Barclays will prevent new customers for signing up for the Arrival Premier card that was launched only earlier this year. In a statement to VFTW Barclays stated that the application would be pulled sometime at the end of the week due to low demand for the product. They tried to increase demand by waiving the annual fee first year and we saw targeted sign up bonuses as well. It’s hardly surprising given that it launched with no sign up bonus, travel partners that don’t transfer 1:1 to travel partners and an unclear value proposition. In the same statement to VFTW they stated they don’t have any planned changes to the card and they will continue to serve existing cardholders.
In reality I don’t think that will happen. The Arrival Premier is the only flexible point earning card Barclays offers, they will do one of the following:
- Make changes to the Arrival Premier to increase demand
- Launch a new card with flexible points (Arrival Premier Plus anybody?)
- Discontinue the Arrival Premier and the flexible point partner
