So, you're thinking about parting ways with your American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® credit card from Barclays? Whether it's to simplify your finances, reduce annual fees, or explore other rewards programs, cancelling a credit card requires a bit of planning to ensure a smooth process and minimize any potential impact on your credit score.
Ready to take the plunge? Let's walk through it step-by-step!
Step 1: Gather Your Intel and Prepare for the Mission
Before you even think about picking up the phone or logging online, it's crucial to be prepared. This isn't just about calling and saying "cancel my card!" There are a few things you absolutely need to know and do beforehand to make the process as seamless as possible.
Sub-heading: 1.1 Know Your Card Details
Card Type: Do you have the Aviator Red, Silver, Blue, or Business Mastercard? While the cancellation process is generally similar for all Barclays AAdvantage cards, knowing your specific card type can be helpful.
Account Number: Have your full credit card account number readily available.
Security Information: Be ready to verify your identity with personal information like your date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security Number, or answers to security questions.
Sub-heading: 1.2 Review Your Rewards and Remaining Balance
QuickTip: Scroll back if you lose track.
This is a critical step! You don't want to lose out on valuable AAdvantage miles you've earned.
Redeem Your Miles: Immediately redeem any AAdvantage miles you have associated with your card. While your miles are typically held within your AAdvantage account and not directly tied to the credit card itself, it's always a good practice to ensure they're safe. You can log into your American Airlines AAdvantage account on AA.com to check your balance and redeem them for flights, upgrades, or other rewards.
Check for Outstanding Balance: Make sure you know your current balance. Ideally, you should aim to pay off your entire balance before initiating the cancellation. This avoids any lingering interest charges or complications.
Look for Pending Transactions: Check for any recent or pending transactions that haven't posted to your account yet. Wait for them to clear before cancelling.
Annual Fee: If your annual fee has recently posted, you might be eligible for a refund if you cancel within a certain timeframe (often 30-60 days). Keep this in mind when you call.
Sub-heading: 1.3 Identify Recurring Payments and Subscriptions
Many of us link our credit cards to automatic payments for streaming services, utility bills, or subscriptions.
Update Payment Information: Go through your records and update the payment information for all recurring charges to a different credit card or bank account before cancelling your Barclays AAdvantage card. Failure to do so could lead to missed payments and service interruptions.
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| How To Cancel American Airlines Barclays Credit Card |
Step 2: Choose Your Cancellation Method - The Direct Approach is Best
Barclays generally prefers direct communication for account closures.
QuickTip: Reread tricky spots right away.
Sub-heading: 2.1 The Recommended Way: Calling Customer Service
This is the most effective and often the quickest way to cancel your card. You can speak directly with a representative, confirm the cancellation, and address any questions or concerns you might have.
American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard Customer Service Phone Number: The dedicated line for AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard inquiries is 866-928-3075. For general inquiries, you can also try 877-523-0478.
Timing Your Call: Try to call during off-peak hours (e.g., mid-morning or late afternoon on weekdays) to minimize wait times.
What to Expect on the Call:
Verification: The representative will first verify your identity.
Reason for Cancellation: Be prepared to state your reason for cancelling. You don't need to elaborate extensively, but a simple "I no longer need this card" or "I'm consolidating my credit" is sufficient.
Retention Offers: Be aware that the representative might offer you a "retention offer" to keep your account open. This could be bonus miles, a statement credit, or even a waiver of the annual fee for a year. If you're genuinely considering keeping the card, evaluate if the offer is worthwhile. If your mind is made up, politely decline.
Confirmation: Crucially, ask for a confirmation number or an email confirming the account closure. Note down the date and time of your call, and the name of the representative you spoke with.
Sub-heading: 2.2 Alternative (Less Recommended) Method: Messaging through the App
Some users have reported success cancelling through the Barclaycard app's messaging feature. While this might work, it's generally not as direct or immediate as a phone call.
Barclaycard App: If you have the Barclays US app, you might find an option to message support from the 'Help' section.
Potential Delays: Responses might take longer than a phone call, and you might not get the immediate confirmation you'd receive over the phone. For a definitive and quick cancellation, the phone call is superior.
Step 3: Post-Cancellation Checklist: Ensuring a Clean Break
You've made the call, confirmed the cancellation – but you're not done yet!
QuickTip: Look for contrasts — they reveal insights.
Sub-heading: 3.1 Monitor Your Account
Final Statement: You will receive a final statement from Barclays. Double-check it to ensure there are no unexpected charges and that your balance is indeed zero (or reflects any refund for the annual fee).
Credit Report: After a month or two, check your credit report from all three major bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) to confirm that the account has been reported as "closed by consumer" and that there are no discrepancies. You can get free annual credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com.
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Sub-heading: 3.2 Safely Dispose of Your Card
Once you've confirmed the cancellation, it's time to safely dispose of the physical card.
Shred It: Use a cross-cut shredder to destroy the card, paying particular attention to the chip and magnetic stripe. If you don't have a shredder, cut it into many small, unidentifiable pieces with scissors.
Separate Disposal: Dispose of the pieces in different trash bins to further reduce any risk of unauthorized use.
Step 4: Understanding the Impact on Your Credit Score
Cancelling a credit card can have an impact on your credit score, both positive and negative, depending on various factors. It's important to understand these before you cancel.
QuickTip: Use posts like this as quick references.
Sub-heading: 4.1 Credit Utilization Ratio
What it is: This is the ratio of your total credit card balances to your total available credit. Lenders prefer this ratio to be low (ideally below 30%).
The Impact: When you close a credit card, you reduce your total available credit. If you carry balances on other cards, your credit utilization ratio could increase, potentially lowering your credit score.
Mitigation: If you have high balances on other cards, consider paying them down before cancelling.
Sub-heading: 4.2 Length of Credit History
What it is: The average age of all your credit accounts. A longer credit history is generally seen as more responsible and can positively impact your score.
The Impact: If the American Airlines Barclays card is one of your oldest credit accounts, closing it could decrease the average age of your accounts, which might slightly lower your score.
Mitigation: If this is an old account and you're not paying an annual fee, you might consider keeping it open and simply not using it, or downgrading it to a no-annual-fee version (if available).
Sub-heading: 4.3 Credit Mix
What it is: The variety of credit accounts you have (e.g., credit cards, mortgages, auto loans). A healthy mix can be beneficial.
The Impact: Cancelling one credit card usually has a minimal impact on your credit mix unless it's your only credit card.
The key takeaway here is to be mindful of these factors, especially if your credit score is something you actively manage. For most individuals, the impact of cancelling one card is often temporary and minor, especially if you have a strong credit history overall.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 frequently asked questions about cancelling your American Airlines Barclays credit card, with quick answers:
How to check my AAdvantage miles balance before cancelling?
Quick Answer: Log in to your American Airlines AAdvantage account on AA.com to view your current mileage balance.
How to avoid losing my AAdvantage miles when cancelling the card?
Quick Answer: Your AAdvantage miles are held within your AAdvantage account, not the credit card itself. As long as your AAdvantage account remains active, your miles should be safe. However, it's best practice to redeem any miles you plan to use before cancelling the card.
How to find the correct phone number to cancel my Barclays AAdvantage card?
Quick Answer: The primary customer service number for American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard is 866-928-3075.
How to handle recurring payments linked to my cancelled card?
Quick Answer: Before cancelling, update the payment information for all recurring bills and subscriptions to a different card or bank account to avoid service interruptions.
How to know if I'll get a refund for my annual fee after cancelling?
Quick Answer: If you cancel shortly after the annual fee posts (often within 30-60 days), you may be eligible for a prorated or full refund. Ask the customer service representative about their specific policy when you call.
How to ensure the card cancellation is confirmed?
Quick Answer: Always ask for a confirmation number or an email confirmation from the customer service representative when you cancel over the phone.
How to properly dispose of my cancelled credit card?
Quick Answer: Shred the card using a cross-cut shredder, or cut it into many small pieces, paying special attention to the chip and magnetic stripe, and dispose of the pieces in separate trash bins.
How to check if cancelling will negatively affect my credit score?
Quick Answer: It might temporarily impact your credit utilization ratio (if you carry balances) and the average age of your credit accounts (if it's an old card). Check your credit report a month or two after cancellation to monitor the impact.
How to avoid retention offers if I'm set on cancelling?
Quick Answer: Politely but firmly state your intention to cancel and decline any retention offers if you're not interested in keeping the card.
How to get my credit report for free to check the cancellation status?
Quick Answer: You can get a free credit report once a week from each of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com.
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