ReviewsBarclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard Review: Flexible Travel Rewards for a Low Annual Fee
Card ReviewBarclaycard Arrival® Plus
The Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard earns rewards at a high rate and offers flexible redemption options, including gift cards, cash back and travel credits. It’s a smart choice if you’re not attached to a specific airline or hotel chain and travel often. You can certainly get more value from a brand-specific travel credit card, but if you value flexibility and a reasonable annual fee, the Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard is a great option.
Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard Quick Review
Here’s a look at the Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard:
Annual Fee:$0 the first year, then $89
APR: See Terms
Sign-Up Bonus: 70,000 miles
Benefits:
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase
- Redeem rewards for travel statement credits, cash back or gift cards
- No blackout dates or travel restrictions
- No foreign transaction fees
- Get 5% of your miles back every time you redeem
- 24/7 travel concierge service
Other Fees:
- Balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater
- Cash advance fee of $10 or 5%, whichever is greater
- Up to $37 late payment fee
- Up to $37 returned payment fee
Why Apply for the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard
Here are a few reasons to consider the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard:
You rack up rewards quickly
The Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard offers an impressive 2X miles per dollar on all purchases, with no limit on how much you can earn. Few travel rewards credit cards match this standard rewards-earning rate. If that isn’t enough, you can earn an additional 70,000 miles—enough for a $700 travel statement credit—if you spend $5,000 or more within the first three months of having the card.
Redemption options are flexible
You can redeem your Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard miles for statement credits or gift cards to popular retailers. The most popular redemption option, though, is a travel statement credit. You can book travel with any company on any date, then simply request a statement credit for those charges on your next credit card bill.
Balance transfers get an intro 0% APR
If you transfer a balance to the Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard within 45 days of opening your account, you’ll enjoy an introductory APR of See Terms. This helps to pay down credit card debt, but note that the introductory 0% APR does not apply to new purchases.
Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard: Drawbacks and Downsides
There’s a lot to love about the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard, but also a few downsides to be aware of before you sign up:
The card doesn’t offer special travel perks
The Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard offers flexible rewards redemptions because it’s not affiliated with any specific airline or hotel chain. That also means that it doesn’t offer any special perks you’d get from being loyal to one brand, like priority boarding or airport lounge access. In theory, you can use your Barclaycard Arrival® Plus miles to cover such costs, but if you typically travel on a single airline or stay at a single hotel chain, you may get a better value from that brand’s credit card.
You’ll have to pay for travel insurance separately
The Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard doesn’t offer travel accident or rental car coverage, which many travel rewards credit cards offer. If you want these services, you’ll have to purchase them separately.
Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite MastercardAlternatives
If the Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard isn’t a good fit for you, one of these cards may be.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you value the flexibility of the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard and want additional protections, like trip cancellation or rental car coverage. The card has an annual fee of $95, and offers 2X miles on all dining and travel purchases, along with 1X miles on everything else.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred lets you transfer points on a 1:1 basis to dozens of travel partners; those offer even more valuable redemptions. Even if partners don’t have award availability, you’ll still get 25% more value if you redeem points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. There are no blackout dates or travel restrictions, either, and no foreign transaction fees. For a small fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred packs a ton of valuable features.
Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card offers many of the same features as the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard, but just with a lower rewards-earning rate. Instead of 2X miles per dollar, you’ll earn 1.5X miles per dollar on the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card. The tradeoff is that you won’t have to pay an annual fee.
Bank of America customers also get more value, as they earn a 10% miles bonus on every purchase. Preferred cardholders—customers with an average balance of $20,000 or more in their Bank of America accounts—see that bonus increase to 25%. And customers with at least $100,000 in their accounts get a whopping 75% bonus. Those bonus factors pile up quickly. Of course, they assume you already have a good amount of cash stashed at the bank.
Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard.
Do Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard miles expire?
No, your Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard miles will not expire as long as you keep your account active and in good standing. This means you need to use the card periodically and make at least the minimum payment every month.
How much are Barclay Arrival® World Elite Mastercard miles worth?
When you earn 10,000 Barclaycard Arrival® miles, you’re eligible for a $100 travel or cash back statement credit. This means each mile is worth $0.01.
How do I redeem my Barclaycard Arrival® World Elite Mastercard miles?
When you’re ready to redeem simply log in to your Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard account. There, you’ll have to choose between cash back or gift cards. If you want to redeem miles for a statement credit, you can select items for redemption in your next credit card bill.
Bottom Line: Should You Apply for the Barclay Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard?
The Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard offers an above-average rewards-earning rate and the ability to avoid being tied to a single airline or hotel chain. While it’s missing perks you’ll find on other travel rewards cards, the card’s low annual fee, solid earning rate, and flexible redemptions make Barclaycard Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard a lucrative card to add to your wallet.
