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50,000
Miles as welcome offer
Up to 2x
Miles
$89
Annual fee
15.99% to 24.99%
Purchase APR (variable)
Annual fee | $89 |
---|---|
Welcome Offer | 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days plus 25,000 miles after spending $20,000 in the first first year |
Rewards | 2x miles on Miles & More airline partners and 1x miles on all other purchases |
Purchase APR | 15.99% to 24.99% variable |
Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first fifteen billing cycles (then 15.99% to 24.99% variable) |
Recommended minimum credit score | 670 |
Issuer | Mastercard |
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
Typically, you’ll receive an immediate decision on your application. In rare cases, you may need to wait a few business days to a few weeks until Barclaycard manually approves your application.
If you’re approved, expect your card in the mail within seven to 10 days.
This is a high spending requirement compared to other cards, so consider whether you can reach it before the bonus window expires.
For many flyers, 50,000 miles is a strong bonus. To give you a sense of how far your miles will go, consider these costs for round-trip flights on Lufthansa.
Typically, Miles & More miles are worth around 1.4 cents apiece. One cent per mile is the industry average for travel rewards.
Redeem your miles for flights and upgrades on Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Star Alliance carriers and more.
You’ll earn 2x miles when you use your card to buy tickets from:
This is a strong intro APR, as 0% intro APR periods tend to top off at around 21 months. However, this card doesn’t include an intro APR on purchases.
The Lufthansa Business Lounge at London Heathrow Airport.
Though a discount is always welcome, award rates on the Miles & More website might be more expensive than USD rates. For example, a $399 regular-rate room at the Courtyard by Marriott in Manhattan or Midtown East might cost 47,275 miles. At the industry average of 1 mile = 1 cent, those miles are worth about $472.
It’s a good idea to use this benefit as a slight boost if you need a few more status miles and not as your primary means of reaching higher status tiers. To reach the Frequent Traveler tier, you’ll need 35,000 status miles. And to reach the Senator tier, you’ll need 100,000 status miles.
1. Apply for the card.
When you apply for the Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®, you can make a balance transfer. You can also transfer balances later if you’d like.
To make a balance transfer, find the account number of your existing debt. Also have personal information ready, such as your Social Security number, income and employment details.
Each balance transfer comes with a fee of $5 or 3% of the transaction, whichever is greater.
2. Watch your balance transfer time limit.
You’ll receive the introductory APR on transfers you make within the first 45 days of card membership. Any transfer you make after that time will accrue interest at 15.99% or 24.99% variable APR.
If you have questions about whether you qualify for the intro APR, call Barclays support.
3. Keep your balance transfer details organized.
On a qualifying transfer, you’ll get 0% intro APR for fifteen billing cycles following the transfer’s completion.
To ensure you don’t pay interest on that debt, pay off your balance within 15 months. If you still have a balance after that time, it’ll accrue interest at the normal rate of 15.99% or 24.99% variable APR.
To apply for the Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®, you must be at least 18 years old and a US resident. However, if you live in Iowa, Puerto Rico or a US territory, you’re not eligible.
If you have a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher, you’ll have better odds of approval. For the lower APR, you’ll want to apply with a credit score on the higher end.
Some customers say they’ve had difficulty using their companion tickets because of fare restrictions and high fees.
Barclays Bank has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2001. It currently has an A+ rating from the agency. As of this writing, its profile has over 1,100 customer complaints. Some customers reported on the BBB website that they’ve had trouble processing disputes with Barclays. Others say they’ve experienced unexpected account closures.
The Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® costs $89 a year, but it might be worth paying for if you’re a frequent customer or you can take advantage of its annual companion ticket. You’ll also earn miles you can redeem with multiple carriers.
If you don’t think you’ll get significant value from it, look for another airline card or check out a general travel card.