what will Barclays be doing with Airtran Visa?

[hairmetal4ever]

I have an Airtran Airways A+ rewards Visa. The no AF version. Since Airtran was bought by Southwest, and its almost certain Chase (who holds SWA's Visa card) will not bebuying these accounts from Barclays, what will happen to them as Airtran is phased out?

 

Wpuld they be willing to convert to another partner card like Priceline?

[melbaro]

Chase is taking over the accounts. It will most likely be converted to a SW card in the future.

 

Galaxy Nexus Tapped

[chicagorich]

Chase is not taking over the Barclays accounts. In fact, Chase started offering its own Airtran Visa along with the Southwest Visa.

 

I have a Barclays Airtran Visa as well. No indication what Barclays will be doing once Airtran is finally phased out by Southwest next year. My assumption has been Barclays would transition good customers to another Barclays product, but I have nothing from Barclays so far to prove that. I plan on calling later this year and ask them.

[hrguy]

It would be great if Southwest switched themselves over to Barclay

[chicagorich]

It would be great if Southwest switched themselves over to Barclay

Well, since Chase has started offering its own Airtran Visa for the limited amount of time that Airtran will be around, Southwest has already made its decision to stay with Chase. Barclays is being allowed to maintain its current Airtran Visa customers while Airtran is still around, but you cannot sign up for a Barclays Airtran Visa as a new customer.

 

My Barclays Airtran Visa card expired in October of last year and I thought that would be a prime time for Barclays to switch me. But I received a new Airtran Visa to replace it with a 2015 expiration.

Edited March 7, 2013 by chicagorich

[foeplay]

Hasn't southwest always owned Airtran?

[hrguy]

No, Airtran is the old ValueJet. They were their own company.

[encoder]

My bet is that if accounts aren't being sold to Chase, that people will be transferred over to a generic Barclaycard.

 

Mind you, this is pure guess, but it seems a cleaner option than Barclays moving you to another co-brand card.

 

As an example, when Schwab decided to no longer offer a credit card, FIA converted us over to a generic FIA rewards card.

[hairmetal4ever]

I just got a CLI online w/them today, and figured "why the heck am I using a card for an airline I likely won't fly on before they no longer exist?"

 

Sad thing is, it asks "how much" you wish to increase, and I probably could have gotten more. I only went from $3900 to $6000, which is what I asked them for. I should have gone for 10...

I wonder if I call them and ask specifically to switch to another card, if they'll play ball?

[hrguy]

I just got a CLI online w/them today, and figured "why the heck am I using a card for an airline I likely won't fly on before they no longer exist?"

 

Sad thing is, it asks "how much" you wish to increase, and I probably could have gotten more. I only went from $3900 to $6000, which is what I asked them for. I should have gone for 10...

 

I wonder if I call them and ask specifically to switch to another card, if they'll play ball?

Most times they will do a PC. I am waiting to pay down my 0% Apple purchase and get my first auto CLI and then I want to switch out of the Apple card.

[hairmetal4ever]

Actually, this thread says they WON'T PC:

 

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=500584&hl=%2Bbarclays+%2Bswitch&do=findComment&comment=4750722

However, since they *have* to do something soon, since Airtran is all but gone, would they bend on this? Or, at least say "we will be converting you to XXXXX" and maybe let me switch early?

[hrguy]

Well the one post says they will not PC, but let you apply, get denied and then allow you to move the limit from a current card to the denied card app...it's essentially the long, roundabout way of doing a PC

[encoder]

It's not a conversion at all. It's just a new card with the same issuer. New history, new open date, etc.

[hrguy]

Even if you tell them to move all of the old credit line, not just some? I thought it only became a new line if you do a partial credit move. I.e. from a Visa to a Visa, the numbers really do not have to change, I figured if you move all of the line, that would just be internal.

[encoder]

I can't say for certain because I've never done that with Barclays. But I would be surprised if you just didn't end-up with one closed TL and a one new one for your new card.

[hrguy]

Good thought.

[virtualtreasure]

My bet is that if accounts aren't being sold to Chase, that people will be transferred over to a generic Barclaycard.

 

Mind you, this is pure guess, but it seems a cleaner option than Barclays moving you to another co-brand card.

 

As an example, when Schwab decided to no longer offer a credit card, FIA converted us over to a generic FIA rewards card.

 

As an example where Barclays is the issuer, they are in fact converting the haacard over to a generic Barclays reward card.

[chicagorich]

My bet is that if accounts aren't being sold to Chase, that people will be transferred over to a generic Barclaycard.

 

Mind you, this is pure guess, but it seems a cleaner option than Barclays moving you to another co-brand card.

 

As an example, when Schwab decided to no longer offer a credit card, FIA converted us over to a generic FIA rewards card.

 

I doubt the Barclays Airtran accounts will be sold to Chase. The credit demographic served by each company are not exactly what you would call complimentary...

Edited March 7, 2013 by chicagorich

[Ron1]

Here is the press release about AirTran to Chase:

 

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130305005431/en/AirTran-Credit-Card-Portfolio-Transitions-Chase

 

 

Ron.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Ron1

[rooms222]

I had a Barclay's Spirit Airlines card. The agreement was switched to BOA. Barclay's switched us to a generic travel rewards Barclay card. I don't think they changed the account number, but they did send us a new card.

[chicagorich]

Here is the press release about AirTran to Chase:

 

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130305005431/en/AirTran-Credit-Card-Portfolio-Transitions-Chase

 

 

Ron.

 

Wow..I am really surprised about that.

 

I wonder how Chase will handle those cardholders that don't fit their credit profile. I IIB'd Chase in 2007 and figured I would be on their blacklist for good...

[chicagorich]

I had a Barclay's Spirit Airlines card. The agreement was switched to BOA. Barclay's switched us to a generic travel rewards Barclay card. I don't think they changed the account number, but they did send us a new card.

 

So did you end up with a BOA Spirit Airlines card AND and new Barclays travel card.?

[hairmetal4ever]

So, based on what I read, I went ahead to call Barclays to see about a PC. They flatly said no, but the rep also claimed to know nothing about the transfer to Chase mentioned in the article, and offered no help as to what was going to happen.

 

Either way, I said screw it, hung up, went online, and applied for the Priceline outright, since I do and will use Priceline, plus the 2 pts/dollar is pretty nice.

 

I figure at worst, I can move my CL over to the Priceline card. My AAOA is good, and I haven't had recent IQs so what the heck.

 

Are they pretty easy about combining/moving CLs?

 

I did get the "7 - 10 day" message. If declined, would they be willing to reconsider if I propose closing Airtran to open the Priceline card?

[hairmetal4ever]

FWIW if they did move me to Chase, I have a Chase (ex WAMU) card now. I didn't IIB chase, but my BK is still on my reports (falls off in 2015), although my IIB accts are gone. Chase did give me a small CLI last month on my Chamu card, so I don't think they'd whack me if the Barclays does end up moving to Chase in the end.

[encoder]

Hair, Barclays has a great recon line. They've always taken care of me. Call them and get that Priceline card open.