When the U.S Airways cards that are issued by Barclaycard became American Airline cards, Barlcaycard released four different versions of the card. Most people were automatically converted to the Red card, as it was the most similar to the previous U.S Airways card. There was also a Silver card with a higher annual fee but more benefits.
Originally Barclaycard said cardholders would be able to request a product change immediately, they then said cardholders will have to wait until June 1st to request this change. I’m happy to report that it’s now possible to ask for a product change.
Comparison Table
Below you can view all four of the different Barclaycard American Airline cards and the benefits of each card.
| Barclaycard Aviator | Barclaycard Blue | Barclaycard Red | Barclaycard Silver | |
| Earn rate on AA | 1x | 2x | 2x | 3x |
| Earn rate on hotels & car rentals | 0.5x | 1x | 1x | 2x |
| Earn rate on all other purchases | 0.5x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
| Annual fee | $0 | $49 | $89 | $195 |
| 10% of redeemed miles back | No | No | Yes (10,000 mile limit) | Yes (10,000 mile limit) |
| Free checked bag | No | No | Yes, for you and up to 4 companions | Yes, for you and up to 8 companions |
| Priority boarding | No | No | Yes, group one | Yes |
| $100 flight discount | No | No | Yes, must spend $30,000+ in a calendar year | No |
| 25% in flight savings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Redemption Flexibility | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Elite qualifying miles | No | No | No | 5,000 for $20,000 in spend (10,000 for $40,000+ in spend) |
| Companion Certificate | No | No | No | Yes |
| Global Entry | No | No | No | Yes, $100 statement credit |
| Anniversary bonus continue to be received | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign transaction fees | Yes | No | No | No |
If you want to see how these stack up compared to the cards offered by Citi, you can do so here.
The Warning
If your card currently comes with the 10,000 mile anniversary bonus and you request a product change, you will forever lose this anniversary bonus. I’d recommend keeping your card as is if you have this bonus tied to your account, but that choice is yours.
Also keep in mind the 10% rebates do not stack, even if you have a Citi card as well.
How To Request A Product Change
If you’d like to request a product change, here is what you need to do:
- You must have received your American Airlines branded card. If you haven’t received this before then you can do so, more information here.
- Call the number on the back of your card and ask to be changed over to the product you’d prefer (be weary of loosing your anniversary bonus! See above)
- If approved you’ll keep your credit history on your report and they’ll issue a new card
Not everybody will be approved, especially when requesting the Silver card but all you can do is ask. If you request a product change, let us know your experiences in the comments below.
I got converted to the Red card, but have still not received it (though it showed the new card at least a month ago). I will most likely be downgrading it soon as I assume the annual fee date doesn’t change from the old card?
How often can you request a PC? Can I just downgrade to the aviator and then when I want to get the 10% miles back switch back up?
After speaking with Barclays twice, 2 reps confirmed that you cannot product change during a promotion (like the +50% extra miles promo that is currently going on for the Red version). They suggested I call back on July 5.
Is this so? No more free checked bag with the change to the Aviator? My DH may as well switch over to Citi AA. There is a 1% BT fee for his account that is waiting if there is no free bag or priority boarding. Sock drawer bound.
Kira, forgive me if I am wrong but the merger is a done deal with just a few steps left for the two to be as one. I can’t imagine AA would have left your US DM account separate.
What I mean is if I did not choose to merge, I will have two AA accounts. One is connected with Citi AA and another with the Barclay. In that sense, AA system may consider these two accounts belong to two different people, although they have the same first name and last name. Also in this way, I may get 10% miles rebates stackable.
So…if Barclays automatically assigns you to the lowest no-fee version, then I’d get to keep my anniversary bonus (but not get the 10% miles back). Whereas if Barclays switches me the Red version ($89AF), and I then product change to the no-fee version, then I lose the anniversary bonus?
Why would Barclays automatically switch anyone to the no-fee version? Especially considering we’re being switched from an $89 AF USAirways card? (I realize some USAirways cards are holdovers from previous issuers that did not have AF, thus Barclays may switch them to the no-fee version….but those people also were not getting the anniversary bonus.)
Basically, I think the second to last row of your table is technically correct but practically wrong (for the no-fee & Blue levels). There is no way to get a no-fee version that keeps the anniversary bonus.
IF THERE WAS, then I would have to run the numbers to see if getting both an anniversary bonus & 10% miles back is worth $89….OR…keep the anniversary bonus but lose the 10% back for no AF.
If I’m wrong, please let me know. I’d most likely go with no AF w/ the anniversary bonus (basically a free 10k miles/yr). But I doubt it’s possible.
I haven’t heard of anyone being switched to the no-AF version automatically. It may be an error on the table.
I regret that I merge my dividend miles with AA miles. I am thinking if I have two AA accounts, one from AA itself and another from USAir, and have Citi AA and Barclay USAir cards respectively, can I have 10% for each account?
Although silver has a higher annual fee, I am assuming it won’t be charged until your anniversary date, so you should be able to get the silver level benefits for a year at no extra charge and then (if desired) downgrade to the Red. And of course Barclays has been VERY accommodating with retention bonuses on the US Air cards for quite a few years (who knows if that will continue now that they can’t grow the program).
Good point about possible loss of the annual 10,000 points. They converted my 1st US Air card to a red; I’m hoping the 2nd will be converted to a silver, but I don’t think I’ve seen reports online of people automatically getting a red (have there been any?) which would make sense since it would be awkward for them to just give you a card with a higher annual fee.
Postings elsewhere have said Barclays Reps indicated you have 30 days after conversion to back out.