Best Barclays credit cards

Though they might not catch quite the notoriety of offerings from issuers like Chase or American Express, Barclays credit cards have a lot to offer the right kind of spender.

Most notably, the bank offers an extensive portfolio of co-branded travel and retail cards – designed to offer users the opportunity to earn more with their favorite brands. From airline cards that rack up miles on everyday purchases to the Barclaycard Financing Visa – which offers various financing terms for Apple products – there is a Barclays card for all kinds of cardholders.

What is Barclays?

Based in the U.K., Barclays is an investment bank and financial services company. In the U.S., the bank is well known for its wide variety of products and services – ranging from competitive online savings accounts to top-notch credit cards.

Among its offerings, Barclays partners with top airline, hotel and retail partners to offer cards that appeal to brand loyalists. With compelling rewards rates and benefits tailored to travel or shopping enthusiasts, it is easy to see why Barclays credit cards are so popular with U.S. consumers.

Barclays credit cards: At a glance

Barclays co-branded travel cards

Barclays offers a wide range of travel credit cards, in partnership with major airline and hotel brands. Here’s a deeper look into some of the most popular offerings:

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AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard

A favorite of American Airlines flyers, the AAdvantage Aviator card lets users rack up miles on their everyday purchases, making it easier than ever to get to their next reward flight.

The card also offers an incredibly generous sign-up bonus – 60,000 miles if you make a purchase in the first 90 days and pay the card’s annual fee. When you meet those requirements, you’ll also earn a companion certificate, which allows you to bring a friend on your next flight for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

Wyndham Rewards Visa

With no annual fee and an earning rate that supports high-budget purchases like gas and groceries, the Wyndham Rewards Visa is a great way for travelers to bulk up their hotel points.

While Wyndham doesn’t offer the most competitive rewards program – giants like World of Hyatt and Hilton Honors can potentially offer more value – the card is still a good option for loyalists of the brand.

Frontier Airlines Mastercard

Frontier Airlines is a favorite of budget travelers – thanks to no frills fares that let you cross the country for less. If you are a fan of the myFrontier rewards program, eager to earn miles to apply toward your next trip to save even more, the Barclays Frontier Airlines Mastercard is a great choice.

Not only does the card offer a generous rate on Frontier purchases, but cardholders can also earn a high number of miles when they dine out.

Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard

If Hawaiian Airlines is more your speed, Barclays offers a co-branded card with the airline. The card offers miles on a wide variety of purchases, for a modest $99 annual fee.

You’ll also unlock free checked bags and a $100 companion discount every year, for roundtrip travel between Hawaii and North America. For those who visit the islands frequently, this can more than make up for the card’s annual fee.

JetBlue card

The JetBlue card has a relatively modest rewards rate compared to its annual-fee alternative, but it is a good choice for JetBlue flyers not ready to shell out a fee to earn more miles. Additionally, the bonus category for restaurant and grocery store purchases means you can rack up miles even if you don’t fly often.

JetBlue Plus card

For more frequent JetBlue flyers, the JetBlue Plus card offers more extensive benefits – but comes with a $99 annual fee.

On the bright side, the card boasts an inflated rewards rate and travel benefits that can more than offset this cost if you fly frequently. For example, cardholders can earn a $100 statement credit each year if they purchase a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more.

Barclaycard Financing Visa for Apple purchases

One of Barclays’ most popular retail cards has recently undergone some major changes – including the stripping of its rewards rate. Nevertheless, the Barclaycard Financing Visa is still a great option for Apple fanatics. If you need time to pay down your Apple purchase over time without accruing steep interest charges, the Barclays Financing Visa lets you do so for any purchases made within 30 days of opening the card, as follows:

If you decide to use the Barclays Financing Visa to pay off your Apple purchases over time, keep one important thing in mind: If you fail to pay off the entire cost of your purchase during the allotted promotion period, you’ll end up paying interest for the whole time period. On larger purchases, that can add up to a big charge.

See related: Best cards for Apple purchases

Who is eligible for a Barclays card?

Unlike other issuers, Barclays does not have strict rules limiting the number of credit cards you can apply for. That makes it easy to sign up for whichever co-branded cards suit your needs.

However, you should keep in mind that most of these cards are designed for users with good to excellent credit (above 670). Before you apply for a Barclays card, you should ensure your score is up to par.

Final thoughts

Barclays has recently reduced its credit card offerings – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t great deals to be found with the bank. If you are a frequent traveler or shopper with any of the brands offering co-branded cards with Barclays, the rewards rates and benefits can be incredibly valuable.