If you have a Barclays Credit card that earns Arrival Miles, you don’t have to worry about finding ways to redeem your rewards. The rewards program is one of the most flexible in the travel rewards realm, making it a great choice for all kinds of travelers.

How you redeem your miles, however, may depend on which credit card you have. Keep reading to learn more about the program and how the Barclays Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard and the Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard differ.

How to redeem your Barclays Arrival Miles

Regardless of which Barclays Arrival Credit card you choose, you’ll have the option to redeem your miles for travel statement credits, gift cards, or cash back. You’ll get the best redemption rate — 1 cent per mile — if you use your miles to get a travel statement credit.

To redeem your rewards for travel, simply use your card to book travel through any of the following merchants:

• Airlines
• Hotels
• Motels
• Timeshares
• Campgrounds
• Car rental agencies
• Cruise lines
• Travel agencies
• Discount travel sites
• Trains
• Buses
• Taxis
• Limousines
• Ferries

You can also use your miles to cover your annual fee on your card. Once you’ve made the purchase, go into your online account and request a statement credit against the purchase.

For example, let’s say you used your credit card to book a rental car for $256. If you have 25,600 miles in your rewards account, you can use them to essentially erase that $256 purchase, making the booking free.

The only drawback is that the minimum redemption amount for travel statement credits is 10,000 miles. This means that if you have any travel-related purchases under $100, you can’t use your rewards to get a statement credit.

The only exception to this rule is if you use your miles to pay your annual fee, in which case the minimum redemption amount is 2,500 miles.

If you don’t have enough miles to get a full statement credit, you can request a partial statement credit instead.

How the two Barclays Arrival cards differ

Depending on which Barclays Arrival credit card, there may be some differences in the rewards redemption process. Here’s a quick summary of each:

Barclays Arrival® Plus World Elite Mastercard®

With this credit card, you’ll get 5% of your miles back every time you redeem them. So, if we take the example above and you use 25,600 miles to get a statement credit for a rental car booking, Barclays will deposit 1,280 into your miles account.

Now, that doesn’t sound like a lot. But over time, it can add up. And since the card offers 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, you’re essentially getting a 2.1% rewards rate, which beats out most other credit cards.

Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard®

This credit card doesn’t offer miles back when you redeem, but it does give you even more flexibility when choosing how to use them.

Specifically, you can transfer your miles to any of the following airline partners:

• Aeromexico
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• China Eastern
• Etihad
• EVA Air
• Japan Airlines
• Jet Airways
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas

Unfortunately, there are no domestic airlines on that list, but some of them partner with domestic airlines, making it possible to use your miles for flights within the U.S. still. But in general, it’s best to transfer your miles only if you’re planning an international trip.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind that most of these have a transfer ratio of 1.4 to 1, except for Japan Airlines, which has a 1.7 to 1 ratio.

So, unless you can get a killer redemption rate by transferring your miles, you’re likely better off just redeeming the normal way.

Should you consider getting a Barclays Arrival credit card?

The Barclays Arrival credit cards offer travelers a lot of flexibility when redeeming their rewards. You’ll never have to worry about blackout dates or needing to work with just one airline or hotel brand.

So, for many people who prefer simplicity and high rewards rates, these credit cards are solid options. If, however, you like the idea of bonus spending categories and maximizing your rewards, you may be better off with another travel credit card.

It’s crucial then that you compare these credit cards with other travel cards to see whether they offer the best suite of benefits and rewards, as well as flexibility in redeeming those rewards.

Also, don’t forget to check out our top Barclays credit cards and get more details about each. If you don’t pick the right card the first time, you can always switch later.

But if you take the time to find the best credit card for you, you don’t ever have to worry about whether you’re getting the most bang for your buck.