With the plethora of credit cards available today, it can be difficult for customers to decide which one is right for them, especially if they travel. It seems like all credit cards targeting travelers have rewards and incentives, but wading through the credit card brochures is tedious and time consuming. Fortunately, the Barclay Arrival Card and the Travelocity Rewards American Express Card have simplified the usual hassle associated with credit card comparisons.
Rewards
When clients use their Barclay card and spend 3,000 dollars or more within the first 90 days after opening their account, they receive 40,000 bonus travel miles, roughly 400 dollars off travel redemption. Barclay also enables clients to earn two times as many miles on all their purchases and allows them to earn bonus miles in the first 90 days of opening their account.
Clients who spend 1,000 dollars or more with their Travelocity card in the first 90 days of opening their account receive an extra 5,000 points in their account. Point earned with the Travelocity card can be redeemed towards Travelocity purchases for hotels, flights, and vacation packages. Furthermore, customers who participate in eligible Travelocity purchases will earn three points per dollar on those purchases. On all other transactions, customers earn one point per dollar.
Fees
While applying for both cards is free, to maintain a Barclay Arrival Card, customers can expect to pay an 89-dollar annual fee; however, customers who are approved will not pay the annual fee for the first year. Furthermore, Barclay does not charge customers foreign transaction fees. However, customers can expect a late payment fee and a returned payment fee of 35 dollars, but there is no over the limit fee.
The Travelocity card does not require clients to pay an annual fee and has no blackout dates or restrictions for points redemption. However, clients will be charged 1.5 percent on foreign purchases and can expect a returned payment and late payment fee of 35 dollars. There is no over the limit fee.
Annual Percentage Rate
The Barclay Arrival Card offers customers a 0 percent introductory APR in the first year then switches to an APR of 14.99 percent to 18.99 percent, depending on customers’ creditworthiness. The penalty APR, applied when customers make a late payment, is up to 27.24 percent and may remain with customers indefinitely.
The Travelocity card also offers customers a 0 percent introductory APR; however, customers only enjoy this rate for the first nine months. Nine months after opening an account, customers can expect an APR of 13.99 percent to 24.99 percent, depending on creditworthiness. The penalty APR for clients making a late payment is up to 30.24 percent and may also remain with them indefinitely.
Travelers should get the most out of their cards, and both the Barclay Arrival card and the Travelocity Rewards American Express card offer their customers similar benefits.
