Eight Great Uses for the Barclaycard Arrival

The Barclaycard Arrival(TM) World MasterCard® offers extreme flexibility when redeeming for you 40,000 miles that you gain as a sign on bonus.  This card has really made a splash into the credit card market and is one that we would recommend for anyone.

Today’s topic is the best uses for the Barclaycard Arrival.  Last week I blogged about the Top 13 reasons to get the Barclaycard Arrival, and you might benefit from its wealth of knowledge.

Disclosure: Brad and I earn a commission when you use our links to sign up for the Barclaycard Arrival.  We would definitely appreciate your patronage.

1. Car Rental-  This was our strategy on our trip to Europe last year.  Renting a car there isn’t cheap, but it was for us. We would have been forced to pay $500, but instead we opted for $0.  This is an awesome way for you to lower the overall cost of your vacation.  You’ve already built up the points needed to book your flights, and your hotels are thanks to a freshly printed credit card, so why not drive for free?

2. Specific Flight-  Flying on points isn’t always flexible when it comes to picking dates.  Generally you’ve got to be willing to “go with the flow” and pick the days that work for the points.  The Barclaycard Arrival is a great way to pick the exact flight that you need.  Whether you’re flying home for your grandpa’s funeral, or you are headed to Vegas for a bachelor party, this is going to be your best bet.  It might not cover the entire flight, but subsidizing an expensive $600 down to $200 is music to my ears.

3. Cruise- Brad already told you that this is an excellent strategy in a recent post about Cruise Credit Cards.  It doesn’t matter whether your dream is to see glaciers in Alaska, soak up some rays in the Caribbean, or Explore the wonders of Europe this is your ticket.  Given that you’re headed with your spouse, this is a great way to save $800 on a romantic giveaway (assuming you both get the card and use our link ;)).  You’ve always dreamed about it, why are you still waiting?

4.  Allegiant Airlines-  This low cost, no frills, airline that charges for your seatbelt is great for people like me who live in outlying areas and want to head to popular destinations.  Their problem is that they don’t have an award program, much less a credit card that offers big points.  With the Barclaycard Arrival you can use the 40,000 bonus points on any airline, which includes Allegiant.  So next time you’re looking to try your luck in Vegas, visit your grandma in Phoenix, or see the stars in Hollywood, make sure your Arrival card takes you there.

5. Bed and Breakfasts (Booked with Online Agencies)- Here is another area where most of the credit cards offered by Marriott, Priority Club, Starwood Preferred Guest don’t work.  You need to make sure that these small quaint locations are part of your itineraries as you travel the world.  There is nothing like eating breakfast at the table with a family that knows the area.  You’ll understand the culture much better this way as you sit in their homes than you will at the major hotel chains.

6. Travel Agencies and Tour Operators- A great way to subsidize your vacation is to use this card when booking tours. Whether your passion is the Acropolis in Athens, or the Civil War sites in the South, you can count on saving $400 big ones by using this card when booking the trip.

7. All Inclusive Resorts- Tom Petty sang “It’s good to be king, just for a while.”  This is what it feels like when you’re spending time at an all-inclusive resort.  You can use the Vacationstogo.com website to book your next all inclusive resort experience.  So plan on ordering

8. Motels-  Many of these are going to be the kind where you don’t dare sleep in the sheets, but every once in a while you find a gem.  Make sure you stay away from the Howard Johnson Inn Express in Wilmington, NC.  Ugh.  There was a motel in Beaver, UT where I stayed once that was just as nice as a Fairfield Inn. When you find one of these and they fit the mold, you could stay there a couple of nights.  This could also be very useful during a roadtrip to locations like West Yellowstone, MT where you don’t find too many chain hotels.

What did I miss?  How do you plan on using your 40,000 points?  Thanks for worldwanderlusting with us!

See more about the Barclaycard Arrival(TM) World MasterCard® – Earn 2x on All Purchases.