Barclays Credit Cards
The only major U.S. credit card issuer that operates as a pure cobranded card partner — no transferable points currency, no proprietary general-purpose cards (the famous Arrival Plus was discontinued), and now no AAdvantage cards (closed October 2025, transitioning to Citi in 2026). For points-and-miles readers, Barclays matters only if you’re loyal to one of its specific cobranded partners — most commonly JetBlue or Wyndham.
Barclays is structurally different from every other major U.S. issuer
Where Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One operate transferable points programs with airline and hotel partner transfers — and even Wells Fargo has joined the transferable points space as a 5th option — Barclays has none of that. There is no Barclays-branded transferable points currency. There are no transfer partners. Barclays no longer offers proprietary general-purpose credit cards in the U.S. market under its own brand. The Barclaycard Arrival Plus — once a competitive flexible travel card — was discontinued for new applicants years ago and never replaced.
What Barclays does today is partner with airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and retailers to issue cobranded credit cards. The relevant question for any points-and-miles reader isn’t “should I get a Barclays card” — it’s “am I loyal to one of Barclays’ specific cobranded partners?” Most commonly that’s JetBlue or Wyndham. For Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier, Emirates, Lufthansa Miles & More, or various cruise lines, Barclays also issues cards. For everyone else — particularly readers focused on transferable points strategies — Barclays is the wrong issuer.
What Barclays actually offers today
Barclays’ U.S. credit card business has consolidated significantly since 2015. The most iconic Barclays proprietary card — the Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard — was a competitive flexible travel rewards product in its time. It’s been closed to new applicants for years and remains unreplaced. The 2025-2026 loss of the American Airlines AAdvantage cobranded portfolio (transitioning to Citi as American’s exclusive issuer) further narrows Barclays’ relevance for points-and-miles strategists.
What remains is a focused set of cobranded cards tied to specific brand partners. The most strategically relevant for points-and-miles readers is the JetBlue Plus ($99 fee, strong JetBlue earning) — though it’s worth noting that Wells Fargo Rewards can now transfer to JetBlue TrueBlue, providing flexibility that the cobranded card can’t match. The Wyndham Rewards Earner+ is similarly useful for Wyndham loyalists — though again, Wells Fargo can transfer to Wyndham at a 1:2 ratio. For most readers, the cobranded Barclays cards have been partially superseded by the transferable points programs that now include their underlying airline/hotel partners.
How Barclays narrowed from a full-spectrum issuer
Understanding Barclays’ current points-and-miles position requires understanding what happened to the issuer’s U.S. lineup over the past decade. Here’s the verified timeline:
The Arrival Plus era
The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard was a competitive flexible travel rewards card — 2x on all purchases, redemption flexibility for any travel purchase, and one of the better mid-tier travel cards on the market. Barclays operated as a full-spectrum issuer alongside its cobranded partnerships.
Arrival Plus closed to new applications
Barclays stopped accepting new applications for the Arrival Plus during this period. The card remained available to existing cardholders but was effectively phased out. Barclays signaled a strategic shift away from proprietary general-purpose cards toward focusing on cobranded partnerships.
Citi to acquire AAdvantage portfolio
Citi announced acquisition of Barclays’ suite of AAdvantage credit cards (the result of the American Airlines/US Airways merger that gave American two card issuers). The transition was planned for 2026, with Citi becoming American Airlines’ exclusive credit card partner.
AAdvantage Aviator cards closed to new applications
The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red, Silver, and Blue cards stopped accepting new customers. Existing cardholders continue to earn AAdvantage miles on their cards but will be migrated to Citi products in 2026. American Airlines’ AAdvantage program was simultaneously added as a Citi ThankYou Points transfer partner.
Cobranded-only era
Barclays now operates exclusively as a cobranded card partner in the U.S. market. The remaining card portfolio includes JetBlue, Wyndham, Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier, Emirates, Lufthansa Miles & More, various cruise lines, and retail brand partnerships (Gap, Athleta, AARP). No proprietary Barclays-branded general-purpose card is currently available to new applicants.
The editorial anchor: JetBlue Plus
The one Barclays card most points-and-miles readers should evaluate
The JetBlue Plus Card (issued by Barclays) is the most strategically relevant Barclays card for points-and-miles readers. It earns 6x TrueBlue points on JetBlue purchases, 2x at restaurants and grocery stores, and 1x on everything else. The welcome bonus is 60,000 TrueBlue points after $1,000 in spending in the first three months — a substantial first-year value for any reader who flies JetBlue regularly.
Beyond earning, the card delivers material recurring benefits: free first checked bag for the cardholder + 3 companions (worth $35-70 per flight per person), 50% in-flight food and beverage discount, 10% TrueBlue points refund on award redemptions, $100 statement credit toward JetBlue Vacations annually, and a 5,000-point anniversary bonus. For couples or families flying JetBlue multiple times per year, the bag benefit alone covers the $99 annual fee.
But consider the alternative: Wells Fargo Rewards now transfers to JetBlue TrueBlue at 1:1, meaning a Wells Fargo Autograph ($0 fee) or Autograph Journey ($95) can earn TrueBlue points without committing to JetBlue specifically. If you’re not heavily loyal to JetBlue, the Wells Fargo transferable points approach gives you optionality — earn points, then decide later between JetBlue, Flying Blue, Avianca, Cathay, and other partners. The JetBlue Plus only makes sense if you’re specifically loyal to JetBlue and would use the recurring bag and lounge benefits.
What this card is NOT: The JetBlue Plus is not a transferable points card. The TrueBlue points you earn can only be redeemed for JetBlue flights or JetBlue’s specific partner awards (United via Blue Sky, Icelandair, Cape Air, Etihad). They cannot be transferred to other airlines or hotels. The card’s value comes from JetBlue-specific benefits, not from flexibility. If you don’t fly JetBlue, this card delivers minimal value beyond its category bonuses.
Who is Barclays actually for?
Honest reader profile guidance for the cobranded-only Barclays lineup
You match these specific profiles
- You fly JetBlue regularly and would use the free checked bag for yourself + companions
- You stay at Wyndham hotels often enough to extract value from the Earner+ card’s Wyndham earning
- You fly Hawaiian Airlines frequently (note: Hawaiian merger with Alaska is reshaping this)
- You fly Frontier Airlines regularly enough to use the $100 annual flight voucher
- You’re a heavy Emirates Skywards user and would use the Premium card’s complimentary Gold status
- You’re a Lufthansa Group loyalist (Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels, SWISS, etc.)
- You cruise frequently on Princess, Holland America, or Carnival
You’ll get more value from primary issuers
- You’re a beginner building your first points-and-miles strategy — start with Chase
- You want transferable points (Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Wells Fargo all offer them)
- You want flexibility to choose between airlines or hotels for any given redemption
- You want premium card lounge access (focus on Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, or Capital One Venture X)
- You wanted an AAdvantage card (now Citi — see our Citi hub)
- You wanted the Barclaycard Arrival Plus (closed to new applications, never replaced)
- You can earn JetBlue or Wyndham points via Wells Fargo transfers with no airline loyalty commitment
Barclays cards by category
The current Barclays cobranded lineup, organized by partner type
Airline cobranded cards
Most relevant for points-and-miles readersBarclays’ airline cobranded cards are the most strategically relevant for points-and-miles readers. The JetBlue Plus is the headliner (featured above). The AAdvantage Aviator portfolio is in transition — closed to new applications October 2025, with existing cardholders moving to Citi in 2026. The Hawaiian, Frontier, Emirates, and Lufthansa cards serve specific niche reader profiles.
6x JetBlue, 2x restaurants/grocery, free checked bag + 3 companions, 50% in-flight discount, $100 JetBlue Vacations credit
3x JetBlue, 2x restaurants/grocery, $0 annual fee. The no-fee version of the Plus card without the bag and statement credit benefits.
Business version of the JetBlue Plus with similar bag benefits and business-card spending categories
American Airlines cobranded cards. Closed to new applications October 2025. Existing cardholders transitioning to Citi products in 2026.
3x Hawaiian, 2x gas/dining/grocery, 70K-mile welcome bonus. Note: Hawaiian/Alaska merger is reshaping this card’s strategic value.
5x Frontier, 3x restaurants, $100 annual flight voucher (with spending requirement). Niche to Frontier loyalists.
Premium Emirates card with complimentary Gold status (with spending), Priority Pass, Global Entry credit. Niche premium product.
Lufthansa Group cobranded card. 2x on Miles & More partner airline tickets. Niche to Lufthansa/SWISS/Austrian loyalists.
Hotel cobranded cards
Wyndham Earner familyBarclays’ hotel cobranded portfolio centers on the Wyndham Rewards Earner family. The Earner+ is the mid-tier option with $75 annual fee and strong Wyndham earning. Consider that Wells Fargo Rewards now transfers to Wyndham at a 1:2 ratio — meaning Wyndham loyalists have flexibility-vs-cobranded-loyalty tradeoffs to evaluate when choosing between the two.
6x Wyndham + gas, 4x dining + grocery, 7,500-point annual anniversary bonus (with $15K spending). Mid-tier Wyndham card.
5x Wyndham + gas, 2x dining + grocery, $0 annual fee. The no-fee entry-level Wyndham option.
Cruise cobranded cards
Highly niche to cruise loyalistsBarclays has carved out a niche issuing cobranded credit cards for major cruise lines. These cards are valuable exclusively to readers who cruise frequently with the specific brand. Earning structures favor cruise spending; redemption is typically toward cruise statement credits or onboard credits.
2x on Princess Cruises purchases, 1x else. Onboard credit benefits. Niche to Princess loyalists.
2x on Carnival purchases, 1x else. Carnival “FunPoints” redemption structure. Niche to Carnival loyalists.
2x on Holland America purchases, 1x else. Niche to Holland America loyalists.
Retail and other partner cards
Niche partnershipsBarclays issues a broader portfolio of cobranded retail and partnership cards beyond the airline and hotel categories. The AARP Travel Rewards card stands out — at 3% on travel and no annual fee, it’s a competent no-fee travel card for AARP-eligible readers (no age requirement actually exists for AARP membership). The Gap, Athleta, and other retail cards serve specific brand loyalist needs.
3% on airfare/hotels/car rentals, 2% on restaurants, 1% else. $0 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees. Most flexible Barclays cobranded card.
3% on gas/drugstore, 2% on medical/dental, 1% else. $0 annual fee. The everyday-spend version of the AARP card.
4-7x at GM dealerships, redeemable toward GM vehicle purchases or auto loan payments. Niche to GM brand loyalists.
Barclays application rules
The mechanics that govern Barclays approvals
Conservative and recon-friendly
Barclays is known for conservative underwriting, particularly for applicants with thin credit histories or recent applications elsewhere. The issuer is also known for being relatively recon-friendly — the reconsideration line frequently approves applications that were initially denied, especially when applicants can articulate specific income or relationship factors.
Recent applications matter
Barclays is unusually sensitive to recent credit inquiries and new accounts. Applicants with multiple inquiries or new accounts in the past 6-12 months often face denials. The opposite of Capital One (which has more permissive velocity) or Wells Fargo (which has a specific 6-month rule).
No published “X/Y” rule
Unlike Chase (5/24), Citi (8/65), or Wells Fargo (6 months), Barclays doesn’t have a published numerical application velocity rule. Approval decisions are made case-by-case based on the issuer’s overall underwriting model. This makes Barclays harder to predict but also more flexible for the right applicant profile.
Worth restating structurally
Barclays has no transferable points currency and no transfer partners. Every Barclays card earns either cobranded loyalty points (JetBlue TrueBlue, Wyndham Rewards, etc.) or fixed-rate cash back/statement credits. There is no Barclays-branded transferable points program to consider.
The strategic role of Barclays: For most points-and-miles readers, Barclays should be approached as a “single-purpose” issuer — apply for a specific cobranded card if (and only if) you’re loyal to its underlying brand partner. The JetBlue Plus for JetBlue loyalists, the Wyndham Earner+ for Wyndham loyalists, the Hawaiian card for Hawaii frequent flyers. There is no “build out my Barclays strategy” play because there are no transferable points to build a portfolio around. Use Barclays surgically when a specific cobranded card serves a specific brand-loyalty need.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Barclays cards and the cobranded-only lineup
Should I get a Barclays card if I’m new to points and miles?
Generally no. For beginners building a points-and-miles strategy, the primary transferable points issuers (Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One) deliver substantially more value through transfer partner flexibility and stronger welcome bonuses. Start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred as your first travel card. Consider Barclays only if you’re specifically loyal to JetBlue, Wyndham, Hawaiian, Frontier, Emirates, or one of its other cobranded partners — and even then, evaluate whether a transferable points issuer like Wells Fargo (which transfers to JetBlue and Wyndham) gives you better optionality.
Why doesn’t Barclays have transferable points?
Barclays has never operated a major proprietary transferable points program in the U.S. market. The closest the issuer came was the Arrival Plus, which offered flexible travel redemptions at 1.1¢ per point — but this was a redemption-flexible cash-back equivalent, not a true transferable points currency with airline and hotel partners. Barclays’ strategic positioning has consistently focused on cobranded partnerships rather than building its own multi-airline/multi-hotel transfer ecosystem. The 2025 loss of the AAdvantage portfolio to Citi reinforces this cobranded-only focus.
What happened to the Barclaycard Arrival Plus?
The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard was once a competitive flexible travel rewards card — 2x earning on all purchases with redemption flexibility for any travel expense at 1.1¢ per point. Barclays stopped accepting new applications for the Arrival Plus several years ago, signaling a strategic shift away from proprietary general-purpose cards toward focusing on cobranded partnerships. The card was never replaced with a similar Barclays-branded product. Existing Arrival Plus cardholders can still use their cards, but the product is closed to new applicants and has not been refreshed.
What happened to the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator cards?
In 2024, Citi announced acquisition of Barclays’ suite of American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards — the result of American consolidating its credit card partnerships down to a single issuer. The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red, Silver, and Blue cards stopped accepting new applications in October 2025. Existing Aviator cardholders can continue using their cards and earning AAdvantage miles through 2026, after which they will be migrated to Citi products. American Airlines AAdvantage was simultaneously added as a Citi ThankYou Points transfer partner — see our Citi hub for the new AA-related card options.
JetBlue Plus card or Wells Fargo Autograph for JetBlue points?
Depends on your JetBlue loyalty intensity. JetBlue Plus wins for heavy JetBlue flyers: 6x TrueBlue earning on JetBlue purchases, free checked bags for cardholder + 3 companions, 50% in-flight discount, $100 annual JetBlue Vacations credit. If you fly JetBlue multiple times per year, the bag benefit alone can cover the $99 annual fee. Wells Fargo Autograph wins for occasional JetBlue users: $0 annual fee, 3x on broad travel/dining/gas/transit/streaming categories, and ability to transfer to TrueBlue when needed (1:1 ratio) — plus flexibility to redirect points to Flying Blue, Avianca, Cathay, or other Wells Fargo partners if your travel needs change.
Wyndham Earner+ card or Wells Fargo for Wyndham points?
Similar analysis. Wyndham Earner+ wins for Wyndham loyalists who specifically want 6x Wyndham earning on Wyndham purchases plus the 7,500-point annual anniversary bonus. Wells Fargo wins for flexibility — the 1:2 transfer ratio to Wyndham means you can earn Wells Fargo points broadly across travel/dining/gas/transit and convert them to Wyndham at favorable rates. The 1:2 ratio effectively means 1 Wells Fargo point = 2 Wyndham points, doubling your hotel night value. For most readers who don’t earn high Wyndham-direct spending, the Wells Fargo approach delivers more total Wyndham points per dollar of credit card spend.
What’s the strongest Barclays card for non-cobranded purposes?
The AARP Travel Rewards Mastercard is the most flexible Barclays card available today. At 3% on airfare/hotels/car rentals with no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and rewards redeemable as cash back or statement credits, it’s a competent general travel rewards product. The card requires no AARP membership age requirement to apply (AARP membership has no minimum age). It’s the closest thing to a proprietary Barclays travel card still available — though it’s still cobranded with AARP, and its 3% rate is comparable to but not better than the Bank of America Travel Rewards or similar no-fee competitors.
Does Barclays have a published application velocity rule?
No. Unlike Chase (5/24), Citi (8/65), or Wells Fargo (6-month rule), Barclays doesn’t publish a specific numerical application velocity rule. Approval decisions are made case-by-case based on the issuer’s overall underwriting model. Barclays is generally known for being more conservative with applicants who have multiple recent credit inquiries or new accounts. The issuer is also known as relatively recon-friendly — initial denials can often be overturned via the reconsideration line, particularly when applicants can articulate specific factors like income, banking relationships, or commitment to the cobranded brand.
Related guides
Further reading on points-and-miles strategy and primary transferable points issuers