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Years ago, I signed up for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard, earned the signup bonus and used the rewards, then cancelled the card. It wasn’t that I didn’t find the card and its benefits valuable; it was that I was constantly focusing on signup bonuses instead of ongoing rewards at the time.
Fortunately, I was able to do it all again last year. Since it had been around 24 months, both my husband and I were approved for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard again. And yes, we were both able to score the signup bonus a second time. But this time, I’m keeping my husband’s card and paying the annual fee.
I didn’t really plan it this way, but there are several reasons this card continues to be valuable to me. Here’s why I’m paying the $89 annual fee this month:
#1: You can still use MasterCard to pay a mortgage with Plastiq.com.
One of the biggest reasons I’m keeping our Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard another year is the fact that you can still use MasterCard to pay your mortgage through Plastiq.com. You normally have to pay a 2.5 percent fee to do so, but I still have tens of thousands of “fee-free dollars” that makes using the service free for me. We are getting ready to pay off the remainder of our mortgage and I am going to funnel our mortgage payments through Plastiq.com to earn 2 percent back. I have been doing this for the past year, but now I’m on the home stretch.
#2: Earning a flat 2 percent back toward travel isn’t bad.
Obviously, earning a flat 2 percent back toward travel is nothing to sneeze at. While I do pay my mortgage through Plastiq.com with this card to earn 2 percent back, I also use the card for some regular purchases when I can’t get a higher rate of return. Since my other favorite credit card, my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, only offers 1 point per $1 back on everything other than travel and dining, I tend to use my Barclaycard at the grocery store or for random purchases.
#3: Flexible travel credit is easier for me to spend than some other travel currencies.
One thing I really like about flexible travel credit is the fact I don’t stress so much over how it’s spent. With my other favorite rewards currency – Chase Ultimate Rewards – I have lost sleep over the best redemption options, where to transfer points, and whether I should just pay cash. But since Barclaycard miles are worth one cent each for travel and you can’t transfer them to loyalty partners, justifying their use is easy for me. Most of the time, I redeem Barclaycard miles for rental condos, train fare, and hotels.
#4: This card is chip and pin and comes with no foreign transaction fees.
The fact there are no foreign transaction fees makes this card a winner no matter where you use it, even abroad. I like having several different cards to use when I travel international so I always have a backup card if something goes wrong. I typically use this card and my Chase Sapphire Reserve card when we’re out of the country.
#5: There’s no limit to the rewards you can earn, and no rotating categories to keep track of.
While I love cards that dole out 5x points in rotating categories like the Chase Freedom, it’s nice not having to keep track of which category is in force and whether I’ve reached my limit. I really do like the simplicity of the Barclaycard, and that’s yet another reason we’re keeping my husband’s card for good (I’m an authorized user).
Do you use the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard regularly? Why or why not?
Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson is a financial expert and award-winning writer whose obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel plays a central role in her work. In addition to serving as Contributing Editor for The Simple Dollar, Holly writes for inspiring...
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Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
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- Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first 3 months.†
- Earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus miles after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in the calendar year.
- Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding and enjoy 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas.‡
- Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access.‡
- Terms and limitations apply
- See Rates & Fees
Breakdown
Earn (pt.)
Spend
3 months
0
$3,000
Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases
2.00
$1
All Purchases
1.00
$1
Already have this card? Track it and maximize your rewards.
Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
| FTG Review | Reward Breakdown | Points Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
Breakdown
Earn (pt.)
Spend
3 months
0
$3,000
Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases
2.00
$1
All Purchases
1.00
$1
|
||
|
Already have this card? Maximize your rewards.
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