Every once in a while, a credit card bonus has the potential to excite travelers, offering an opportunity to earn enough points to make the application and minimum spend worthwhile. When that offer comes through a bank that is not among the biggest three, it makes the value proposition that much stronger.
Earlier this month, the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World MasterCard increased their new account sign up bonus to 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. I have always been a fan of this card for the flexibility in using the points towards travel expenses, as well as the ancillary benefits that offers a new level of convenience. With $500 worth of travel, now may be one of the most opportune times to add this card to your regular rotation of points earning cards.
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Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard®
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$0 first year
$89 after first year |
50,000 bonus miles When you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days Read Review » |
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For those who are not familiar with the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World MasterCard, or do not know all the benefits, there are some great reasons to get excited about the increased sign up bonus. Here are three reasons to consider signing up for this flexible points earning card.
Points towards many travel-related experiences: Although I have always been a proponent of using flexible points towards travel experiences, one of my frustrations is their limited use in the travel sphere. Although I can either use the points through their booking engine or transfer to other programs, the points are often only redeemable towards airfare or hotels, with very few options in between.
With the Arrival Plus card, travelers can use their points effectively as cash back towards qualifying travel expenses spent on the card. Qualifying expenses are not limited to airfare and hotels – instead, travelers can use their points towards many categories, including ground transportation expenses. For the traveler who wants flexibility in how their points are used, the Arrival Plus may offer a lot of value at every step of the process.
Exclusive World MasterCard Benefits: It is easy to tout the benefits of a card alone. However, many travelers do not realize that their benefits may extend beyond those offered by the bank and into the realm of the card network.
As a World MasterCard, the Arrival Plus offers extended benefits to travelers no matter where they are in the world. Those who are having difficulty navigating a new airport can arrange for a concierge to meet them at their terminal and help them navigate the travel process at over 450 airports worldwide. In addition, those who want to drive around the world can take advantage of upgrades, discounts and even travel insurance for their rented cars. Through the extended benefits of World MasterCard, travelers have access to the world with one phone call.
Full chip-and-pin usability around the world: Finally, accessibility to cash and credit lines around the world can make the difference between a good trip and a great trip. While most cards offer EMV chips embedded inside, only a select few offer chip-and-pin access around the world.
The Arrival Plus card is one of the few that offers true chip-and-pin access around the world, which has become the international standard. Through this, no matter where travelers go or where they try to use their card – from a kiosk to a point-of-sale system – their cards will be accepted and ready around the world.
While points alone are a good reason to get excited about a card, it is the complete benefits as a whole that differentiate a good card from a great card. Because of all the points and benefits available, the Arrival Plus World Mastercard may be the new card every traveler may want to consider adding to their application carousel.
[Image via Getty]