Is the new Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard® being sent to existing cardholders?
A TravelSort reader tweeted me “RE: Arrival+ WEMC turns out BC [Barclaycard] are converting existing paid customers to World Standard MC which is not good as new [applicants] get WEMC card”
As I wrote in New Barclaycard Arrival Plus with Chip and PIN: Top 5 New Benefits, I assumed that Barclaycard's announcement that existing cardholders could request the new Barclaycard Arrival Plus card with PIN + Chip meant that existing Barclaycard Arrival cardholders would be getting the exact same Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard.
When logging in to my account, I saw the above pop up announcement, noting the coming upgrade, even though currently the picture of the card still shows as the Barclaycard Arrival Plus symbol with the red and yellow MasterCard logo, not the silver of the elite card, and the benefits pdf still pulls up as the World MasterCard benefits, so the upgrade hasn't been reflected yet in my account.
And in the mail this letter arrived, notifying me that my current Arrival would be upgraded to the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard:
But apparently, as this Flyertalk thread indicates, many current Barclaycard Arrival cardholders have NOT received any notice of an upgrade, and when they've called customer service, they've received a number of different responses about whether they will or won't receive the World Elite version of the card, as well as how it's been determined who is receiving an upgrade.
I certainly hope Barclaycard takes the high road here and upgrades ALL existing Barclaycard Arrival cardholders, who have the fee paying version of the card (although the annual fee is waived the first year).
While I personally won't derive much additional benefit from World Elite MasterCard status (I am a luxury travel advisor after all, and a number of TravelSort clients actually come to me because they're frustrated dealing with credit card “concierge” services such as the World Elite Concierge Service or AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts advisors who don't actually know luxury properties well) it's only right to treat existing cardholders at least as well as new applicants.
I'll update the below FAQ as we know more.
Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard FAQ
I'm an Existing Barclaycard Arrival Cardholder: Will I Be Upgraded to the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard?
Maybe. Log into your account to see if you see a pop up similar to the one earlier in the post, which welcomes you to the new Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard. If you don't see that and haven't received a snail mail letter, also pictured above, chances are Barclaycard currently doesn't plan to upgrade you.
But one Flyertalk poster, Barclay123, received communication that indicated Barclaycard is reconsidering: “In light of recent feedback, we are exploring options to upgrade all cardholders to World Elite MasterCard status to provide a consistent experience across the Barclaycard Arrival Plus product offering.”
If Upgraded, When Will I Receive My New Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard?
Per the letter sent to me, you should receive the new card within 30 days, so by mid-June.
If Not Selected for an Upgrade, Can I Apply for the New Card with World Elite benefits?
While it's unlikely you'll be approved for a new card if you're already an existing cardholder, you can certainly try (and please let me know in the comments if you're approved for it and receive the signup bonus). And if you previously had the no fee version of the Barclaycard Arrival card (the Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard), you could get approved for the new BarclayCard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard, as this Flyertalk poster did:
“I had the no AF Arrival which was product changed into from the Barclaycard Rewards platinum MasterCard. I applied for the Arrival Plus this morning and was approved, World Elite from everything I can see.”
Which Other Credit Cards Come as a World Elite MasterCard?
Other World Elite MasterCards include:
- Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard
- Canadian Residents: Bank of Montreal World Elite MasterCard
If you're an existing Barclaycard Arrival cardholder, have you been upgraded to the new Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard?
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