Barclays
Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard®
Key Features
| Annual Fee | $89.00 |
| Sign-up Bonus | Earn 70,000 miles |
| Rewards Rate | 1x-2x Miles |
| Intro APR | Balance transfers – 0% introductory APR for the first 15 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening), your APR will be 19.74% to 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. |
| Regular APR | Purchases – 19.74% to 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post to your account within 45 days of account opening) your APR will be 19.74% to 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. APR for cash advances 29.99%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. |
| Other Fees | Balance transfer – Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Balance transfer fee: 5% (min. $5). Cash advance fee: 5% (min. $10). Foreign transaction fee: 0%. The minimum monthly interest charge will be $1.00. |
| Network | Mastercard |
About this card
The Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® is a highly specialized card with a mixed value proposition, resulting in an overall rating of 2.6. For its intended, niche audience—frequent flyers loyal to the Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance—it offers compelling benefits such as a generous 70,000-mile sign-up bonus, two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers, an Annual Companion Ticket, and crucially, no foreign transaction fees. These perks are significant for those who can fully leverage them, potentially offsetting the $89 annual fee. However, the card is severely hampered by its exceptionally high regular APR (19.74%-29.74%), which is a major drawback for anyone who anticipates carrying a balance, quickly negating any rewards earned. The everyday earning rate of 1 mile per dollar on general purchases is also lackluster for a premium travel card. Additionally, while the absence of foreign transaction fees is excellent, the high balance transfer (5%) and cash advance (5%) fees detract from its overall financial appeal. The Miles & More program itself is also noted for being a 'closed loop' with criticisms regarding redemption flexibility and value. Therefore, while it presents strong advantages for a very specific type of traveler who can maximize its unique benefits and avoid carrying a balance, its significant limitations in APR, general rewards, and transactional fees prevent it from achieving a higher rating for a broader audience, placing it firmly in the 'Fair' category.
Pros & Cons
What's great
- Intro APR period
- Generous sign-up bonus
- Lounge membership
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual companion ticket
- Airline-specific rewards
Things to consider
- Annual fee
- High regular APR
- High balance transfer fee
What this card offers
Sign-up bonuses
- Earn 70,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases and pay the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
Rewards
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on Miles & More partner airline tickets.
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Other features
- Receive lounge access with two complimentary Lufthansa Business Lounge Vouchers annually.
- Receive an Annual Companion Ticket after each account anniversary (taxes and fees apply).
- Once each calendar year, you can convert 5,000 to 25,000 miles earned on purchases into Points and Qualifying Points. For example, 5,000 miles convert to 20 Points + 20 Qualifying Points.
- Redeem for flight tickets from the entire Lufthansa Group and Star Alliance network.
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases.
- Chip Technology Paying for your purchases is more secure at chip-card terminals in the USA and abroad.
Additional Notes
The annual fee will be waived for Senator and HON Circle Members, as long as they maintain their Senator or HON Circle Member status. The personal Miles & More service card number of the primary applicant is required within the application process.