Discover how you can fly almost anywhere in Australia courtesy of your American Express credit card.
One of the many perks of having an American Express Platinum card is the free domestic return ticket you’re entitled to each year. Depending on the card, you can take your complimentary flight with either Qantas or Virgin Australia to anywhere from Sydney or Melbourne to Launceston or Brisbane. If you want to save on travel costs and take advantage of the complimentary flights, use this guide to compare the cards that offer complimentary flights, the possible routes you can take and the terms and conditions you'll need to be aware of.
Which cards give me a free flight?
If you have an American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card, American Express Velocity Platinum Card, American Express Qantas Ultimate Credit Card or American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card (discontinued), you’re eligible to receive a complimentary domestic return flight every year. This reward flight represents savings of about a few hundred dollars, but some conditions must be met before you can take advantage of the offer.
Compare credit cards with complimentary flights
Rates last updated May 25th, 2017.
Jonathan
Depending on the card you hold, there are also restrictions on your flight origin and destination, which we have set out below.
Where can I travel with my American Express complimentary flight?
The available travel routes differ with each card and depending on where you’re flying out from. You can compare the different route options below:
| American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card on Virgin Australia flights |  |
|---|---|
| Origin city | Possible destinations |
| Adelaide | Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Brisbane | Adelaide, Canberra, Hamilton Island, Mackay, Melbourne, Newcastle, Proserpine, Rockhampton, Sydney |
| Canberra | Adelaide, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Darwin | Brisbane, Perth |
| Hobart | Melbourne |
| Melbourne | Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Launceston, Mildura, Newcastle, Sydney |
| Perth | Adelaide, Brisbane, Broome, Karratha, Melbourne, Newman, Port Hedland, Sydney |
| Sydney | Adelaide, Albury, Ballina/Byron, Brisbane, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Coolangatta, Hervey Bay, Launceston, Maroochydore, Melbourne, Port Macquarie |
| American Express Qantas Ultimate Credit Card on Qantas flights |  |
|---|---|
| Origin city | Possible destinations |
| Adelaide | Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Brisbane | Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Canberra | Melbourne, Sydney |
| Melbourne | Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney |
| Perth | Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Sydney | Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne |
| American Express Velocity Platinum Card on Virgin Australia flights |  |
|---|---|
| Origin city | Possible destinations |
| Adelaide | Brisbane, Canberra, Coolangatta, Melbourne |
| Canberra | Adelaide, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Hobart | Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Melbourne | Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Coolangatta, Hobart, Launceston, Maroochydore, Mildura, Newcastle, Sydney |
| Perth | Adelaide, Broome, Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland, Sydney |
| Sydney | Adelaide, Albury, Ballina/Byron, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Coolangatta, Hamilton Island, Hervey Bay, Hobart, Launceston, Mackay, Maroochydore, Melbourne, Port Macquarie, Townsville |
How do I redeem my complimentary flight?
You may call AMEX directly using the phone number on the back of your credit card to book your complimentary flight.
Factors to consider before you redeem your free flight 
Apart from the standard reserved rights to change any of these terms and conditions, American Express and their partner airlines have a few important conditions that you should be aware of before you redeem your complimentary flight:
- Economy class. The free flight is for an economy class ticket, but you may pay to upgrade your ticket in the usual manner. Baggage in excess of 23kg may attract additional fees on Saver Fare flights.
- No partner airline or codeshare flights. The flights above are strictly provided for by Virgin Australia and Qantas respectively, and you cannot redeem your ticket with a partner airline or codeshare flight.
- Subject to availability. There is no guarantee that the flights you want will be available.
- Ticket holder. You may book your free ticket in another person’s name, except an unaccompanied minor.
- Ticket restrictions. You may not sell, transfer, endorse, refund or exchange your ticket for cash, or combine this offer with any other promotion, discount, negotiated or corporate rate.
- Ticket changes. Any changes made after your initial booking will attract the usual ticket change fees, fare difference and applicable GST.
- Conditions of carriage. Your travel conditions are subject respectively to ‘Virgin Australia Terms and Conditions of Carriage’ and ‘Qantas Conditions of Carriage’, depending on your card and flight carrier.
- Yearly redemption. You are eligible for one free return domestic flight every 365 days, i.e. each membership year and not calendar year. Your flight must be booked before the end of that year, and cannot be carried over to the next.
- Important clause for American Express Platinum Edge Credit cardholders. This flight offer is only available to members enrolled in the Ascent membership rewards program. Members who have enrolled in the Qantas Direct program are not eligible.
Complimentary domestic travel insurance cover
As with tickets that are paid in full with your American Express card, redeeming this free flight activates free domestic travel insurance cover for the trip. This insurance is provided for by Chubb Insurance Australia Limited, but note that only primary cardholders are eligible for travel insurance cover—supplementary cardholders are not covered.
Travel insurance benefits include:
- Travel inconvenience cover. Delayed or cancelled flights, luggage delay, etc.
- Medical emergency expenses cover. Repatriation, evacuation, cost of treatment, emergency dental treatment.
- Resumption of journey cover. Cost to resume an interrupted trip due to death, imminent death, serious accident or acute illness of a close relative. (This cover does not apply for American Express Platinum Edge Credit cardholders)
- Baggage, money and documents cover. Damaged, stolen, lost or destroyed personal baggage, money or documents during the trip.
- Travel cancellation cover. Non-refundable deposits, prepaid travel and accommodation costs should you have to cancel the trip for certain reasons.
- Personal liability cover. Damages for injury to persons or accidental loss to property.
AMEX complimentary travel insurance
I have an American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card and wish to use my free flight. Can I fly from Sunshine Coast to Maroochydore and if so, as soon as this weekend, ie Thursday/Friday 1 & 2nd September to Monday or Tuesday 5th & 6th September 2016
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for your inquiry. Please note that you’ve come through to finder.com.au we are an Australian financial comparison website and general information service, not actually AMEX.
I suggest that you get in touch with AMEX directly to book your complimentary flights.
Cheers,
May
Can I fly from Sydney to Maroochydore on my Platinum free flight?
Thank you
Hi David,
Thanks for your question.
If you are holding an American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card or American Express Velocity Platinum Card, you may take a free flight from Sydney to Maroochydore on Virgin Australia.
You can book a flight by directly calling AMEX.
Cheers,
Anndy
Qantas American Express Card…does my free annual flight be booked only with Qantas Airlines??
Can I book my free flight? I want to travel from Canberra to Adelaide and return.
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your question.
If you have a Platinum Edge and Velocity Platinum American Express card, you can take advantage of a free domestic flight with Virgin Australia.
You can book return flights between Canberra and Adelaide.
You’ll just need to book the Saver Fare flight with your American Express card.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
I have ultimate amex card ..can i book my free flight from Canberra to Adelaide return. .thanks
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately, if you are flying from Canberra, Adelaide is not on the list of possible destinations for your card’s free flight offer.
Cheers,
Anndy
Hi John,
Thanks for reaching out.
Kindly note that finder.com.au is an online comparison service and does not represent any credit card issuer such as AMEX.
Nonetheless, their bank page states that it is possible to use earned points for a one way, return or multi-destination Classic Flight Reward on over 50 partner airlines and their affiliates to over 1,000 destinations worldwide, depending on which AMEX Qantas card you use.
For more information, I have emailed you a link to their Qantas series page where you can find the available AMEX Qantas cards and their detailed features. I have forwarded their customer service team’s contact number to you as well, in case you wish to seek direct assistance.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Ally
Would like to know if I have a complimentary flight outstanding?
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your question. As you’ve come through to finder.com.au, not American Express, we’re unable to confirm whether you’re eligible for the complimentary flight.
You might like to contact American Express on 1300 132 639 to confirm this information.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
Can I fly from Melbourne to Coffs Harbour using my Amex complimentary flight?
Hi Robert, thanks for your inquiry!
Unfortunately Coffs Harbour is not a listed destination for the AMEX complimentary flight. You may like to consider other frequent flyer cards and offers.
Cheers,
Jonathan
can I fly out of Cairns?
Hi Noeleen, thanks for your inquiry!
Unfortunately Cairns is not on the list of eligible destinations.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Why is Townsville not on the list?
Hi Jamie, thanks for your question!
Unfortunately Townsville is not on the list of available destinations that American Express have provided. The list of eligible destinations for your complimentary flight is available on this page.
Cheers,
Jonathan
How do I transfer my rewards points to my Frequent Flyer account?
Hi Bob,
Thank you for your question.
Unfortunately transferring Membership Rewards points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program is no longer supported by American Express. However rewards points can be used for purchasing flights from AMEX travel agency partners. For a list of other credit cards with frequent flyer program please refer to this page.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi
Have some of the features changed on the platinum reserve credit card? For example the free night hotel instead of complimentary free flight and also international destination selection? I can not find it on the American express website anymore.
Thanks
Hello Chrissy,
Thanks for your question.
The American Express Platinum Reserve credit card is no longer available for new applications as of 1 October 2014.
You may need to contact American Express directly to confirm what the updated features are.
I hope this has helped.
Thanks,
Sally
Hi,
I have booked my Amex complimentary flight through Virgin but unfortunately I now need to cancel or even change the flight, is this allowed ? Or will I forfeit the free flight?
Thanks
Hi Simone, thanks for your inquiry!
As per the terms and conditions cancellations are not allowed “Tickets for Flights may not be cancelled, transferred, endorsed, refunded or exchanged for cash.” Changes to the time/ date of a booking can be requested by contacting Virgin Blue directly; “After a Flight has been booked, no route changes are permitted. If you wish to change the time and/ or date of a booked Flight, such changes are at Virgin Blue’s discretion.” Please note that fees and charges such as the standard Virgin Australia Change fee and the difference between ticketed fare value and the fare for a new booking.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan