Barclay US Airways Card Becoming AAdvantage Mastercard
 

I just received an e-mail from Barclay stating that the Barclay US Airways Mastercard will become an AAdvantage Mastercard, issued by Barclaycard, after the merger is completed for the frequent flyer programs.

Is Citibank going to continue to issue AAdvantage credit cards? Will this mean that there will soon be two AAdvantage credit cards competing (which is probably good for the consumer)?

I find this very interesting, but it should end the speculation that Barclay will switch people to the Arrival Mastercard.

Interesting, since aa didn't even merge ff program with us yet

Got that too. Also says you get a free bag for up to 4 people. Nice benefit but I'll be canceling before they switch my card over.

Interesting... Would you mind sharing the E-mail?

I was just hit with my annual fee and it was only $22 (rather than $89). I'm wondering if this has anything to do with timing of the changeover...

I'm also wondering if I should try to make the $25K spending goal in order to get 10K EQMs. If they change the rules once I get to $24,999 that would really stink.

I received the same email... and upon doing a little bit of research, discovered (and wrote about it):

I am keeping my card... and maybe applying for another ;)

I wonder if the 10,000 dividend miles I get each year for having the card will carry over.

Unless I'm missing something, this isn't news...

Oh, come on ... What in the world would make you think that they would suddenly and unilaterally cancel out on a published promise with a future date?

Oh, wait a minute ... :rolleyes:

Seriously, I have been funneling money through that card like a crazy person precisely because I have long suspected that US/AA planned to bring the hammer down once the merger was in effect and there was nowhere left for us rats to flee to .... Some days I thought I was being paranoid. Today I don't think I have been doing this fast enough.

Well the good news is that the first checked bag is now free with the card.

But I suspect you're right: some other benefit has got to go in exchange. Maybe it'll be the EQMs. Maybe something else...

My 10,000 annual dividend miles posted on 04/06/14. I received the e-mail regarding the free checked bag benefit today on 04/09. I am hoping that the 10,000 annual miles benefit remains when the card is re-branded into a Aadvantage card.

In essence, there are going to be two AAdvantage credit cards for a while.

My advice would be to keep your Barclays MC, apply for the new AAdvantage one, and apply for the Citi one too. It remains to be seen if you can double up on signup bonuses for both Barclay and Citi.

I don't believe Barclay's will be able to issue new AAdvantage cards, only to convert existing US cards to AA branding. My belief is based on this statement by Citibank:

http://www.citigroup.com/citi/invest...a/p140212a.pdf

Citi is still the exclusive "issuier". Barclays isn't technically "issuing" any new customers with cards, they're just rebranding the existing DM cards with AA ones. Although I'm curious about a couple things.

a) when is this actually taking place?

b) Will the Barclays benefits for DM will now apply to AA (once they are rebranded)? For example the 10K PQM after spending $25K, or the $99 companion certs, or the day pass for the club.

Given all the speculation on this site in general, I'm surprised there aren't any "theories" or rumors floating out there.

Here's my speculation: The new perk of first bag free has to come at a cost of some other benefit(s). The $99 companion cert is going away...

What say you internet?

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

What benefits are being offered on the card's current application page?