Browse the Best Barclays Credit Cards

Barclays Credit Cards

Barclays is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, with over $1.5 trillion in assets as of 2019. The bank has its headquarters in London, where it traces its roots as far back as 1690. The bank has subsidiaries across the globe, including the United States.

Barclays issues a variety of credit card products through its Barclaycard division. Barclays cards are designed for those with excellent credit scores with some cards also enjoy 0% intro APR offers and no annual fees.

Co-Branded Cards

Most Barclays credit card products in the United States are co-branded. Co-branding means that the bank issues these cards with another retailer – typically a major name in travel. Barclays has an extensive collection of airline rewards credit cards, issued with the following carriers:

• American Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Jet Blue
• Lufthansa (Miles & More)
• Emirates
• Hawaiian Airlines

The bank also issues a variety of credit cards with major names in the hospitality industry. These include hotel chains, cruise lines, and timeshare and resort brands, such as:

• Carnival
• Diamond Resort
• Holland America
• Princess Cruises
• RCI
• Wyndham

Besides travel and hospitality, Barclays also issues rewards cards for leading brands. These include AARP, Barnes & Noble, and the National Football League (NFL).

Benefits of Barclaycard Credit Cards

Barclays doesn’t have unique benefits for cardholders like Discover or Citi. Holders do receive the usual perks and protections that come from Visa or Mastercard. Since Barclays issues both varieties of credit cards, the actual protections will vary. However, they typically include:

• Zero fraud liability
• Free FICO Score access
• Identity theft protection
• Fraud alerts
• Travel protection and travel insurance
• Accident protection and insurance

What to Look for In a Barclays Card

If you are thinking about getting a Barclays Card, what are the critical aspects to consider before applying? Here are a few of the key components of a card to think about:

• Annual Fees: Always pay attention to the annual fee before applying for a credit card from Barclays. This precaution is especially necessary for those who want an airline rewards card. Some cards charge no annual fee, like the JetBlue Card, but most Barclays airline cards do charge a yearly fee of around $90. For that fee, however, cardholders can anticipate greater rewards and airline perks.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: When looking for a travel credit card, pay attention to the foreign transaction fee. While most Barclays cards have no foreign transaction fees, some do. For those who want a credit card that doesn’t have additional costs when using them outside the United States, pay close attention.
• Rewards: What type of rewards does the card offer? If it is a cash back credit card, for example, what are the categories that earn the most points? Always pay attention to ensure that the card you are considering receives enough points in the categories in which you plan to spend the most each year.
• Introductory Bonuses: Does the card offer any introductory bonuses? Intro bonuses can include 0% intro APR, points after meeting a minimum spending requirement, or more.

Does Barclays Offer Preapproval?

Barclays currently does not offer preapproval or prequalification for American consumers. In this regard, Barclays is like another British export, HSBC, which also lacks this feature – one available from American Express, Citi, and Capital One.

Barclays is known for offering robust credit card products for those with excellent credit scores. Because of this, a person with a FICO Score above 700 can feel reasonably confident of success when applying for a Barclays credit card.