Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard: Travel Cashback Card

The Barclays Arrival™ Plus World Elite Mastercard® is a premier travel rewards card offering strong flat-rate cashback on all purchases and bonus miles when booking travel. It’s ideal for frequent travelers who prefer flexibility and easy redemption options.

Key Features

  • 2.2% Miles on All Purchases: Earn 2.2 miles per $1 spent on every purchase, every day.
  • Bonus for Travel Spending: Earn an extra 5,000 bonus miles after spending a specified amount in the first 90 days.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use worldwide without extra charges.
  • Redeem for Travel Statement Credits: Apply miles as statement credits against travel purchases.
  • Annual Fee: $95 (waived first year).

Why Choose the Arrival Plus Card?

This card is great for travelers who want consistent miles earning across all spending categories without thinking about bonuses. The 2.2% mileage return on everything is higher than most flat-rate cards, making it easier to rack up travel rewards.

You can use miles to erase purchases like airfare, hotels, taxis, and more — giving clear and flexible redemption options.

Maximizing Rewards

  • Use the card for all daily purchases to earn 2.2 miles per dollar.
  • Take advantage of the new cardholder bonus miles shortly after opening your account.
  • Redeem miles for travel statement credits for past travel bookings.
  • Pay balances in full each month to avoid interest fees and preserve margins of reward value.

Benefits & Perks

  • Travel Accident Insurance covering select travel emergencies.
  • Extended Warranty Coverage for eligible purchases.
  • Trip Delay Reimbursement when booked with the card.
  • Access to credit monitoring and fraud protection tools.

Who Should Apply?

This card is ideal for:

  • Frequent travelers wanting flexible redemption options
  • Those who prefer simple earning on all purchases
  • People without foreign transaction fee worries when abroad
  • Anyone looking for a travel-credit style redemption with strong earning rate

Potential Drawbacks

  • The annual fee after the first year may be a drawback for occasional travelers
  • Fewer travel perks than premium travel cards
  • Requires careful tracking of travel expenses to maximize redemption

Conclusion

The Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard is a powerful option for frequent travelers who want simplicity and flexibility. With 2.2% miles on every purchase and easy travel statement redemption, it provides consistent value with minimal hassle.

Author

  • Marcela Nascimento

    Hi, I'm Marcela Nascimento, Head of Content. My mission is to transform information about finance, investments, and credit cards into clear and strategic content to help you make the best financial decisions.