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Barclaycard issues the US Airways credit card. When American and US Airways merge frequent flyer programs, cardholders will get to keep their cards — but it will no longer be possible to sign up for the card from Barclays.

Clearly Barclaycard wants to go the extra miles to engage cardmembers before the window shuts to sign people up, and to make sure they’re able to retain folks who do.

It’s a great idea to sign up for the card before the window to do so shuts. You get 50,000 miles after first purchase and there’s an $89 fee. That’s really cheap miles, and it gives you the option to have the card. You’ll need to act soon because rumors are swirling about the American and US Airways programs combining soon.

Some readers uncovered an offer that should give you 10,000 more points after a year as well.

Last week they announced card legacy cardmembers who receive bonus miles every year will continue to do so.

Now they are offering to upgrade some existing cardmembers to a new, premium card: the AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite MasterCard with a $195 fee.

You can’t apply for the card, Barclaycard doesn’t get to issue AAdvantage cards to new cardholders, but they’re beginning to roll this out as an option to people who do sign up before the window shuts closed.

Here are the benefits:

• Triple miles on US Airways and American purchases plus double miles on hotels and car rentals
  
• A 10% rebate on redeemed miles annually, up to 10k miles .. this is just like the Citibank American Airlines offering.
  
• First checked bag free (up to 8 traveling companions)
  
• Companion certificate each year for two guests at $99+tax each with $30,000 in purchases by each anniversary date. The annual companion certificate was a fantastic benefit of the US Airways card, so I’m glad to see it continuing in some form.
  
• 5,000 elite qualifying miles for each $20,000 in annual purchases (up to 10,000 per year). This is better than the Citi Executive card’s 10,000 after $40,000 spend at a higher annual fee price point.

This card strikes me as the choice for elite frequent flyers who want the ability to earn status miles through spend, but do not need the Citi Executive card’s lounge access (e.g. don’t value the lounge access; have a Citi Prestige card with lounge access; can redeem for it with Business ExtrAA points; or have elite status with another oneworld airline).

I don’t think it’s that compelling otherwise.

Meanwhile, we learn that existing US Airways cardholders will get what’s called the AAdvantage Aviator Red MasterCard. This is the $89 fee card that is akin to the current offering.

• Double miles on US Airways and American purchases
  
• A 10% rebate on redeemed miles annually, up to 10k miles .. this is just like the Citibank American Airlines offering.
  
• First checked bag free (up to 4 traveling companions)

I love to see card issuers getting aggressive. I’m definitely keeping my US Airways card, and it seems wise to get the US Airways Premier World MasterCard before the option goes away — especially since you can even get it now for the 50,000 miles and then either now or later still get the Citibank-issued American AAdvantage card and its signup bonus.. and your miles will get combined into a single account.

(HT: The Points Guy and Mommy Points)

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