Apologies for application issues with Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

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• Chuck says:

  1 Mar1 March 13:48

  I was turned down by their credit check today. Strange given 6 figure income, zero debts, and never missed a repayment credit history.

  • Rob says:

    1 Mar1 March 14:03

    Don’t waste your time with credit check. Just apply directly.

• George K says:

  1 Mar1 March 14:16

  One of the first things I was ever told about the dark arts of credit scoring was that it’s highly beneficial to never cancel your first line of credit. In my case, it’s my barclaycard, and yes, it’s just been sitting in a drawer doing nothing for years.

  I am happy to cancel and apply in six months, but can anyone say how big of a deal it’d be if I did that, bearing in mind that for me it’s the only card that I’ve held for a consistently long period of time?

  Should this even be a consideration?

  • Rui N. says:

    1 Mar1 March 14:40

    While that might somewhat useful to have in your credit report, is it really worth 25k avios? I know that for me the answer would be no.

  • MattB says:

    1 Mar1 March 14:51

    its usually just your oldest line of credit, and if its sitting dormant then that’s not always a good thing.

    • George K says:

      1 Mar1 March 15:18

      Thank you both – I think I’ll give it the chop soon to start the clock then.

      It’s been emotional.

      • Justin says:

        1 Mar1 March 17:06

        For me, Barclaycard is my second oldest (15+ yrs). No amount of Avios currency is worth the cancellation for me.

        However, I actually don’t use my Barclaycard but I do try to put a transaction on it every few months to keep it active (if I remember)

  • flyforfun says:

    1 Mar1 March 15:14

    Just how many years has it been there gathering dust? I got a Barclaycard circa 20 years ago when they offered free credit card transfers. Never used it apart from that and paid it off in time. Every few years they’d send me a new card that I tossed in the draw like you. At some point in the not too distant past they sent a letter saying they would close the account if I didn’t spend anything on the card within a certain period. I didn’t spend anything and never heard back so I assume they closed it. You should check in case they have done the same to you.

    • The Urbanite says:

      4 Mar4 March 00:38

      Activate an overdraft on your oldest current account, will show on your report as starting the day the account was opened.

• Optimus Prime says:

  1 Mar1 March 14:37

  People are planning to bend it like Beckham. Whether that backfires or not remains to be seen…

  • Optimus Prime says:

    1 Mar1 March 14:38

    This was a reply to Nick on page 7…

    • Nick says:

      1 Mar1 March 15:16

      Ah, thank you. Had never needed to be on that field possessing the previous Barclay card and all other cards being Amex….

      • CarpalTravel says:

        1 Mar1 March 15:49

        For me it also works out to be much better value and just an all out winner, strategy wise.

        For years I have been using Amex and VA cards and splitting the points between my accounts. BA have increased the redemption charges and the BAPP cost however to their credit, still have the easy to use companion voucher and loads of reward seating.

        Virgin meanwhile have effed up royally by hiking redemption charges, slashing reward seats, harder to use (or even spot!) companion voucher and generally being dumb with the tier pointing/household merging antics etc.. They used to be my absolute airline of choice as I liked their more relaxed and generally happier crew but they have made a real hash of their scheme.

        So, with this card I can bin off the VA+ card (£160 saved) and the BAPP (£250 saved), making use of my existing companion vouchers.

        Add the ability to bend as well (but I stress **no** MS antics) – this card is an absolute no brainer.

        • Rui N. says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:11

          If you don’t MS what great benefit does Curve bring you?!

        • CarpalTravel says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:21

          Very low fee Corp, VAT, PAYE payments. I’ll earn 6 figure Avios just from them.

        • Rui N. says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:24

          That is all MS.

        • CarpalTravel says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:32

          How so? I had always understood it to be the looping of money, such as the Creation / Ernie debacle. Creating artificial financial transactions purely to generate credit card spend. These are bills that need to be paid and are being so.

        • Rui N. says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:41

          That’s cash recycling, which is a specific type of MS. MS is generating points via transactions that would otherwise not generate them – you “manufacture” additional “credit card spending”, the transaction can be perfectly real and have to be paid. E.g., if you withdraw £200 with Curve with a CC behind, that’s MS. If you then go inside the branch and deposit the £200 back into your back account, that’s MS+cash recycling. (Same with Ernie; some people used Curve just to earn point on deposit that they would do nonetheless; some people withdrew it and deposited it again several times)

        • CarpalTravel says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:52

          Interesting, thank you for taking the time to write that. Reading that explanation, that would suggest then that any curve transaction (with a credit card behind it) where a credit card isn’t accepted, would technically be considered MS then?

          Given how Curve advertises HMRC payments I must be honest (perhaps naively) I didn’t consider it to be the same thing. I thought it was specifically cash recycling, like paying off a credit card with another credit card etc..

        • AJA says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:55

          I assume in ditching the BAPP you have another Amex (or access to one) to pay for tickets using the 2-4-1 voucher?

        • Rui N. says:

          1 Mar1 March 16:59

          Yes, they are indeed all MS. 🙂 And Curve does advertise (or did at least) paying a credit card with another credit card. But paying a credit card with another one is not that uncommon, it’s called a “balance transfer”, they just usually charge you for the privilege.

        • CarpalTravel says:

          1 Mar1 March 17:05

          Thanks @Rui N. It is good to be corrected and now informed. 👍

• M says:

  1 Mar1 March 14:39

  I applied about 24 hours ago but haven’t received an email and wasn’t accepted automatically. I think this is a problem with my address – I live in a new build flat which is written in different ways by different banks/companies. I can’t get through to anyone on the phone either. I actually tried to apply for a different Barclaycard about a year ago and was rejected, I assume due to the address issue. I have a great credit report. So unless I can speak to someone about the address (not sure what they can do anyway, as the address they generate for me is incorrect and won’t match my credit report), I’m not sure I’ll be able to get the card. Partner is having the same issue.

  • CatchFlightsNotFeelings says:

    1 Mar1 March 15:07

    i wonder if i will have the same problem as in a new build where the flat number and building number often get automated differently on different systems.

    • SimonM says:

      1 Mar1 March 20:34

      I’m in exactly the same position! Applied, wasn’t accepted automatically and my address is an apartment number in a block with a street number too. The address the form threw up didn’t match any format I’ve seen my address in either but then I’m presuming that’s why it maybe needs to go through some manual check?

      I haven’t had an email yet and no credit search has appeared on my Equifax record. I’m just waiting to see what will happen!

      • M says:

        2 Mar2 March 09:21

        Let me know if you hear anything from them! From my experience last year I don’t think they check addresses manually – I got fully rejected from a card last year that I just gave up on eventually. No check on my credit report then or now.

    • M says:

      1 Mar1 March 21:20

      Id say it could definitely be the culprit. It has caused a lot of issues with me getting a mortgage too- my address is in different formats for different utilities/cards vs Royal Mail and some of them are unwilling to change it !

      • Simon says:

        2 Mar2 March 12:56

        Yes it’s a nightmare! I’ve had problems in the past too.

        • CatchFlightsNotFeelings says:

          3 Mar3 March 15:34

          I’ve still had no letters, emails or any searches show up on my credit reports.

      • Simon Miller says:

        3 Mar3 March 14:02

        I got a letter today with my address listed as “Flat Apartment x” saying my application had been declined.

        Looking at Equifax credit searches, Barclaycard doesn’t appear, but not sure if there’s anything I can do about their decision!

• 2ilent8cho says:

  1 Mar1 March 14:56

  After checking the app every hour today since 8 the option to swap finally appeared.

  • Daniel says:

    1 Mar1 March 15:06

    What did your app say before?

    • 2ilent8cho says:

      1 Mar1 March 15:13

      No options available and some rubbish about me likely having asked for a PIN or reported card lost in last 10 days being the cause.

      • Daniel says:

        1 Mar1 March 15:20

        Well that gives me some hope as mine is still saying that

        • Roberto says:

          1 Mar1 March 15:40

          Ditto

• BA-Flyer says:

  1 Mar1 March 15:10

  The T&Cs for the upgrade voucher say:
  Your Cabin Upgrade Voucher will be issued to the BAEC account linked to your nominated account for Barclays Avios Rewards within five working days of your Barclays Avios Rewards anniversary which is defined as 12 monthly payments for Barclays Avios Rewards.

  Does this mean you can’t downgrade to the free card even if you pass the spend limit in a few months?

  • Lady London says:

    1 Mar1 March 15:26

    Have some class :-). Wait at least for your first statement.

  • yorkieflyer says:

    1 Mar1 March 16:04

    Yes I read this, implication was it was after the first anniversary

  • BJ says:

    1 Mar1 March 16:12

    If it does then things get very interesting because your voucher would just about break even on a zone 4 return redemption assuming an annual fee of £240 and a value of 1ppa on an off-peak WTP to CW ticket. By contrast, the same assumption on a zone 5 flight would double your money, you’d be getting about £480 of value from your voucher costing £240. Obviously the maths are different depending on zones, cabins, season, and whether you pay £15 or £20/month but worth evaluating personal use strategies to inform the sustainability of the card long term in absence of the SUB.

  • Rob says:

    1 Mar1 March 16:14

    Those are the T&C for Barclays Premier, not the credit card.

    • BA-Flyer says:

      1 Mar1 March 18:34

      It clearly says at the top of the page that they also apply to the Barclaycard Avios Card and Barclaycard Avios Plus Card with effect from February 2022.
      The application page for these new cards also links to them.

      • BA-Flyer says:

        1 Mar1 March 18:42

        Ignore my previous comment. Either I missed it before or the page has updated, but it does now clarify the Barclaycard voucher is issued within 5 days.

• Ross says:

  1 Mar1 March 15:55

  I’m seeing nothing on the barclaycard website about the Avios Card having elite benefits – is this the case and if so what are the benefits?

  • Rob says:

    1 Mar1 March 16:12

    Mastercard World Elite benefits are pretty nebulous – we will do an article in a few days.

• Neil says:

  1 Mar1 March 16:15

  The offer for existing customers in nice to see and I wish Barclays had done that for the premier account rather than just going after new customers – reminds me of those old Nationwide adverts “brand new customers only”

  • iamlost says:

    1 Mar1 March 16:44

    They did, albeit less generous. I got 2.5k Avios for signing up to Avios Rewards from an existing Premier account. Having said that, back in 2019 they gave me 25k Avios to convert my account with them to Premier. So I’ve netted 27.5k in total.

    • Neil says:

      1 Mar1 March 16:52

      Interesting – did you have to ask your account manager for the bonus on the existing premier account?

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