Barclaycard has introduced 2 new challenger cards to the rewards credit card market. Find out more.
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card review 2023
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Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £20 per month, your representative rate is 78.9% APR (variable).
- Intro bonus
- Up to 50,000 points
- Representative APR
- 78.9% (variable)
- Balance transfer fee
- 0%
- Interest-free each billing period
- Up to 56 days
Fly high and earn Avios while you spend with the Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card.
Now that travel seems a bit sunnier as the clouds of the pandemic clear, it’s a great time for the takeoff of the new Barclaycard Avios Card and its premium sister the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card. With the opportunity to earn Avios on your day-to-day spending, Barclaycard’s newest credit product is aimed at those who love to travel.
The Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card is a great rewards option for those who are willing to shell out a fee of £20 per month.
As the premium version of this card’s little sister, you can earn Avios at a rate of 1.5 Avios per £1 spent and also enjoy the exclusive welcome bonus of 50,000 Avios.
Compared to this card’s American Express competitor, the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card, you could get double the Avios (per £1 spent) if you are in the position to commit to a sky-high annual fee.
However, if you’re not in the position for the high interest rates or annual fee of the Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card, this card’s little sister offers a reduced interest rate and no annual fee in exchange for a lesser Avios earn rate.
If you are looking for rewards cards that specifically dabble in Avios, there are plenty of providers that offer this or the option to exchange points for Avios. It is always wise to weigh up your options before taking flight.
Pros
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Earn Avios on your day-to-day spending.
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Generous introductory bonus.
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Up to 56 days interest free.
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Cabin upgrade voucher when you spend £10,000 within 12 months.
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Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with Barclaycard.
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You can use Mastercard almost everywhere, both in the UK and overseas.
Cons
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£20 per month account fee.
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Minimum annual income requirement of £20000.
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You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £50.
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Introductory bonus limited to new Barclaycard members.
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This card carries a 2.99% (min. £2.99) foreign usage charge.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 28.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £20 per month, your representative rate is 78.9% APR (variable).
Details
Product Overview
| Issuer | Barclaycard |
| Network | Mastercard |
| Annual/monthly fees | £20 per month |
| Balance transfers | 28.9% |
| Balance transfer fee | 0% |
| Purchases | 28.9% |
| Purchases interest-free period | Up to 56 days |
| Cash advances | 28.9% |
| Minimum credit limit | £50 |
| Maximum credit limit | Subject to status |
| Additional cards available | 4 |
| Incentive | Earn 25,000 Avios when £3,000 spent on card over the first 3 months of opening. Earn 1.5 Avios for every £1 you spend. Spend £10,000 or more during the year and receive a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or 7000 bonus Avios. Avios value varies dependent on reward (min 1000pts for flights) |
| Lounge access | Access over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. £18.50 per lounge pass, per person. |
| Additional Rewards Info | Buy tickets for up to 3500 selected live events through Barclaycard entertainment and get 5% off tickets per year and exclusive pre-sale tickets on selected festivals with 10% off ticket prices. Save 10% on food and drink at all UK 02 Academy venues. |
| Potential costs | ★★★★★ |
| Doing its job | ★★★★★ |
| Extras | ★★★★★ |
| Overall Finder rating | ★★★★★ |
| Overall customer rating | ★★★★★ |
Fees and charges
| Annual/monthly fees | £20 per month |
| Balance transfer fee | 0% |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.99% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.99% |
| Cash advance fee | 2.99% (min. £2.99) |
| Late payment fee | £12 |
| Duplicate statement fee | £0 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £0 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Replacement card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
Application Requirements
| Minimum Age | 21 |
| Availability | Available to new customers |
The Barclaycard Avios Plus Card is issued on the Mastercard network so it's accepted at more than 50 million merchant locations across more than 210 countries and territories.
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How does it compare with rival American Express?
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow.
Repayment options
You can make manual repayments through Barclaycard's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 151 0900). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) or losing any promotional rates as a result.
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:
| Minimum amount | Fixed amount | Fixed percentage | Full amount |
|---|---|---|---|
How to apply for this Barclaycard
If you've compared cards and settled on the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.
The bottom line
As the premium version of the Barclaycard Avios Card, you can expect some sky-high benefits when opting to apply for this rewards credit card and Barclaycard doesn’t disappoint. With the welcome bonus alone you could enjoy an economy return flight from London to Barcelona (granted you meet the spending criteria). But if the card’s high interest rate or annual fee is a cause for delay, you could always opt for its little sister. Remember, like all rewards cards, unless you pay your balance in full each month, you won’t be seeing much payback, especially with that high interest rate.
How does it compare?
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Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow.
Frequently asked questions
What credit limit will I get with the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card?
If Barclaycard is able to offer you this deal, the offer will specify a personalised credit limit based on Barclaycard's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on this card is £50 and Barclaycard does not specify a maximum. Once you've had the card for a while and shown Barclaycard that you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.
Can I withdraw cash using the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card?
Although it's possible, withdrawing cash from a credit card account is generally not a good idea, as "cash-like transactions" (such as withdrawing cash at an ATM, getting cashback at the till, spending at a casino or buying currency) often incur steep fees and/or higher rates of interest.
The cash advance fee on the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card is 2.99% (min. £2.99). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £2.99. Withdraw £250 and you'll incur a fee of £7.48.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 28.9% (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 56 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).
How much does it cost to use the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card abroad?
Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.99% charge (which is very standard). For example, if you spend 200 euros (£173.36), it'll cost you around £5.18 in fees.
What is the minimum payment on the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card?
Each month you must pay at least 3.75% of your balance at that point or £5.00 – whichever of the 2 figures is greater. So if you had, say, £120.00 outstanding, you'd pay £5.00, and if you had £533.33 outstanding, you'd pay £20.00.
Paying only the minimum required amount each month is generally not advisable as it tends to be a very expensive way to borrow money which can lead to persistent debt.
Finder credit card ratings
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Our experts score rewards credit cards to determine their value against similar products on the market. We look at a number of important factors, like welcome bonuses, introductory and ongoing earn-rates, any caps or restrictions on the points you can earn, plus the potential costs involved with running the card both in the short and longer term.
You can read more about our scoring criteria on our credit card methodology page.
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We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.
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