I have written before about the benefits of credit card signup bonuses. They can be a good way to get a lot of miles and points, though you’ll want to make sure to go slowly and only sign up for cards once you understand the full ramifications (like the Chase 5/24 rule). And of course, as is often said in this space, DO NOT SIGN UP FOR A CREDIT CARD JUST BECAUSE SOME GUY ON THE INTERNET SAYS YOU SHOULD!
Last chance for a $500 signup bonus
Having said that, one of the cards that I personally hold is the Barclaycard Arrival Plus card. I find it useful for travel related expenses where I can’t use my regular stash of airline miles and hotel points. I’ve used it for train tickets to Machu Picchu, car rentals, and non-chain hotels among other things
(SEE ALSO: My last 4 Barclaycard Arrival redemptions)
(SEE ALSO: Step by Step tutorial on how to redeem Barclay Arrival miles)
Now, we’ve recently had reports from One Mile at a Time and others that the signup bonus on this card may be decreasing shortly. Currently you can get 50,000 points (worth $500 in travel) after spending $3000 in the first 3 months. That increased signup bonus has been around for a few months but the “regular” signup bonus has been 40,000 miles ($400). The annual fee of $89 is waived the first year
Also, it may be that Barclaycard is limiting people’s ability to get the Arrival card, as my wife was recently denied for having “too many cards opened in the past 24 months”
Benefits (and drawbacks) of the Barclaycard Arrival Plus card
When it was first announced, I was a huge fan of the Arrival Plus card. In fact, after spending on cards to meet signup bonuses and category bonuses, I would often put my everyday spend on this card. Unfortunately a few months ago, Barclaycard devalued the benefits of the card, dropping the points rebate from 10% to 5% and upping the minimum redemption from $25 to $100, which makes it much less attractive for everyday spend IMO
It is still the card that I personally bring with me when traveling to Europe or other countries due to its chip and pin features. And of course, the 50,000 mile / $500 signup bonus is $500, even if you don’t put any additional spend on the card!
It’s unclear as to the timing of the change in the signup bonus. The 50,000 point bonus may be around for awhile, or even after it’s officially “pulled” it may still be available through other means. Use your best judgment as to whether you should apply for this card.
If you’d like to sign up for the card and support the site, you can find the 50,000 point / $500 signup bonus offer on our list of top credit card offers (under travel)
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Thanks for that review. I did get the card, spent the $3k, but don’t understand how to get the 50,000 miles bonus to be $500 ? Do you mean I can take $500 off an American Airlines fare?
Check out this page about how to redeem Barclay Arrival miles.