Barclays Credit Cards

The Barclaycard balance transfer fee is 3% of the amount transferred, or $5 if you transfer $166.67 or less. So if you transfer a $500 balance, for example, your Barclaycard’s balance transfer fee would be $15, bringing your total balance to $515.

The balance transfer fee gets added to what you owe immediately when you make a transfer. But if you have a 0% balance transfer Barclaycard, you won’t have to pay interest on that balance until your intro rate ends. As long as you pay the minimum amount required by the due date each month, that is.  And fortunately, there are lots of Barclaycards with 0% intro transfer APRs.

Here are the top Barclaycard balance transfer offers:

• Barclaycard CashForward: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $0 annual fee
  
• Frontier Airlines Credit Card: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $0 annual fee
  
• Lufthansa Credit Card: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $89 annual fee
  
• Mastercard® Black Card: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $495 annual fee
  
• Barclaycard Arrival Plus: 0% for 12 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $89 annual fee ($0 first year)
  
• JetBlue Plus Card: 0% for 12 months, 3% balance transfer fee & $99 annual fee

I don’t recommend using a credit card with an annual fee for a balance transfer. That’s just like paying a big balance transfer fee. So your best bests are probably Barclaycard CashForward for the average spender or Frontier Airlines for people who frequently fly with Frontier.

A Barclays business credit card is best for frequent business travelers. That’s because all three Barclays business cards offered in the U.S. are co-branded with a specific airline. You can choose from American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue, as of February 2019.

Here are the best Barclays business credit cards:

• American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator™ Business Credit Card
• Hawaiian Airlines Credit Card
• JetBlue Business Credit Card

If you want maximum travel rewards but don’t want to be tied to a single airline, consider a general-purpose travel rewards card. Some allow you to redeem points or miles for statement credits toward any travel purchase, and you’ll have more choices when booking flights.

There isn’t one standard Barclaycard foreign transaction fee. But most Barclaycards don’t charge foreign fees. That includes Arrival Plus, which is the best Barclaycard in my opinion. Others have a 3% foreign transaction fee though, so it’s a good idea to check before applying.

Here are the Barclaycards with no foreign transaction fee:

• American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Silver Credit Card
  
• Barclaycard Arrival Plus
  
• JetBlue Plus Card
  
• Lufthansa credit card
  
• Mastercard Black Card

These Barclaycards have a 3% foreign transaction fee:

• Barclaycard CashForward World Mastercard
  
• Frontier Airlines Credit Card with No Annual Fee

If you’re planning to travel overseas a lot, I’d definitely recommend getting one of the cards with no foreign transaction fee. After all, vacations are expensive enough without adding an extra 3% to the price of everything. And I’d say Barclaycard Arrival Plus is probably the best option of all these credit cards. There’s no foreign transaction fee, and it doesn’t tie you to a specific airline like some of the others. It has a really solid initial bonus too.

It’s also good to remember that you don’t have to travel to be charged a foreign fee. If you buy something online from a vendor in another country and get it shipped to you, foreign transaction fees apply there too. 

You can request a Barclays credit limit increase online or by calling the number on the back of your card. You’re not guaranteed an increase with either method, but there’s a good way to estimate your chances. You’re more likely to get a Barclays credit limit increase if you’ve had your account for at least 6 months, you’ve always paid on time, and you haven’t seen any big drops in your credit score recently. Just keep in mind that if you ask for an increase, Barclays will do a hard inquiry into your credit report, which will cause a temporary drop in your score.

You might not even need to ask. Barclays may give you an automatic credit limit increase any time after the six-month mark if you consistently pay on time and otherwise keep your account in good standing. Automatic increases won’t result in a hard credit pull.

Here’s how to request a Barclays credit limit increase online:

1. Log in to your Barclays. 
2. Click on the “Services” tab.
3. Click on “Request credit line increase.”
4. On the informational page, click on “Request a credit line increase.”
5. Enter the amount of additional credit you’d like, along with your occupation, employer, length of employment and total annual income. 
6. Review your information and submit the request.

It’s possible to get an instant decision on your Barclays credit limit increase request. But it can also take up to 10 business days to hear back by email. 

Here’s how to get a Barclays credit limit increase by phone:

1. Call the number on the back of your card. 
2. Verify your identity with your card number and Social Security number.
3. Tell the Barclays representative you’d like a credit limit increase.
4. Answer questions about your employment and income. 

Getting a credit limit increase is great because it reduces your credit utilization if you keep your spending the same, or allows you to spend more without increasing your utilization. If your Barclays credit limit increase request gets denied, you can ask again once a month has passed. Just don’t forget that each request will result in a hard pull of your credit, which may temporarily damage your credit score, especially when there are lots of them in a short period of time. 

There isn’t a Barclaycard for bad credit. All Barclaycards require at least good credit, and some require excellent credit. So if your credit score is below 700, Barclaycards won’t be easy to get. And bad credit is anything under 640, well below the Barclaycard range.

But Barclaycard isn’t the only issuer out there, and several others have secured cards for people who are rebuilding their credit. Secured cards are easier for people with bad credit to get because they require a security deposit. The deposit serves as your credit limit, and as collateral if you default. If you pay off your balance and close your account, you’ll get your deposit back. Some of the best options even offer rewards.

Alternatives to a Barclaycard for bad credit:

• Discover it Secured Credit Card: No annual fee. 2% cash back on $1,000 in gas and restaurant spending each quarter. Discover matches all your cash back on your 1st anniversary. Security deposit between $200 and $2,500. Your credit line is the same as your deposit.
• Capital One Secured Credit Card: No annual fee or rewards. Minimum deposit of $49, $99 or $200, depending on your creditworthiness. Your credit line is $200, plus anything you add over your minimum security deposit.
• Wells Fargo Secured Credit Card: $25 annual fee. No rewards. Minimum security deposit of $300. Your deposit serves as your credit line.
• Open Sky Secured Credit Card: $35 annual fee. No rewards. No credit check when you apply. Minimum deposit is $200. Your deposit serves as your credit limit.

The best alternative to a Barclaycard for bad credit is a secured card from another major issuer. If you pay your bills on time and avoid maxing out your credit limit, you’ll start seeing your credit score go up.