The Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is a travel rewards card that provides its users with the opportunity to earn points and miles when making purchases. This review will focus on the features of this card, including its reward structure, fees, and benefits, as well as overall customer satisfaction ratings. By taking into account these factors, it is possible to gain an understanding of whether or not this credit card product is suitable for individuals looking for reliable travel rewards options.
In terms of rewards structure, the Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers customers two miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, along with one mile per dollar on other qualifying purchases. Additionally, cardholders can receive up to five thousand bonus miles after they make their first purchase and there are no blackout dates when redeeming earned points or miles. Furthermore, members have access to free checked bags, priority boarding privileges and 25% inflight savings when flying American Airlines.
When assessing fees associated with the Barclay’s AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, it should be noted that there is an annual fee of $99 which is waived in the first year; however additional cards come at a cost of $95 each annually. Moreover, foreign transactions incur a 2.7% surcharge and balance transfers carry an introductory APR rate of 12 months before transitioning to 17.49%, 21.49%, or 24.49%. Finally, customers who apply by April 30th 2021 may qualify for 50K bonus offer upon spending $1,000 during the first 90 days from opening their account. In conclusion, this review has explored some key aspects relating to the Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, allowing potential applicants to decide whether or not this credit card product best suits them in terms of features offered and associated costs incurred.
Overview
The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is a rewards card that offers generous travel benefits and perks. This card also provides users with opportunities to earn points for travel purchases, access to exclusive deals, and flexible payment options.
Cardholders can enjoy up to 4 miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchased directly from the airline or through an authorized partner, including flight upgrades and other eligible services. Additionally, they will receive 2x miles when using their card at grocery stores and restaurants worldwide. Special discounts are available at select retailers as well. Furthermore, there is no annual fee for the first year of membership and then $99 annually thereafter. The sign-up bonus includes 50,000 AAdvantage Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening account.
Card Benefits
The Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers a variety of benefits that can help cardholders maximize their spending. Card members will receive two miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and one mile per dollar on all other purchases. Miles accrued are redeemable toward flights, upgrades, and more with the airline. Furthermore, the card provides access to Admirals Club lounges where available as well as priority boarding privileges when flying with American Airlines.
Additionally, there is an introductory offer of 60,000 bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within 90 days from account opening; plus 10% of redeemed miles back up to 10,000 miles each calendar year. The annual fee is $99 which many find minimal considering the amount of value associated with this card.
Fees And Interest Rates
The Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has extensive fees and interest rates associated with its use. The annual fee for the card is $99, though there is an additional $95 annual fee per authorized user added to the account. This can be waived if the primary holder of the card has an active US Airways or American Airlines frequent flyer program membership. Additionally, balance transfers come with a fee of either 3% of each transfer amount or $10 minimum – whichever is greater. Cash advances are also subject to a 4% fee (minimum of $10) on each transaction.
Interest rates vary among purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers; purchases have 17.49%-24.49%, 24.49% for cash advances and 16.99%-22.99% for balance transfers depending upon creditworthiness at time of application approval. Late payments incur a penalty APR rate that ranges from 27.24-31%.
Redemption Options
The Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers many redemption options for cardholders.
Firstly, cardmembers can redeem points with no blackout dates or capacity restrictions on American Airlines flights. Points may be redeemed for any flight operated by American Airlines and its partner airlines in the Oneworld alliance. Cardholders can also book their flights through any travel agency or online booking tool that accepts American Airline’s frequent flyer miles program.
Secondly, members of the Barclay’s AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® earn 2x rewards points per dollar spent at American Airlines as well as 1x rewards point per every other purchase made using the card. These reward points are redeemable for a variety of items such as merchandise, gift cards, hotel stays and car rentals. Additionally, they can be used to cover taxes and fees associated with airfare purchases booked with the credit card.
Thirdly, members can transfer their reward points to several airline loyalty programs including British Airways Executive Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Program and Qantas Frequent Flyer Program among others. Moreover, these transferred reward points never expire as long as the account remains open and active.
Fourthly, holders of this elite world mastercard have access to unique experiences such as exclusive discounts on tickets for shows or entertainment events worldwide along with luxury trips or getaways at discounted rates from American Express Travel Services.
In summary, there is an array of redemption options available to individuals who possess the Barclay’s AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, ranging from flights to hotels, cars and exclusive experiences like concerts or trips abroad.
Pros And Cons
Moving from the Redemption Options section, this following section will discuss the pros and Cons of the Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. This credit card offers a variety of features that can be beneficial for its users depending on their needs.
| Pros | Cons |
| 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases with no limit or expiration date | Annual fee of $99 (waived first year) |
| 2 points per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases | |
| 25% savings on in-flight food & beverage purchases | |
| First checked bag free on domestic flights | |
| 10% mileage bonus when redeeming miles for award travel |
The advantages associated with owning the Barclay’s AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® outweighs its cons because it provides more benefits than what is required to pay annually. Cardholders are able to receive 1 point per dollar spent without any limitations which allows them to accumulate rewards quickly. Furthermore, they get an additional 2 points per dollar spent on eligible American Airline purchases and 25% savings on in-flight food and beverages. Additionally, cardholders can enjoy complimentary access to their first check bag during domestic flights as well as a 10% mileage bonus when redeeming miles for award travel.
It is important to consider both the positives and negatives before deciding whether or not this card is right for you. Taking into account the above information, this credit card may be suitable depending upon one’s individual financial situation and spending habits.
Alternatives
When considering a credit card, it is important to consider the alternatives. There are several other cards with similar benefits and features as the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers two points for every dollar spent on travel and dining purchases, plus one point per dollar spent on all other purchases. This card also provides additional bonuses for specific brands and establishments. The annual fee for this card is $95. In addition, there is no foreign transaction fee when traveling outside of the U.S. Another alternative card is the Bank of America Premium Rewards Card which has an annual fee of only $95 and no foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad. It earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases, 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases, plus an additional 25% bonus when redeeming rewards into a Bank of America bank account or Merrill Lynch investment account among others.
Overall these two cards offer similar benefits as the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard in terms of reward earning rate but they have slightly different rules regarding redemption options and fees associated with them. Therefore, it is important to research each option carefully before deciding which one best suits individual needs and preferences.
Conclusion
The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is a high-end travel rewards credit card that offers great benefits, competitive fees and interest rates, flexible redemption options and many other features. Cardholders can enjoy exclusive access to airport lounges, bonus points for spending on certain categories of purchases, free checked bags and more. The main drawback of this card is its relatively high annual fee; however, this may be outweighed by the overall value offered through the card’s generous rewards program.
The wide range of redemption options available with this card make it a good choice for those looking to maximize their return on investment from their travel expenses. Points earned can be used towards airline tickets, hotel stays or even gift cards at select retailers. Furthermore, holders have the option to transfer points earned directly into miles with one of several frequent flyer programs. As such, users can tailor their reward preferences to best suit their individual needs.
Overall, the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is an excellent choice for travelers who are willing to pay a higher upfront cost in order to gain access to superior perks and rewards. Those interested must carefully weigh the costs associated with owning this card against the potential long-term savings they could receive through taking advantage of all its features. With careful consideration and research into what other similar products offer in comparison, individuals should find that this product provides exceptional value when considering how much it has to offer them in terms of convenience and accessibility while travelling.