Last week, the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard has disappeared from the bank’s website, which generated many rumors about the card’s future. Since then, the bank has rebranded itself into Barclays as it’s known in the United Kingdom and launched a new credit card—Barclays Arrival Premier World Elite MasterCard. Let’s take a look at the new card’s details.
Barclays Arrival Premier Card’s Perks
For a new perk, the card has transfer partners! Isn’t it great? Ahem, not so fast. These transfer partners are all international airlines and some present value. However, transfer ratios are not the traditional 1-to-1. In fact, you lose points every time you convert them to partners. So, how exactly can you convert Arrival points?
- Aeroméxico Club Premier: 1.4-1
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue: 1.4-1
- China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles: 1.4-1
- Etihad Guest: 1.4-1
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands: 1.4-1
- Japan Airlines Mileage Bank: 1.7-1
- Jet Airways JetPrivilege: 1.4-1
- Malaysia Airlines Enrich: 1.4-1
- Qantas Frequent Flyer: 1.4-1
First of all, there isn’t a single domestic airline on the list. This is a bit disappointing knowing that Barclays issues American Airlines and JetBlue co-branded credit cards. In fact, only a few of these programs are actually useful to travelers like you and me. I don’t know anyone who avidly collects Enrich miles or JetPrivilege miles. (If you do, please comment below. I want to know who you are!)
Second of all, these transfer rates leave a lot to be desired. What’s the point of earning double points on every purchase if you lose a good chunk of them in the redemption process anyway?
List of Other Benefits
- 2X points on all purchases
- $100 redemption minimum
- $100 Global Entry application fee credit every five years
- Lounge Key membership (discounted price of $27 per visit)
- 15,000 bonus points after spending $15,000, plus another 10,000 bonus points after spending an additional $10,000 on the card annually
- no foreign transaction fees
- no sign-up bonus
- chip + PIN technology
- $150 annual fee (not waived for the first year)
OK, so there’s a potential to earn triple points per dollar on every purchase by spending at least $15,000 on the card, but that’s a lot of spend to put on this particular credit card if you ask me, especially in light of the lousy partner transfer ratios. Let’s pretend you spend $15,000 on the card and earn 45,000 points. You then transfer your points to a travel partner with the 1.4-to-1 transfer ratio. In the end, instead of earning triple miles, you earn more like 2.14 miles per dollar spent, and that is if you spend exactly $15,000 to maximize your return.
As with the Arrival Plus version, you can still redeem points earned with the Barclays Arrival Premier card toward travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per point. However, the restrictive $100 redemption minimum is still in place, and there’s no 5 percent rebate on your redeemed points.
Because so many other better credit cards offer the Global Entry enrollment credit, the benefit seems wasted on the Arrival card, and so does having to pay for lounge membership that’s “included” with the card.
In Conclusion
To be honest, I’m confused. Seems like Barclays swung and missed with this new product. The card has erased a sign-up bonus, eliminated the rebate on redeemed points and increased an annual fee without offering a waiver for the first year. Also, the transfer rates to partners hurt my brain, so what’s the draw? The benefits just aren’t unique enough, and I honestly don’t know a type of a consumer who would find value in holding this particular credit card. Barclays, pardon my candor, but adding “Premier” to the card’s name doesn’t make it a premier option.
Are you as disappointed with the new Barclays credit card as I am? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
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