BarclaysUS Mastercard® Gold Card™

BarclaysUS Mastercard® Gold Card™

Type
Personal
Credit Rating
Excellent
Annual Fee
995
Reward Type
Rewards Miles
SigUp Bonus
No

Main Credit Card Features

Rewards
Balance Transfer

How airline miles credit cards work

Airline mile rewards are an extension of an airline’s loyal program through a credit card. They are also known as frequent flyer miles or travel points. The amount of miles you accumulate is directly related to the amount you spend. Sometimes the customer can earn multipliers on specific categories of purchases, such as airline branded products or services. The miles that you receive are redeemed for airline tickets.

Redeeming miles can be complicated. While one dollar may equal one point, one airline mile does not equal one geographical mile. Instead, tickets can be awarded at tiers or on a multiplier scale. A domestic ticket within the contiguous United States may cost 20,000 miles. An airline may charge you the equivalent of about 60 points for every dollar equivalent paid for your airline ticket.

Airline miles cards usually have welcome bonuses high enough for a free domestic flight, or to upgrade your flight cabin. Another significant advantage is a companion pass in which you only pay fees for an additional ticket on your reservation. You may have credits for secure traveler programs and access to airline airport lounges. However, airline miles credit cards tend to come with some of the higher annual fees. When it comes time to redeem, it can be difficult navigating the portal to do so. Redemption may be limited to a specific airline or hotel brand and you may be subjected to blackout dates. Sales may cause point devaluation within your account.

How Balance Transfer Credit Cards Work

This card provides an attractive APR rate if you transfer your balances from other credit cards or even loans. You can potentially save money on interest by moving your balance. This can get tricky, and you need to keep a few things in mind:

  • Take into account the balance transfer fee.
  • Understand that your credit score gets impacted every time you open a new credit card account, so you won’t be able to use a balance transfer card every few months.
  • The new credit card might not have enough credit limit to cover all your existing high-interest debt.
  • You are still required to make monthly minimum payments.
  • Using the card for daily transactions is problematic. This is due to the way your monthly payments apply to different principals.

Use our balance transfer calculator to estimate your possible interest savings.