Barclays Credit Cards

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. 

The Barclaycard business products offered in the United States are limited to just three business credit cards: the AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard, the Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard, and the JetBlue Business Card. You’ll need good credit, a score of 700+, to qualify for any of these cards. 

Barclays Bank is based in London, and its U.S. operations are headquartered in New York City. It offers business banking in the U.K., but not in the U.S. Its corporate focus stateside is just on business credit cards. 

Here’s what you should know about Barclaycard business credit cards:

• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard:2 miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases and at office supply stores, car rental agencies, and telecom merchants. 1 mile per $1 on everything else. $95 annual fee.
                                             
  First checked bag free for up to four passengers. Companion certificate each year when you spend $30,000. 25% statement credit on American Airlines food and beverage purchases. Good credit required.
• Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard:50,000 bonus miles when you make a purchase in the first 90 days. 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $50,000-$99,999 in a year, or 40,000 when you spend $100,000+. 2 miles per $1 on Hawaiian Airlines purchases and 1 on everything else.
                         
  One-time 50% off companion discount for round-trip between Hawaii and North America. $99 annual fee. Good credit required.
• JetBlue Business Card: Limited time 40,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days. 5,000 points every account anniversary. 6 points per $1 on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 at restaurants and office supply stores, and 1 on everything else.
                 
  10% of your points back when you redeem. 50% savings on JetBlue in-flight purchases. Free first checked bag for you and 3 companions. $100 annual statement credit for purchasing a JetBlue Getaways vacation package of $100+. $99 annual fee. Good credit required.

If the airline miles offered by Barclaycard business credit cards aren’t for you, there are plenty of good cards from other issuers to consider. For example, the Chase Ink Preferred Card for Business offers 80,000 initial bonus points. And the Capital One Spark Cash card gets you a $500 cash bonus.

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.

You can check your Barclaycard application status on the Barclays application status website. Just enter your last name, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, your zip code, and your email address. Barclays can take 7-14 days to approve or deny credit card applications.

If your application is still pending online, you can call the Barclays reconsideration line at 866-408-4064 for a faster decision. The reconsideration line is intended as an appeal option for people who’ve been denied a credit card, but it’s also helpful if you want to speak to a Barclays employee about a pending application. They should have the latest information about your application status.

You won’t be able to check on the status of a credit application through the main customer service lines. If you call to check on an application, the automated system will direct you to the Barclays application status website.

Approved applicants will get their new Barclays credit card within 14 days of approval. If you’re denied, you’ll receive a letter in the mail within 30 days explaining why. Denied applicants who have extra information that could potentially tip the scales the other way can call the Barclaycard reconsideration line (866-408-4064). You’ll be connected with an analyst who can discuss your application. The line is open from 8 am ET until midnight, 7 days a week.

There are 3 ways to activate a Barclaycard credit card: online, by phone, or via the Barclays mobile app. To activate your Barclaycard online, go to the Barclays activation website with your new card in hand and enter your date of birth, card number, security code, occupation, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. You’ll also need to indicate whether you’re a U.S. citizen or not.

To activate your Barclaycard credit card by phone, call the Barclays activation line at 877-408-8866. You’ll be asked for your date of birth, and the last 4 digits of both your card number and your Social Security number. If you stay on the line, you’ll be given the option to set a custom PIN for your account or have the existing one mailed to you, if applicable.

Activation through the Barclays mobile app is easy, too. Just download the free app, open it on your smartphone, and tap “Activate your Account” in the menu at the bottom. You’ll need the same information as you’d provide for online activation.

When you get a new Barclays credit card, you must activate the card before you can use it. After activation, you’ll be able to set up your Barclays online account and create your login credentials, if you haven’t already. This can be done on the Barclays website or the Barclays mobile app.

You can request a Barclaycard 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 Barclaycard 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, Barclaycard 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. Barclaycard 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.

How to Request a Barclaycard Credit Limit Increase:

1. Log in to your Barclaycard account.
2. Click on the “Services” tab.
3. Click on “Request credit line increase.”
4. On the next page, click on “Request a credit line increase” again.
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.

To get a Barclays credit limit increase by phone, call the number on the back of your card. Then, verify your identity with your card number and Social Security number, and tell the Barclays representative you’d like a credit limit increase. You will then need to answer questions about your employment and income.

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

With that being said, getting a credit limit increase can be great because it reduces your credit utilization if you keep your spending the same, or allows you to spend more without increasing your utilization.

The JetBlue credit card requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify for a card. That means you’ll need a score of at least 700 for the standard JetBlue credit card. A credit score of 750+ will give you a good chance of being approved for the JetBlue Plus card.

A good to excellent credit score doesn’t guarantee approval for either card, but it is an important part of the application. Other factors that will be considered include income, employment status, payment history, and more. JetBlue credit cards are exclusive to Barclays and are on the MasterCard network.

The JetBlue the higher-tier JetBlue Plus are airline rewards cards. If you meet the credit score requirement and are approved for either card, you’ll earn points on your purchases, and plenty of perks when you spend on JetBlue-operated flights.

But there are stark differences between the two, particularly in its initial bonus and rewards earnings. The JetBlue Plus is far superior in these categories, but it comes with a $99 annual fee.

Here is how the JetBlue vs. JetBlue Plus cards compare:

• Annual fee: Jet Blue $0; JetBlue Plus, $99. Jet Blue wins.
• Initial bonus: Jet Blue, 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 in first 90 days; JetBlue Plus, 40,000 points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. JetBlue Plus wins.
• Rewards: JetBlue, 3 points per $1 spent on Jet Blue purchases; 2 points at restaurants and grocery stores; 1 point on all other purchases; JetBlue Plus, 6 points per $1 spent on Jet Blue purchases; 2 points at restaurants and grocery stores; 1 point on all other purchases. JetBlue Plus wins.
• Introductory APR: JetBlue and Jet BluePlus both offer 0% interest for12 months on balance posted within the first 45 days. Tie
• Regular APR: JetBlue and Jet BluePlus, 17.74% - 26.74% (V), based on creditworthiness. Tie.
• Foreign Transaction: Neither the JetBlue or JetBlue Plus charges a foreign transaction fee. Tie.
• Other benefits: JetBlue, 50% off in-flight food and beverage purchases; JetBlue Plus, 50% off in-flight food and beverage purchases; free first checked bag for primary cardholder; 5,000 bonus points on your card anniversary; 10% of points back every time you redeem. JetBlue Plus wins.

JetBlue Plus is the clear winner, if you’re a regular JetBlue flyer and will spend enough to recoup the $99 annual fee. If you check four free bags in a year, at $25 per checked bag, the $99 annual fee will have paid for itself.

If you’re a business owner, you’ll need an excellent credit score to qualify for the JetBlue Business card. It offers most of the same features and perks as the JetBlue Plus, but without the introductory 0% APR for balance transfers. It also charges a $99 annual fee.

JetBlue offers a sign-up bonus on a pair of credit cards. The JetBlue Card earns 10,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. With the higher-tier JetBlue Plus, the bonus increases to 40,000 points, also after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. There’s also a 5,000 bonus points on your card anniversary.

The JetBlue Plus comes with a $99 annual fee. That’s partly because it offers significantly more bonus miles and higher rewards earnings rate than the base JetBlue Card. The Plus earns 6 points per $1 spent on JetBlue purchases; twice as many as the JetBlue Card. The Plus also offers a free first checked bag for the cardholder and up to three guests.

If you’re at the very least, an occasional Jet Blue flyer, you should benefit from one of these credit card bonuses. The question is whether the JetBlue Plus, and its 40,000 bonus points are worth the $99 annual fee.

If you meet the minimum spending requirements for the JetBlue Card, bonus points are worth around $145 in airfare when redeemed. For the Plus, if you meet those same spending requirements, the annual fee will pay for itself more than 3.5 times over. When redeemed for JetBlue airfare, bonus points will net you $336, less the $99 annual fee.

There’s also a JetBlue credit card bonus for business owners. The JetBlue Business is similar to the companion Plus card, including the $99 annual fee. But, the Business card earns you 50,000 points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months. It also comes with the 5,000 bonus points on your card anniversary.

The Barclaycard balance transfer fee is 3% of the amount transferred or $5 (whichever is more) for all Barclays credit cards but the Ring Card. Barclaycard Ring’s balance transfer fee is2% (min. $5).

Barclaycard’s balance transfer fees, like those charged by most credit card issuers, are a percentage of the amount you’re transferring or a flat fee, whichever is greater. So if you’re transferring $166 or less, you’ll pay a flat $5. If it’s more than that, you’ll pay 2% or 3% of the transfer amount.

The balance transfer fee gets added to what you owe as soon as you make a transfer. If you have a 0% balance transfer Barclaycard, you won’t have to pay interest on that balance until your intro rate ends. And luckily, there are several excellent Barclaycard 0% balance transfer offers.

Barclaycard Balance Transfer Offers:

• Barclaycard Ring: 0% for 15 months*, 2% balance transfer fee, $0 annual fee
• Barclaycard Arrival Plus: 0% for 12 billing cycles*, 3% balance transfer fee, $89 annual fee ($0 first year)
• JetBlue Card: 0% for 12 months, 3% balance transfer fee, $0 annual fee
• Frontier Airlines Credit Card: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee, $79 annual fee
• Lufthansa Miles & More World Elite Mastercard: 0% for 15 months, 3% balance transfer fee, $89 annual fee

While Barclaycard has plenty of cards offering 0% intro APR for balance transfers, it’s not recommended to get a balance transfer card that has an annual fee. Your best option is the Barclaycard Ring, thanks to its long 0% intro period, $0 annual fee, and a lower balance transfer fee than other Barclays credit cards.