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A Qantas frequent flyer credit card gives you an easy way to earn Qantas Points for your everyday spending. The average Aussie cardholder could earn about 2,500 points per month for their usual spending with a card that earns 1 point per $1 spent. Add on 100,000+ bonus points and you'll have your next trip sorted!
With so many competitive cards on the market, there isn't one best Qantas credit card – and everyone has different spending habits and wants different perks. So here, we've highlighted some different examples of Qantas credit cards and what features to look for.
| Feature | Card | Current offer | Annual fee & purchase rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus points | Qantas American Express Ultimate
| Get up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, a yearly $450 travel credit. |
|
| Bonus points |
| Earn 80,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, an interest-free balance transfer offer. |
|
| Bonus points & cashback | Collect up to 130,000 bonus Qantas Points and $255 back when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. |
| |
| $0 annual fee | Earn 0.75 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, 0.5 point / $1 with government bodies in Australia and 1.75 points for eligible Qantas spending. |
|
A Qantas credit card helps you earn more frequent flyer points by offering a set number of points per $1 spent on everyday purchases. These points are added to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account, where you can redeem them for flights, upgrades, gift cards and other rewards.
As well as points per $1, Qantas frequent flyer credit cards regularly offer thousands of bonus points when you sign up for a new card and meet the introductory offer's spending requirements.
Depending on the card, you could also enjoy other travel perks, such as:
A key point to note: You must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member to earn Qantas Points with these credit cards. If you're not already a frequent flyer, most cards offer complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership.
How to get complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership and save
You can only earn Qantas Points on eligible transactions. This usually covers everyday expenses including groceries, petrol and travel bookings. Transactions that typically don't earn points include balance transfers, cash advances and government payments (such as paying your ATO bill). Check the credit card's product disclosure statement for a complete list of the transactions that do and don't earn points.
When you're comparing credit cards that earn Qantas Points, there are heaps of options available. We've broken down the costs and benefits of the different tiers of Qantas cards to give you an idea of what's available.
| Tier | Points per $1 | Annual fee | Common perks & features | Example cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0.5-1 | $0-$49 | Purchase insurance, modest bonus points offer | |
| Platinum | 0.5-1.5 | $50-$249 | Bonus points on sign-up, overseas travel insurance, limited lounge access | |
| Black | 1-2 | $250-$499 | Large bonus points offer, travel credits, lounge access, overseas travel insurance | |
| Premium | 1.25-2+ | $500+ | Status credits, extra-large bonus points offer, travel credits, lounge access, flight discounts, hotel perks, overseas travel insurance |
As you can see, there are Qantas credit cards available across the entire credit cards spectrum. Ultimately, the best card for you will be one that fits your budget, gives you enough value for how much (or how little) you spend and offers perks you'll actually use.
If you want to earn more Qantas Points as you spend and find the credit card that offers you the best value, these are the factors to consider:
Some Qantas frequent flyer credit cards offer you thousands of bonus Qantas Points on sign-up. These offers typically vary between 20,000 and 150,000 Qantas Points, depending on the card. You need to meet specific conditions to get the points, which can include:
The earn rate is how many points you collect per $1 on eligible spending. This rate has a huge influence on the overall value of the card, and there are 2 key details to look at when comparing different options:
These are what you'll pay for the credit card and can vary a lot based on how you use it.
Let's say you got a Qantas frequent flyer credit card with a $300 annual fee. Based on our Qantas Frequent Flyer Points analysis, you could balance out the card's annual fee by earning 16,000 Qantas Points and redeeming them for a return flight from Sydney to Melbourne (valued at an average of $321).
The amount you'd need to spend would depend on the card's earn rate. If your card offered 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent, you'd need to make $16,000 worth of eligible purchases within a year to offset the annual fee. This works out to be around $1,333 per month in credit card spending – which is less than the average amount spent on a credit card each month according to data in 2022. On a card with a lower earn rate of, say 0.5 Qantas Points per $1, you'd need to spend $32,000 per year, or around $2,666 per month to earn enough points for this reward flight.
These features can help you compare and choose a Qantas credit card – and ideally get more value from it.
How to use your Qantas Points and what rewards you can redeem
Some credit cards give you the choice of Qantas Points or rewards points, such as a CommBank Awards card or David Jones American Express card. When that's the case, just select the Qantas Frequent Flyer option when you apply – or call your provider to see if you can switch your rewards program later.
Looking for a way to get more frequent flyer points and perks? Get started by comparing Qantas credit cards and introductory offers to see if there's one that suits your needs. Or see a wider range of frequent flyer credit cards to see what else is out there.
As of 7 July 2022, the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card has the highest direct earn rate for Qantas Points in Australia at 1.25 points per $1 spent, uncapped, on everyday purchases. It charges a standard $450 annual fee and offers a yearly $450 travel credit as well as thousands of bonus points.
The Qantas Premier Titanium also earns 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, but this is capped at $12,500 / month for eligible spending in Australia. It charges a $1,200 annual fee.
Every card has different eligibility criteria. However, frequent flyer and rewards cards typically charge higher interest rates and fees than lower cost options. This means the minimum income requirements are higher and you'll need to have a clear credit file without bankruptcies or judgements. Make sure you compare credit cards before applying.
To collect bonus Qantas Points from an introductory offer, you usually have to meet a spending requirement within the first few months you have a card. For example, you might need to spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
The bonus points will usually be added to your frequent flyer account within 8 to 12 weeks of meeting this spend requirement.
If you meet the criteria for the bonus points, once they are credited to your account, you can cancel your credit card at any time. Just remember that you'll need to pay off the account balance before you cancel it.
The points you earn on a direct-earn Qantas credit card will be credited to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account at specific, regular intervals. Usually, Qantas Points are calculated at the end of each credit card statement period. They will then be credited to your account within several days of the end date for that statement period.
This depends on the amount of points per $1 your card earns and where you want to fly. But as an example, you could get a one-way economy Classic Flight Reward from Sydney to Melbourne for 8,000 points. If you had a credit card that earned 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent and usually spend $2,000 per month, it would take you 4 months to redeem a reward flight between Sydney and Melbourne.
Qantas Frequent Flyer also has a Points Plus Pay option you can use to book your flight with a combination of points and cash. You need at least 5,000 Qantas Points for a Points Plus Pay flight with Qantas, or 3,500 Qantas Points for a flight with Jetstar – but the value per point is usually lower than when you use points for a Classic Flight Reward.
Qantas Points only expire if you do not earn or spend Qantas Points for 18 consecutive months. This means paying with a Qantas credit card is one way to avoid points expiring, because you'll earn Qantas Points per $1 spent. Check out Finder's guide to points expiry for more information and how you can avoid having your points expire.
Yes, there are 3 credit cards from Qantas Money that you can compare. Other banks and credit card issuers in Australia also offer cards that are linked to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
If you want to close your Qantas credit card account, start by paying off the full balance. After that, you'll be able to cancel the credit card through the bank's internet or mobile banking service. You could also call them to close the account.
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I have many points with another airline. Can I transfer these to Qantas If I took one of the above cards. We travel a lot. Cheers!
Hi Stephen,
It’s helpful to know that you can transfer other points to your Qantas frequent flyer program. Please refer to our guide about transferring points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. You can find the rewards program you can transfer to Qantas and what you should be aware of when transferring reward points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program with a bonus promotion.
Could you tell me if all credit card companies have the same eligible purchase policy in regards to what constitutes a NON ELIGIBLE PURCHASE and an eligible?
Also, I have a CBA credit card as it partners with flight centre and I have 700,000 points but my points value is terrible so I’m looking at a Qantas card to replace it so I can get better value for points. I also want to enjoy lounges when I travel.
Hi Peter,
Not all credit card issuers have the same list of eligible purchases thus it would be best for you to review the card’s Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions or contact the provider if you have specific questions.
The CommBank Awards program offers you awards points for everyday spending and it also gives you options for earning either Qantas or Velocity frequent flyer points. If you choose to apply for a credit card with free lounge access, please use our comparison table to compare your options. When you are ready, press the ‘Go to site’ button to apply.
What card would give me the highest amount of points for international travel? I am planning on being away for a year or so require a card tht can reward me with qantas points.
Hi Trace,
While we do not provide specific product recommendations, we can help guide you through the process of comparing options. On the page you’re on, we have a comparison table that provides a list of cards that offer Qantas points.You may sort them by ‘Rewards Points per $ spent’,the page will automatically provide you the card you are looking for. You may hover your mouse to the ‘i’ symbol to know the details about how much point you get earn.
Hi,
We joined Frequent Flyer (Bronze) 2 months ago, as yet no card. Is this normal?
Thank you.
Bruce
Hi Bruce,
Please note that if you joined through the Qantas Club Service Centre, your membership card will be delivered within 14 days. Since you mentioned that it has been 2 months when you joined, kindly contact the Frequent Flyer Service Centre as soon as possible to report this matter. Additional info, Bronze Frequent Flyer Cards are only issued to eligible members residing in Australia. A Replacement Card Fee might be charged when a replacement card is issued. However, you may request to waive the said fee since you did not receive the initial membership card.
I have just joined Qantas Frequent Flyer and I am now a member. Will Qantas post me a frequent flyer card? I do not want a credit card just a reward card, and also how can I download a second app for Qantas Frequent Flyers on my phone for my husband as we only have 1 mobile between us?
Thank you!
Anne
Hi Anne,
If you joined through the Qantas Club Service Centre, your membership card will be delivered within 14 days. Since you mentioned that you only have a mobile phone to access yours and your husband’s QFF accounts online, you may log in or log out on your/husband’s account to check your account online. I suggest that you contact the QFF centre for further assistance on the mobile app and your other queries on having QFF accounts.