 1st. They also said that previous spending would NOT carry over for EQM purposes. I told her I would call back at midnight on June 1st...
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
Apr 23, 2015, 1:02 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LHR
Programs: AA
Posts: 773
I called a few days ago and they told me upgrades could be requested beginning June 1st. They also said that previous spending would NOT carry over for EQM purposes. I told her I would call back at midnight on June 1st...
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
Apr 27, 2015, 12:40 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,569
I called a few days ago and they told me upgrades could be requested beginning June 1st. They also said that previous spending would NOT carry over for EQM purposes. I told her I would call back at midnight on June 1st...
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
Apr 27, 2015, 12:49 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New York
Programs: DL PLT, Hilton Diamond, CX MPC Silver
Posts: 265
Jun 1, 2015, 11:29 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
I called a few days ago and they told me upgrades could be requested beginning June 1st. They also said that previous spending would NOT carry over for EQM purposes. I told her I would call back at midnight on June 1st...
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
While it is disappointing that I lost 5 months of spending towards EQM, I'd rather pay their annual fee to get the benefit rather than paying Citi's price. I really don't want be "forced" into buying the club pass through Citi's card if I don't have to. I wouldn't use it often enough to be worthwhile. Plus I kind of saw this coming so I got them to waive my annual fee (which was due at the end of February) because I didn't want to pay for the card if I couldn't be guaranteed an upgrade to Silver.
When pressed for more details like how many days, weeks, months, years, is the "future", I was told to call back in a month. I asked if other accounts had recently become available for upgrades and if mine didn't make the cut. They had no response except for their 3 go to phrases above.
I was hoping to see if anyone else has had success upgrading recently. I've been waiting 6 months for the chance to upgrade and am starting to feel at this point they are just stringing me along with no intent to ever actually offer an upgrade. I will probably cut my losses and switch to Citi within the next month if nothing changes. Maybe I should call back in a few days to tell them I'm cancelling the card and hope the retention agent can do something or at least provide some new fake dates to keep my hopes up.
Jun 2, 2015, 8:06 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DCA
Posts: 121
I would also try sending them a SM to get something in writing.
When you called did you get a US based representative?
