Barclay Arrival +

[rlx01]

This card makes a lot of sense when you have a lot of international spend that doesn't get bonus points elsewhere.

This card basically pays for all my Uber trips. Which is my main transportation method.

And just to reiterate: no one should be applying for the no AF version. You're leaving around $240 on the table.

[heyitsyeh]

I did some research before applying for my Arrival+ World Elite, with a plan ahead yet to execute. Hope this is helpful.

1. Needed a travel card with no-AF to round out my portfolio of rewards cards

- Cap1 VentureOne and Chase CS (the non-AF versions of their bigger brother travel cards) did have FTF, whereas vanilla Arrival still did not. This was the primary reason why I chose Barclaycard.

-Quicksilver, while a straight 1.5% card with no-FTF, didn't differentiate itself enough from my Fidelity Amex to justify applying for. Arrival had 2.2% in travel and dining purchases along with the no-FTF (I was keeping the non-AF in mind since that was the endgame). I also weighed the possibility that having two cards from the same lender (Arrival and Sallie Mae) would strengthen my relationship with a prime lender more quickly, not to mention the convenience of using the same website/app.

2. Wanted to get 40k point sign-up bonus with the end-game being not to pay the AF

-Since the Arrival+ has a much higher sign-up bonus, I applied for that in April.

-Although I can downgrade at any time before April 2015, I'm not in a hurry because having 2.2% CB in everything is awesome, and my poor Fidelity Amex has been sitting in the backburner as a result.

-In the end I will have a 2.2% card in dining spend but more importantly a non-FTF travel card when the time arises (I only travel overseas on average once every two years). Redemption would therefore be infrequent but would probably pay for domestic flights which I do more often.

3. World Elite is a nice-to-have, but I'll probably never use it.

-Only Arrival+ applicants can get WEMC right off the bat. However, if PC-ed down to the no-AF version later, the WEMC stays.

[lg8302ch]

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@heyitsyeh wrote:

I did some research before applying for my Arrival+ World Elite, with a plan ahead yet to execute. Hope this is helpful.

1. Needed a travel card with no-AF to round out my portfolio of rewards cards

- Cap1 VentureOne and Chase CS (the non-AF versions of their bigger brother travel cards) did have FTF, whereas vanilla Arrival still did not. This was the primary reason why I chose Barclaycard.

-Quicksilver, while a straight 1.5% card with no-AF, didn't differentiate itself enough from my Fidelity Amex to justify applying for. Arrival had 2.2% in travel and dining purchases along with the no-FTF (I was keeping the non-AF in mind since that was the endgame). I also weighed the possibility that having two cards from the same lender (Arrival and Sallie Mae) would strengthen my relationship with a prime lender more quickly, not to mention the convenience of using the same website/app.

2. Wanted to get 40k point sign-up bonus with the end-game being not to pay the AF

-Since the Arrival+ has a much higher sign-up bonus, I applied for that in April.

-Although I can downgrade at any time before April 2015, I'm not in a hurry because having 2.2% CB in everything is awesome, and my poor Fidelity Amex has been sitting in the backburner as a result.

-In the end I will have a 2.2% card in dining spend but more importantly a non-FTF travel card when the time arises (I only travel overseas on average once every two years). Redemption would therefore be infrequent but would probably pay for domestic flights which I do more often.

3. World Elite is a nice-to-have, but I'll probably never use it.

-Only Arrival+ applicants can get WEMC right off the bat. However, if PC-ed down to the no-AF version later, the WEMC stays.

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All Cap1 cards have no FTF and this includes the Venture One. But  if someone qualifies for the no AF QS then the Venture One no AF does not make any sense IMO

[heyitsyeh]

Good catch, and point made that QS beats the VentureOne in every way.

[mongstradamus]

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@heyitsyeh wrote:

Good catch, and point made that QS beats the VentureOne in every way.

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QS is an very under rated card no FTF + instant redemptions isn't too shabby for an no AF card.