Best Qantas credit cards — give yourself an upgrade

How we calculate Frequent Flyer Credit Card Finder Scores

Read full methodology

What different scores mean

9+

Excellent

These cards are your ticket to sky-high point earning potential, hefty welcome bonuses, solid ongoing earn rates, and a premium selection of travel-centric perks.

7+

Great

These cards might have slightly less impressive points earning or sign-up bonuses.

5+

Standard

Reliable workhorses for frequent flyers who want a well-balanced card. Enjoy decent point earning potential, competitive rates, and a good mix of practical perks.

0+

Basic

The entry point in the frequent flyer market. Their sign-up bonuses and ongoing earn rates might not be as generous.

The best Qantas credit cards in July 2024

• The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card has a Finder Score of 9.9.
• The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card has a Finder Score of 9.9.
• The ANZ Frequent Flyer Black has a Finder Score of 9.47.
• The Qantas Premier Titanium has a Finder Score of 9.34.
• The Westpac Altitude Qantas Black has a Finder Score of 9.1.

Updated July 2024 by money editor, Richard Whitten.

Finder Scores explained

• 9+ Excellent - These Qantas credit cards offer big points bonuses, high earn rates and premium perks.
• 7+ Great - These cards might have slightly less impressive points earning or sign-up bonuses than the absolute best Qantas credit cards on the market.
• 5+ Satisfactory - Solid but unspectacular cards for frequent flyers who want decent points earning potential and some mix of perks and benefits.
• Less than 5 – Basic - the entry point in the frequent flyer market. Their sign-up bonuses and ongoing earn rates are lower than average.

How does the Finder Qantas Frequent Flyer Score work?

The Finder Score is an easy way you can figure out which Qantas credit cards really offer first class value.

Here's how the score works:

• We analyse credit cards that let you earn Qantas Points and assess 8 features, giving a score for each one.
• Then we combine these scores using a weighted methodology (because some features are more important than others).
• This gives us a final score out of 10: the Finder Score.

In the frequent flyer category we only consider credit cards that:

• Link to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
• Let you earn points directly based on spending.
• Are available to general consumers.

Scores are category-specific. One card might get a 10 in the Qantas Frequent Flyer category but only a 7 in the balance transfer category.

The Finder Score methodology is designed by our insights and editorial team. Commercial partners carry no weight, and all products are reviewed objectively.

Frequent flyer credit cards - score weightings

Best overall Qantas credit card: Qantas American Express Ultimate Card

Qantas American Express Ultimate Card

• Up to 90,000 bonus Qantas Points
• $450 Annual fee
• 23.99% Purchase rate

Go to site

Ends on 03 September 2024

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Pros & cons

• Up to 90,000 bonus Qantas Points
• Up to 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases in Australia, uncapped
• $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year
• 2 complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations each year
• Complimentary travel insurance

• High $450 annual fee
• High 23.99% p.a. interest rate for purchases
• 3% foreign currency conversion fee
• Only offers up to 44 days interest-free on purchases, compared to other cards that offer 55 days

Best Big Four bank Qantas credit card: ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

• Up to 130,000 Bonus Points & back
• $425 Annual fee
• 20.99% Purchase rate

Read review

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Pros & cons

• Up to 130,000 bonus Qantas Points and $200 back
• 2 complimentary Qantas Club Lounge invitations per year
• 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent up to $7,500 per statement period, then 0.5 Qantas Points / $1 spent
• Complimentary insurance covers, including international travel insurance, purchase protection insurance and extended warranty insurance

• You need to keep the card over 12 months to collect all the bonus points offered
• The standard annual fee of $425 p.a. is high.
• When you spend over $7,500 per statement period, the earn rate drops from 1 point per $1 spent to 0.5 points per $1.

Best Qantas card for bonus Points: Qantas Premier Titanium

Qantas Premier Titanium

• 150,000 Bonus Points & $400 Qantas Luxury Holidays voucher
• $1,200 Annual fee
• 19.99% Purchase rate

Go to site

Ends on 01 August 2024

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Pros & cons

• 150,000 bonus Qantas Points offer
• $400 Qantas Luxury Holidays voucher
• 20% bonus Status Credits on eligible Qantas flights
• 10% off the base rate of eligible Qantas flights for up to 2 travellers twice per year
• Two complimentary single-entry lounge invitations to Qantas First Lounges

• $1,200 annual fee
• 3% international transaction fee when you shop overseas or online with a business based overseas

Qantas credit cards 101

A Qantas credit card lets you earn Qantas Points through the Qantas frequent flyer program.

You can get a Qantas credit card via:

• A Qantas Money credit card. This is the airline's own money brand.
• A Qantas credit card from a bank or credit card company. All the big banks and card companies offer Qantas cards.

How to earn Qantas Points

You earn Qantas Points with your credit card by:

1. Spending. A Qantas card will let you earn Qantas Points when you spend using the card. Earn rates range from half a point per dollar spent up to 1 point per dollar spent or more.
2. Bonus offers. A really good Qantas card comes with a bonus points offer. Usually you have to spend a certain amount in the first few months of opening the card and you unlock tens of thousands of bonus points.
3. Converting your existing bank reward points into Qantas Points. Check the fine print on your rewards credit card to see if it lets you do this.

"I recently took out the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card as I was planning a trip to the US. With the bonus points we earned we were able to book accommodation in the US and Europe, which probably saved us close to $2,000. While flight upgrades are technically better value in terms of using points, we travel quite a bit and so it made sense to use the points towards accommodation instead of flight upgrades. The one downside to the card is that it's not the best and for use when travelling as all transactions incur a currency conversion fee. I've never really used it overseas and instead use my Up debit card, which has zero currency conversion fees."

— Tom Stelzer, Finder Publisher

Should you get a Qantas credit card?

The bottom line — If you fly a lot, a Qantas credit card is great. You can earn Qantas Points and then spend them on reward flights. The savings can be worth thousands.

But... Qantas credit cards are not beginner credit cards for people looking to build their credit while avoiding high fees and interest. These cards have higher interest rates and fees than the average card.

Tip: Book travel with a Qantas credit card to get points and perks, then save on costs by using a 0% foreign transaction fee credit card, debit card or prepaid travel card when you travel overseas.

Types of Qantas credit cards

Everyday, Platinum, Black, Premium, Business Premium... these credit card names aren't helping anyone!

But you can break Qantas cards down into a few groups based on:

• The points you earn by $1 spent.
• The annual fee.
• The perks you get.

The most expensive cards have higher fees but you earn more points and get more perks.

There are also Qantas business cards. These cards offer stacks of points and high earn rates. But the annual fees are higher and you'll need an ABN, plus a minimum amount of annual revenue to qualify.

"My standard metric for assessing points value is how much value you get for every 1,000 points you spend. For a London to Sydney business class upgrade I got in August 2023, that worked out at $58.50 per 1,000 Qantas Points. It's really hard to do better than that."

Angus Kidman, Finder's editor-at-large and frequent flyer
Why my $7,653 Qantas Business Class upgrade is such a great points deal

How choose the best Qantas credit card for you

The bottom line — the best Qantas credit card is the one you can afford. The more points and perks the better, obviously. But you have to balance this against the annual fee cost and the spend requirements to get the bonus points.

Here's how you do it:

1. Look at the bonus points offer. A really good credit card should come with 90,000 bonus Qantas Points or more. Just make sure you can meet the spending conditions to get the points.
2. Compare the earn rate. As a general guide, 1 Qantas Point per $1 is usually seen as a good earn rate.
3. Factor in the annual fee. Let's say your card has a $350 annual fee. That's really high. But if the points you earn in a year pay for a couple of domestic reward flights you've probably already covered it.
4. Compare purchase rates. Qantas credit cards have higher interest rates on purchases. This can make these cards expensive. But only if you don't pay the card off on time.
5. Don't forget about eligibility. Most credit cards have minimum incomes and other requirements. Because Qantas credit card fees and interest rates are higher than average, you usually need to have at least a good credit score.

Tell me more about these travel perks

Choose a platinum or higher tier credit card and you can get valuable extras, such as:

• Airport lounge access
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Concierge services
• Flight or travel credit
• Exclusive Qantas offers, such as discounted companion fares or Qantas Club membership

Tip: You need to include your Qantas Frequent Flyer number to earn Qantas Points on the application. It usually costs $99.50 to join but Finder has rounded up 13 ways to join for free – including with some Qantas credit cards.

How to get the most from a Qantas credit card

• Get those points. Make sure you meet the conditions to get the bonus points. Use the card when you spend to earn points on eligible purchases.
• Use the points. You can use Qantas Points on shopping, rewards flights or upgrades. You get the most value out of your points booking reward flights or upgrades.
• Pay the card off in full. Don't get stuck carrying a balance on your Qantas card. The high interest rate will really start to hurt you.
• Review your card after 12 months. You have to pay the annual card fee every year. Before you do, review the card. Are you taking full advantage of the card? Is there a better offer out there?

What are eligible purchases? You earn Qantas Points on eligible purchases. This includes most of your spending, but excludes things like cash advances, balance transfers and BPAY payments.

3 tips for booking Qantas reward flights

1. Plan ahead. Frequent flyer reward seats get sold out quickly. For the best availability, start looking around 11-12 months in advance.
2. Build up status. Platinum and Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer status gives you a better chance of getting reward seats and upgrades. Flying with Qantas and partners is the main way to get Status Credits but sometimes credit cards and other products will also offer updates.
3. Remember fees and taxes. Reward flights have separate taxes, fees and carrier charges that you need to pay for. These vary depending on the flight but if it's overseas, you should budget at least $200 per fare – and keep in mind it could be more if you're travelling further.

How much are Qantas Points worth?

Flights and flight upgrades with Qantas or a partner airline usually give you the most value for your points compared to other rewards. And you can fly to over 1,200 destinations.

With that in mind, here are some examples of how much your points are worth based on different rewards in 2024:

• How we worked out these examples

  We used the Qantas Points Calculator on the Qantas website to check the points needed for different flights.

  We then searched for flights on those routes through the Qantas website, choosing dates at least 3 months in advance. The current values are based on flight searches in January 2024. We chose Economy Saver and Business Saver fares for each flight route to get the estimated costs for a direct flight in April 2024.

  The gift card reward is based on the standard redemption value listed on Qantas Marketplace on 2 January 2024.

Still not sure if a Qantas credit card is right for you?

What are my other frequent flyer options? Do I need to stick with Qantas?

There are 2 frequent flyer programs in Australia: Qantas and Velocity (Virgin).

• Qantas has more international reward flights than Virgin. If you shop at Woolworths you can convert your Everyday Rewards Points to Qantas Points at a rate of 2:1.
• Virgin has a very comprehensive range of domestic flights. If you shop at Coles you can convert your Flybuys Points to Velocity Points at a rate of 2:1.

"I actually went with a Velocity card instead of a Qantas card. The Qantas Points program has so many options aimed at international travel. But I want domestic flights to visit family, so Virgin is just fine (and a great, but cheaper experience if I have to pay for one flight and get another on points). I also mainly shop at Coles and have a huge amount of Flybuys Points. These convert to Velocity Points, not Qantas Points. That's the points ecosystem I'm in and it makes no sense to switch."

Richard Whitten, Finder's money editor
How I'm planning to become a credit card points master

I'm seeing a lot of American Express Qantas cards — is AMEX accepted everywhere?

American Express credit cards aren't as widely accepted as credit cards from Visa and Mastercard. However, they're a lot more widely accepted than in the past.

If you do most of your spending at major supermarket and retail chains (and most of us do) you should be fine. American Express is accepted at:

• Apple
• Bunnings Warehouse
• Chemist Warehouse
• Coles
• David Jones
• Netflix
• Woolworths

The American Express Australia website includes searchable categories of where you can use your card.

Keep in mind that card fees are usually higher with American Express than other credit cards.

I'm really more interested in shopping than travel — should I still get a Qantas card?

Qantas credit cards offer the best benefits for people who travel frequently. But they have some good shopping perks too.

Another option is to get a rewards credit card that earns you reward points when you spend. Most banks and card companies have a points or loyalty program. You can redeem points in various ways while shopping and even transfer them to frequent flyer programs in many cases.

Why you can trust Finder's credit card experts

You pay nothing. Finder is free to use. And you pay the same as going direct with a bank or card company. No markups, no hidden fees. Guaranteed. And we help you compare your options, even if they're not from our partners.

You get results. We spend 100s of hours researching credit cards. We know the value of a Qantas Point and we have a database filled with credit card offers that we update daily.

We're the experts. We've been helping Australians compare credit cards since 2006. Our in-house team are very frequent flyers, airport aficionados, data crunchers and personal finance experts.

More frequently asked questions about Qantas credit cards

• Which Qantas credit card earns the most points?

  As of June 2024, the HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card has the highest direct earn rate for Qantas Points in Australia at 1.5 points per $1 on everyday purchases, uncapped.

  The Qantas Premier Titanium also earns 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, but this is capped at $12,500 a month for eligible spending in Australia (0.5 points per $1 after that). It charges a $1,200 annual fee and offers a 10% discount on Qantas operated flights for up to 2 bookings per year.

• How long does it take to get Qantas Points from a credit card?

  The points you earn on a Qantas credit card are usually added to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account each month, around the time you get your credit card statement.

  If you've earned bonus Qantas Points, these will usually be added to your frequent flyer account within 8 to 12 weeks of meeting a spend requirement.

• Does credit card churning still work?

  Some dedicated Qantas Points chasers will choose a card based on the bonus points offer, keep it for a while and then look for another sign-up offer.

  This strategy is known as credit card churning. You can get stacks of points doing this but it's getting harder to do and has some risks:

  • Having multiple cards limits your chances of getting new ones approved.
  • Too many applications in a short time can hurt your credit score.
  • If you carry a balance on any card, you'll have to pay interest – not to mention all the annual fees.

  These days many credit card companies limit bonus points offers to new customers only. Or they require you to hold the card for a while before getting the points.

• What's the biggest bonus Qantas Points offer on the market?

  The Qantas Premier Titanium Credit Card currently has one of the biggest bonus Qantas Points offers in Australia, with 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply by 01 August 2024 and spend $5,000 in the first 3 months of approval as a new cardholder. It's also one of the most exclusive frequent flyer credit cards on the market, with a minimum income requirement of $200,000 and a $1,200 annual fee.

  You can get 150,000 bonus Qantas Points with the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card, but you'll need to run a business and have an ABN to get this card.

• Can I earn bonus points for signing up and then cancel it?

  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.

• How much would I have to spend to get a free flight?

  You need at least 8,000 Qantas Points for a Classic Flight Reward, which would mean spending at least $8,000 on a card that earned 1 point per $1. On a card that earned 0.5 points per $1, you'd need to spend at least $16,000. So it depends on your earn rate and spending.

  But if you get a card with bonus points, you might need to spend $3,000 to $6,000 in the first few months to get enough points for a longer flight.

• Do Qantas Points expire?

  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.

• Does Qantas have its own credit card?

  Yes, there are 3 credit cards from Qantas Money that you can compare. Other banks and credit card issuers also offer cards that are linked to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.

• Are there Qantas credit cards with no annual fee?

  As of June 2024, both the American Express Qantas Discovery Card and BankVic Qantas Visa have ongoing $0 annual fees.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Richard Whitten as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Sarah Megginson

Head of editorial

As an authority on all things personal finance, Sarah Megginson is passionate about helping you save money and make money. She is an editor and money expert with 20 years’ experience and an extensive background in property and finance journalism. Sarah holds ASIC RG146-compliant Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, and she's a regular media commentator, appearing weekly on TV (Sunrise, Channel 7 news, Nine news), radio (KIIS FM, Triple M, 3AW, 2GB, 6PR) and in digital and print media. See full bio

Sarah's expertise

Sarah has written 186 Finder guides across topics including:

• Home loans
• Personal finance
• Budgeting and money-saving tips
• Managing the cost of living