Barclay Aviator Red 50k - 1st purchase $95 AF

currid7

Level 2 Member
Stolen (paraphrased) from Reddit
The Barclay Aviator Red now has a 50,000 bonus after 1st purchase and $95 AF.

The offer is up from the 40,000 mile offer that was going on. I have not churned this card, since the retention offers are always good enough, but I have read many DPs that you can get bonus twice.

I’m assuming it’s like Arrival+ where you need to PC, then reapply. Can anyone know line out exact details on churnability and schedule?

One interesting note is that the terms and conditions mention 40,000 bonus miles after first purchase, but I'm sure it just hasn't been updated. I wouldn't be concerned.

Link: https://home.barclaycardus.com/cards/aadvantage-aviator-red-world-elite-mastercard.html
 

Suzie

Level 2 Member
Question - terms say "new card members only" - I get that - but wondering if that is the same as the Amex once per lifetime or if there is a period, e.g. 24 months, when you are considered new again.
 

Cmonman76

Level 2 Member
I got the bonus twice, end even got the second card while I still had an Aviator Red open from 2+ years ago when they were giving them out like candy before the US Airways switch.
Got the 40k bonus in Feb of this year I think.

Still have both Aviators open, really need to close one. Or both.
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
I got the bonus twice, end even got the second card while I still had an Aviator Red open from 2+ years ago when they were giving them out like candy before the US Airways switch.
Got the 40k bonus in Feb of this year I think.

Still have both Aviators open, really need to close one. Or both.
Nice, so when I got to churn Arrival+ in June, I'll try for Aviator Red #2. I'm in the same boat, mine's a holdover from the US Airways days.
 

Hanoi IG

Level 2 Member
My wife and I both got instant approval for this card. Not sure why I want AA Miles but I guess they have some uses.
 

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
Is there an option to downgrade this to a no AF fee card afterwards?
No, there is no downgrade option reported as of yet to the no-fee version of the card.

I have been following the FT thread on this card, it has gotten very little attention for being one of the few "first purchase" cards left. For now, reports are that even if you had an old US airways card that is converted, you get the bonus. No reports yet of anyone churning it though. All reports are of first time users, or first time applicants since the conversion from US Airways.

With the old US Airways cards, they were highly churnable, but once you were on Barclay's bad side for whatever reason, you just wouldn't get another card even though others were getting them over and over with worse credentials, more MS, etc. I'm not referring to being shutdown and blacklisted, it was just no new US airways cards and it was hard to find a reason. I had 3 old ones before somehow I ended up on that list, and had two or three failures the last year of US airways at getting a 4th. Had planned to apply for this next week but applied tonight, and went to pending, so I'll see if I'm still on the list.
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
No, there is no downgrade option reported as of yet to the no-fee version of the card.

I have been following the FT thread on this card, it has gotten very little attention for being one of the few "first purchase" cards left. For now, reports are that even if you had an old US airways card that is converted, you get the bonus. No reports yet of anyone churning it though. All reports are of first time users, or first time applicants since the conversion from US Airways.

With the old US Airways cards, they were highly churnable, but once you were on Barclay's bad side for whatever reason, you just wouldn't get another card even though others were getting them over and over with worse credentials, more MS, etc. I'm not referring to being shutdown and blacklisted, it was just no new US airways cards and it was hard to find a reason. I had 3 old ones before somehow I ended up on that list, and had two or three failures the last year of US airways at getting a 4th. Had planned to apply for this next week but applied tonight, and went to pending, so I'll see if I'm still on the list.
My wife downgraded to the no-AF version ("Aviator white"). It earns .5 miles per cent, no priority etc. Not an issue, since we have Citi AA Plats.
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
Question - terms say "new card members only" - I get that - but wondering if that is the same as the Amex once per lifetime or if there is a period, e.g. 24 months, when you are considered new again.
It's supposed to be 24 months, but reports vary from 1 - 6 months (at least on the Arrival+).
 

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
My wife downgraded to the no-AF version ("Aviator white"). It earns .5 miles per cent, no priority etc. Not an issue, since we have Citi AA Plats.
You're correct, I double checked my reading and it is the Aviator Blue which there are no reports of downgrades to, but downgrading to the white is confirmed possible. My mistake.
 
Last edited:

currid7

Level 2 Member
Just got a good nugget from Milevalue.com: if you were PC'ed from the US Airways to the Aviator, you got the MasterCard, if you apply for the Aviator with a new application, you'll be getting a MC Elite, which is a separate product, so you can in fact hold both of them. Seems no need to PC your (ex-US) Aviator, which is why there's some DPs of people holding both, seemingly breaking Barclays hold 2 of same product rule. Very interesting, I always wondered why my Aviator wasn't Elite, since all my MCs are. Now I know...
 

Jean

Level 2 Member
I have two of the old US airways cards I have kept open. (They have the yearly 10k bonus). Applied for the new offer of 50k and was initially declined. Barclays said I had sufficient credit with them. I called and asked if I could switch some credit to new card and was approved.
 

ldfernald

Level 2 Member
First statement closed, but AF hasn't posted. When does AF usually post?

This is my second Aviator, first was closed month ago.
 

Hanoi IG

Level 2 Member
My wife downgraded to the no-AF version ("Aviator white"). It earns .5 miles per cent, no priority etc. Not an issue, since we have Citi AA Plats.
We also have Citi AA Plat. So if both of us have both of these, what would be a good strategy? Cancel some, downgrade some. I get seduced by getting double the points but then with fee cards, shouldn't we be doing something as we don't both need the cards?
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
We also have Citi AA Plat. So if both of us have both of these, what would be a good strategy? Cancel some, downgrade some. I get seduced by getting double the points but then with fee cards, shouldn't we be doing something as we don't both need the cards?
Just try for retention and cancel before fee. As long as one of you is holding one (in the first year, so no fee) then no point to have 2, or to pay an AF. You can usually find a no-lifetime link at some point, so you can just keep rolling first year cards, so no fee.
 

Hanoi IG

Level 2 Member
Just try for retention and cancel before fee. As long as one of you is holding one (in the first year, so no fee) then no point to have 2, or to pay an AF. You can usually find a no-lifetime link at some point, so you can just keep rolling first year cards, so no fee.
Thanks! I know it is tempting to get these cards, since my wife and I travel together 100% of the time, it is good to get the bonuses, but then any purchases can always be made on one of the cards so why pay twice. Maybe should do same w/CSR and AX Platinum?
 

Maverick17

Level 2 Member
I had one old US card that became an Aviator. It was my 3rd US card, and it's still open. I had been on the no-go list it seemed with Barclays, being denied 2 or 3 times for getting a 4th US card before they went away. Applied for this card the day it was raised to 50k, approved after waiting a few days without calling, and bonus just posted this week.
 

HariOm

Transcendent Level
As noted above, the old US Air that PC'd to Aviator Red is a different product than the new Aviator Red that became available in December 2016. No problem holding both, or getting bonus on the new one while still holding the old. The question is whether the new one is churnable. Haven't seen any reports on that yet.
 

Dangaroo

Level 2 Member
I got the card in January after it was bumped up to 50k. Closed in June. Applied for a new Aviator five days later. Already got the 50k from the second card posted to my account.
 

DrAwesome81

Level 2 Member
This card was a very quick turnaround. I made a purchase and the annual fee posted right before the end of the month. I paid immediately and my miles posted the very next day.
 

italdesign

Level 2 Member
I got the card in January after it was bumped up to 50k. Closed in June. Applied for a new Aviator five days later. Already got the 50k from the second card posted to my account.
Me not so lucky. Waited 35 days after cancelling #1. Instant denial, no HP. Will try again in a few days.
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
I have the United turned Aviator . I tried with combined for A+ and insta-denied. I called recon a few days later and she said she could manually override the auto-decline and give it a shot for me. Then turns out she pulled a second time! She really didn't make it clear and I'm pretty pissed, but hey.
 

italdesign

Level 2 Member
I have the [US Air] turned Aviator . I tried with combined for A+ and insta-denied. I called recon a few days later and she said she could manually override the auto-decline and give it a shot for me. Then turns out she pulled a second time! She really didn't make it clear and I'm pretty pissed, but hey.
You sure they pulled it the 1st time? Instant denial b/c of existing card shouldn't get a pull.

Did you get A+?
 

El Ingeniero

Level 2 Member
Question about this card:

I got the US Air 50K miles offer, then it turned into an Aviator Red. Didn't want to pay the AF las January, so I downgraded to the Aviator no annual fee card. What are my chances of getting another one?
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
You sure they pulled it the 1st time? Instant denial b/c of existing card shouldn't get a pull.

Did you get A+?
Yea, since I applied for A+ and Aviator, it autodenied for the Aviator, but pulled for the A+. She made it sound like they'd just use that pull, but sure enough, 2 pulls on my report, days apart. And no, I didn't get the A+, no recon and the recon was no on the Aviator.
 
Top