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And that was the quote from the February Q&A which I relied on
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/downgrading-to-free-card/page/3/#post-390425
The unfairness I am referring to is the section in the Q&A which says, in very clear terms
“Can you upgrade and downgrade between the two cards?”
Yes. If you want to swap between Barclaycard Avios Plus and Barclaycard Avios, you can. Go to the Barclaycard app and select ‘Change to a different card’ under your existing Barclaycard in the ‘Cards’ section of the app.”
That is simply not true and that is why it is unfair!
its true, if it was available to all, it seems like it is not. someone reported it flashed up once in a blue moon
I’m in the same position as kinnimod – almost 3 months in, about to trigger the voucher and wanting to downgrade in a few weeks, but there is no option to do so, and based on other peoples experience there is no point in contacting customer services as they cannot do it either.
I have just tried to downgrade and they say I haven’t got a “product transfer” offer on my card so I cannot do it ! When queried they said I had accessed my OIN in the last ten days and then something about changing my address details . It’s ridiculous I thought I could downgrade at any time – surely they cannot lock people in like this can they ?
So I have exactly the same problem. There is no option to downgrade and the chat says I have to have a product transfer offer on my card ! How can that be right ? A previous chat says I could downgrade and the points would be transferred to my BAEC account – no problem. Surely they cannot lock people in line this ? They also mentioned me using my PIN in the last ten days – also something about changing my address . It’s absolutely ridiculous rubbish . Are these people or bots ?
So I have exactly the same problem. There is no option to downgrade and the chat says I have to have a product transfer offer on my card ! How can that be right ? A previous chat says I could downgrade and the points would be transferred to my BAEC account – no problem. Surely they cannot lock people in line this ? They also mentioned me using my PIN in the last ten days – also something about changing my address . It’s absolutely ridiculous rubbish . Are these people or bots ?
You are not locked in – you can cancel at any time if you wish. However, upgrades/downgrades are not a right but are sometimes possible, albeit on Barclaycard’s terms. I’d be much more concerned about the address/PIN issue that sounds like something potentially rather suspicious.
Just wanted to comment that yesterday out of interest/boredom and I clicked into the “change my card” page on the app – and the downgrade option appeared. I previously got nowhere via the live chat and was actually getting ready to cancel the card, so if you were in the same situation it may be worth checking again… Good luck!
Just wanted to comment that yesterday out of interest/boredom and I clicked into the “change my card” page on the app – and the downgrade option appeared. I previously got nowhere via the live chat and was actually getting ready to cancel the card, so if you were in the same situation it may be worth checking again… Good luck!
Yup, just worked for me too ! Good stuff. Will prob just cancel the card later anyway, but best to save £20 a month in the meantime
@chungcyk @chris1922 how long have you each held the card?
Have you both just had your 3rd statement issued? That appears to be the point the option to downgrade comes available, but would be useful to have your data points.
@chungcyk @chris1922 how long have you each held the card?
Have you both just had your 3rd statement issued? That appears to be the point the option to downgrade comes available, but would be useful to have your data points.
Ah, now that you mention it, yes ! Took the card out in June for the 50k offer, put a 3k deposit down for a BA holiday in July and bonus hit in one transaction.
Statements in July, August and just recently September’s. So there you go.Has anyone downgraded and seen their re-set target spend counter move again? Mine’s still stubbornly set at £0 despite 2 weeks on spending on the free card. It’s not cleat whether you start to earn another voucher from this point.
Has anyone downgraded and seen their re-set target spend counter move again? Mine’s still stubbornly set at £0 despite 2 weeks on spending on the free card. It’s not cleat whether you start to earn another voucher from this point.
Yes.
Mine shows the £20k target / how much I’ve spent towards it / target dateBackground: voucher obtained from the paid version of the card, and then downgraded to the free card after the option randomly appeared out of the blue one day. New spend target and new spend counter appeared some time later.
Thanks, @Aston100, maybe it’ll start moving then! I do vaguely recall it being very slow to catch up when we got the paid card.
Ah, now that you mention it, yes ! Took the card out in June for the 50k offer, put a 3k deposit down for a BA holiday in July and bonus hit in one transaction.
Statements in July, August and just recently September’s. So there you go.Thanks for confirming, expecting my 3rd statement soon, so hoping for the same. Will report back.
What’s the benefit of cancelling over downgrading?
Cancelling resets the clock for another SUB (which is 2 years for Avios Plus I think), but you would lose a non-Amex Avios earning card if that’s important.
Had the same issue as described in the above posts. Applied for the paid card which all went through very smoothly.I was pleasantly surprised and thought ‘huh, maybe Barclaycard have improved’. Hit the target for the SUB, avios transferred, so I have had the card for about 7 weeks now. I tried to downgrade in the app from paid card to free card and got the ‘no offers available’ message. I asked by chat if I could change cards and was told no. I said well its either that or cancel and they still wouldn’t budge so I cancelled. It’s a pity I can’t get the free card but there’s no way I’m paying £20 / month for 0.5 avios per £ in GBP only, not even for a couple more months on the chance that an offer appears after month 3.
In reply to timgilp and JDB, I think the ‘request PIN / change address’ is just an example of an event which would somehow lock things and stop you from eg changing card. IOW *if* you changed your address then you definitely wouldn’t be able to change the card for 10 days but they are not actually saying that you tried to change your address.
Had the same issue as described in the above posts. Applied for the paid card which all went through very smoothly.I was pleasantly surprised and thought ‘huh, maybe Barclaycard have improved’. Hit the target for the SUB, avios transferred, so I have had the card for about 7 weeks now. I tried to downgrade in the app from paid card to free card and got the ‘no offers available’ message. I asked by chat if I could change cards and was told no. I said well its either that or cancel and they still wouldn’t budge so I cancelled. It’s a pity I can’t get the free card but there’s no way I’m paying £20 / month for 0.5 avios per £ in GBP only, not even for a couple more months on the chance that an offer appears after month 3.
Isn’t it 1.5 avios per £1 on the paid card? Though still not worth the £20 pm fee unless you are putting a huge amount of spend through.
Had the same issue as described in the above posts. Applied for the paid card which all went through very smoothly.I was pleasantly surprised and thought ‘huh, maybe Barclaycard have improved’. Hit the target for the SUB, avios transferred, so I have had the card for about 7 weeks now. I tried to downgrade in the app from paid card to free card and got the ‘no offers available’ message. I asked by chat if I could change cards and was told no. I said well its either that or cancel and they still wouldn’t budge so I cancelled. It’s a pity I can’t get the free card but there’s no way I’m paying £20 / month for 0.5 avios per £ in GBP only, not even for a couple more months on the chance that an offer appears after month 3.
Isn’t it 1.5 avios per £1 on the paid card? Though still not worth the £20 pm fee unless you are putting a huge amount of spend through.
Yes it’s 1.5 points per £, but I’m assuming the previous poster meant 0.5 points extra on the paid card.
Yes that was what I meant but didn’t say. 1.5 on the paid card vs 1.0 on the free card.
Yes that was what I meant but didn’t say. 1.5 on the paid card vs 1.0 on the free card.
For the sake of one more months fee, what have you gone for instead? Nowt much else non-Amex out there better than 0.8p cashback equivalent (assuming worst case Nectar conversion).
I’ve considered the same but feels like cutting off my nose to spite my face.
Yes that was what I meant but didn’t say. 1.5 on the paid card vs 1.0 on the free card.
For the sake of one more months fee, what have you gone for instead? Nowt much else non-Amex out there better than 0.8p cashback equivalent (assuming worst case Nectar conversion).
I’ve considered the same but feels like cutting off my nose to spite my face.
Bugger, I accidentally reported the post due to the report button being too close to the quote button.
Anyway, are you sure it’s only going to be one more month before the downgrade option appears?
It seems to appear completely randomly.
Player 2 had it appear very quickly, sometime into the 2nd month I believe.
Mine didn’t appear until much later, one afternoon.@Aston100 not sure at all, but recent posts on this thread suggest they will appear a few days after 3rd statement date. I’ll report back if it’s true in around a week’s time!
Had the same issue as described in the above posts. Applied for the paid card which all went through very smoothly.I was pleasantly surprised and thought ‘huh, maybe Barclaycard have improved’. Hit the target for the SUB, avios transferred, so I have had the card for about 7 weeks now. I tried to downgrade in the app from paid card to free card and got the ‘no offers available’ message. I asked by chat if I could change cards and was told no. I said well its either that or cancel and they still wouldn’t budge so I cancelled.
same exact boat. the bonus posted promptly within the first £20 so I was happy with that. She did state you can re open a barclays card within 6 months. Did I not see you can open this Avios Plus after a year? or have I got that mixed up with Biz Platinum (13months actually).
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