At Bankrate, we have a mission to demystify the credit cards industry — regardless or where you are in your journey — and make it one you can navigate with confidence. Our team is full of a diverse range of experts from credit card pros to data analysts and, most importantly, people who shop for credit cards just like you. With this combination of expertise and perspectives, we keep close tabs on the credit card industry year-round to:
At Bankrate, we focus on the points consumers care about most: rewards, welcome offers and bonuses, APR, and overall customer experience. Any issuers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide to consumers at each of these levels. At each step of the way, we fact-check ourselves to prioritize accuracy so we can continue to be here for your every next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
This content is powered by HomeInsurance.com, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 8781838) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate.com. HomeInsurance.com LLC services are only available in states were it is licensed and insurance coverage through HomeInsurance.com may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
4.6
Rewards rate
2XAnnual fee
$150 (waived first year)Intro offer
N/ARegular APR
17.99%, 21.99% or 24.99% variable based on your creditworthinessRecommended Credit Score
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)Editor’s note: This offer is no longer available. Check out our list of the best travel rewards credit card for alternatives.
For someone who’s been on the fence about applying for a travel rewards credit card but they don’t care to juggle multiple cards or pay a hefty annual fee, the brand new Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard® could be the tipping point.
Credit card companies are getting smarter to the ways of those who make a hobby out of churning and burning rewards cards and their points. The trend is slowly shifting from outsized introductory sign-up bonuses to rewarding customers for their loyalty and top-of-wallet status.
Launched in April 2018, the Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard® tries this new paradigm on for size to by offering an annual bonus of up to 25,000 miles, worth $250 when redeemed for travel and $125 as a cash-back statement credit, every year you spend at least $25,000 on the card. That’s in addition to the 2X the miles you’ll already be earning for all of your spending.
“This is a card for somebody that’s looking for long term loyalty, they don’t want to have to do the work opening and closing cards,” says Rachana Bhatt, Managing Director of the Barclays Branded Card Business Segment.
Here’s how the bonus works. Spend $15,000, get 15,000 bonus miles at the end of the year. Spend an additional $10,000, get an additional 10,000 bonus miles, up to a maximum annual bonus of 25,000 miles.
If you end up spending $25,000 on this card, before factoring in the bonus you’ll have earned 50,000 miles on your spending. But, add in that loyalty reward and you’ll pocket a total of 75,000 bonus miles. If you use the miles for travel, that’s a rewards rate of 3 miles per $1 spent, putting it on a par with some of the best travel rewards cards on the market today, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Citi Prestige Card.
But, those cards come with a pricey cost of ownership and the Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard® is only $150. This card also comes with several other traveler’s delights like airline transfer partners, Global Entry Fee Reimbursement and reduced fees at airport lounges in the Mastercard Airport Experience network. Although what it offers pales in comparison to the perks offered by several of the pricier travel cards. But, perhaps the most intriguing feature of this card is the fact that you can earn the bonus every single year, if you meet the spending requirements each year.
“The opportunity to earn 75,000 miles every year is unheard of,” says Bhatt.
If you’re someone who spends a lot on your credit cards anyway, and you don’t already have a travel rewards card, this could be the card you’ve been looking for.
But, there’s a huge caveat here, it’s only worth it if you plan on using all those juicy rewards on travel. Otherwise, the value of a mile drops to a half a cent if you redeem them for cash back. This key feature sinks an otherwise great card. Sure it’s nice to get a loyalty bonus every year, but if it’s ease of redemption and ultimate flexibility you’re after, you’re probably going to do better with a flat-rate cash back card that lets you use your rewards anyway you’d like.\
Someone who spends $25,000 a year or more on their credit cards, doesn’t want to be bothered tracking bonus categories and wants to earn easy to redeem travel rewards.
This card comes with an additional mileage bonus every year for meeting certain annual spending requirements.
Get a $100 statement credit every five years towards the Global Entry application fee.
Cardholders are eligible for reduced airport lounge access at participating Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by Lounge Key locations.
You can book your travel anyway you like and then get a travel statement credit towards that purchase. Redemptions start at 10,000 miles for travel statement credits and 5,000 miles for cash back statement credits and gift cards. Note that when a mile is redeemed as a statement credit against a travel purchase, it’s worth approximately 1 cent and when it’s redeemed as a cash-back statement credit its worth one half of a cent.
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
