What are eligible purchases on a rewards card?
Most everyday spending is eligible to earn points, including groceries, petrol, retail items and travel. Transactions that don't usually earn points include cash advances, BPAY payments and spending with government bodies.
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How we picked theseBest rewards cards
- Best overall rewards credit card: NAB Rewards Platinum Card
- Best AMEX rewards credit card: American Express Platinum Card
- Best Big 4 Bank rewards card: ANZ Rewards Black Credit Card
Top rewards credit card offers
Here are some of the top rewards cards this month, based on their Finder Scores:
- The American Express Corporate Platinum Card has a Finder Score of 9.9.
- The Bankwest More World Mastercard has a Finder Score of 9.9.
- The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card has a Finder Score of 9.79.
- The American Express Platinum Business Card has a Finder Score of 9.4.
- The American Express Platinum Card has a Finder Score of 9.62.
- The Bankwest More Platinum Mastercard has a Finder Score of 9.15.
- The MyCard Prestige has a Finder Score of .
Updated March 2026 by Finder's senior money editor Richard Whitten.
What is a rewards credit card?
Rewards credit cards let you earn points for every dollar you spend. Some cards also offer hundreds of thousands of bonus points if you spend a certain amount after opening the card.
You can get rewards points with a reward program like CommBank Awards, ANZ Rewards or AMEX Membership Rewards. And there are supermarket rewards points like Flybuys and Everyday Rewards that function in a similar way (and you can earn Flybuys with a Coles credit card).
How can I use these points?
You can redeem rewards points in different ways:
- Cashbacks and gift cards
- Hotels, flights and accommodation
- Retail goods like cosmetics, electronics and homewares
- Frequent flyer points (usually at a rate of 2:1 or 3:1).
Some cards offer cashback instead of points. Some cards offer both.
You can redeem the points via your bank or reward program's store (for example, the NAB Rewards Store).
Do you need a rewards credit card?
Rewards credit cards are suited to bigger spenders, frequent flyers and people who shop a lot. You get rewarded because you're spending money. These cards are not budget or entry level credit cards because the rates and annual fees are higher.
Pros
- Points for spending. The most obvious perk of these cards is that you earn rewards of your choice, for money you were going to spend anyway. Why not get a reward for spending?
- Bonus points offers. New cards usually offer a bunch of bonus points when you spend a certain amount in the first few months. These points offers should have a dollar value that's greater than the cost of the card's annual fee.
- Perks. Rewards credit cards often come with extra perks like complementary travel insurance, purchase insurance, concierge services and lifestyle and entertainment offers.
Cons
- Higher rates. To pay for the points and perks, these cards typically charge higher ongoing interest rates than other cards. But if you pay off your balance in full each month there's no interest.
- Annual fee. Rewards cards come with an annual fee that can cost several hundred dollars.
- Temptation to overspend. The promise of rewards points can lead you to spend more than you usually would.
- Rewards limitations. Some rewards cards cap how many points you can earn.
Types of credit card rewards in Australia
Credit card rewards can be separated into 3 main categories: rewards points, frequent flyer, and cashback cards.
Rewards points programs
Many rewards credit cards in Australia earn points that you can redeem for different types of rewards, including gift cards, retail items, credit on your account, travel or point transfers to other loyalty programs. These flexible rewards programs include:
Frequent flyer rewards
If you're a member of a frequent flyer program, you can use a credit card to earn more Qantas or Velocity Points or miles in 2 ways:
1. Frequent flyer points per $1 spent
Credit cards that directly partner with a frequent flyer program let you earn frequent flyer points on your spending.
2. Reward point transfers to frequent flyer programs
Some rewards credit cards let you transfer points to different frequent flyer programs. This gives you more flexibility because you're not locked into one program.
It's also a way to earn points with programs that don't have co-branded cards in Australia, including Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles and Emirates Skywards.
But rewards points usually convert to frequent flyer points at a rate of 2:1 or even 3:1. So 100,000 rewards points might only get you 50,000 Qantas Points.
Cashback credit cards
These credit cards give you a way to get cash rewards for your spending, either in the form of credit back on your account or vouchers you can spend.
Some cashback credit cards give you a set percentage of your regular spending as cashback on your account (capped to a max amount), while other cards have introductory offers that provide a one-time account credit or voucher when you meet the spend requirements.
"Before you even compare credit cards, why not look at the rewards programs out there? Work out what you actually want. If you specifically want Qantas Points you might be better off with a card that earns Qantas Points directly. But if you're interested in gift cards and retail items, look at the rewards stores for different reward programs and see what's on offer."
How to compare rewards credit cards
Here's what you need to look at when comparing rewards credit cards:
- How can I earn points? How many points will you earn per dollar spent? A bonus points offer can give you a huge amount of value when you get a new card. Some cards have caps on how many points you can earn.
- What's the value of the rewards? What is 1,000 points actually worth? Every rewards program is different. If you need 12,000 points to get a $50 gift card and your credit card has an earn rate of 1 point per $1 spent. You would need to spend $12,000 before you could redeem the $50 gift card.
- Are there any complimentary extras? Many cards offer sweet perks, like complimentary international travel insurance, airport lounge access, complimentary flights and travel credits, extended warranty cover and concierge services.
- What will the card cost me? The annual fee is the biggest reward card cost. Some rewards credit cards offer no annual fee for the first year or ongoing. The value of the rewards you redeem should be higher than the cost of the annual fee to make it worthwhile. Don't forget the card's interest rate either. You can avoid interest charges by paying your balance in full each statement period.
How much do you need to spend to get rewards?
To give you an idea of the potential value of rewards, we've compared the amount of points you need to redeem a $100 gift card through major rewards programs that are linked to credit cards.
| Rewards program | Points needed for $100 gift card | Popular card and ongoing annual fee | Spend required for $100 gift card |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | 20,000 | Amex Explorer: $395 | 2 points per $1: $10,000 |
| Flybuys | 20,000 | Coles Rewards Mastercard: $99 | 2 points per $1: $10,000 |
| ANZ Rewards Program | From 22,225 | ANZ Rewards Platinum: $149 | 1.5 points per $1: $14,817 |
| CommBank Awards | From 20,650 | CommBank Awards Card: $96 (charged as a monthly fee of $8) | 1 point per $1: $20,650 |
| HSBC Rewards Plus | 24,000 | HSBC Platinum: $199 | 1.5 points per $1: $16,000 |
| Bendigo Bank Rewards | 37,040 | Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards: $89 | 1.5 points per $1: $24,694 |
Fees, points and redemption values correct as of January 2026.
Based on this table, the minimum spend required for a $100 gift card (or equivalent) is $10,000 with American Express Membership Rewards or Flybuys if your credit card offers 2 points per $1 spent.
How the Rewards Card Finder Score works
- 9+ Excellent - These cards offer the best ongoing earn rates and sign up offers, coupled with attractive annual fees and perks.
- 7+ Great - Reasonable rewards cards but may offer slightly lower ongoing or signup offers.
- 5+ Satisfactory - These cards may offer lower ongoing and sign up points, and fewer perks, but probably have lower annual fees.
- Less than 5 – Basic - Entry level rewards cards, that offer consumers basic sign up offers and ongoing earn rates.
Frequently asked questions
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Hi there,
I’m looking for a credit card provider that will offer me reward points with a low annual fee.
I’m not interested in points for frequent flyers or airfares, only points that renumerate me in vouchers for shopping only.
I had an ANZ first credit card, but they’ve removed their reward program from this card.
I pay my balance off completely when due, so interest rates on the card aren’t important either.
Hi Mickomicko,
Thanks for your inquiry.
You can check our Rewards Credit Cards page for a variety of options. We also have separated Rewards Credit Cards into the categories of Retail Rewards, Cash Back Rewards, Supermarket Rewards and Petrol Rewards.
I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi,
I am after a credit card that gives reward points that can be used for international flights (AU to UK). Can you point me in the right direction?
I have tried using numerous web sites that give comparisons between different cards but non seem to clearly state I am able to use reward points for international flights, only domestic.
I also do not want a card that is connected to a specific airline as I am yet to book the flight, the date, time and cost will impact which airline I will use.
Many thanks in advance.
Hi TKP,
Thanks for your question.
You can compare and apply for frequent flyer credit cards. There are several credit cards linked to rewards programs that aren’t tied to a specific airline. Check the individual programs before you apply, but generally, these programs let you redeem flights for international travel and also let you transfer your points to individual airline reward programs.
I hope this will help.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
Would it be possible to sub-classify these reward cards (27 at my count) into Qantas, Velocity and Others (including reward programs that can be converted into FF points, but where it is not mandatory). They currently appear to be random ordered. It would make it a lot easier to find what you are looking for.
Hi Sigmamupi,
Thanks for your suggestion.
This page is intended to show a comparison of all rewards credit cards. Using the headings of the tables you can filter the results by interest rate, annual fee, or points earned per $1 spent and compare cards across all rewards programs. That being said, if you’re looking for a comparison of just Qantas cards, Velocity cards or even frequent flyer cards, we have pages and tables where you can find and compare just these products.
You can use the navigation on the left-hand side of this page, or follow the links I’ve provided. If you’re looking for cards linked to a specific rewards program, you can just type the name of the rewards program in the search bar at the top of any page on our site.
I hope this will help.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
I’m interested in a new visa card that will accept balance transfer and will provide points to my Qantas frequent flyer card.
Your search features do not ask enough questions to assist me in quickly fine tuning my search.
Hi Alice,
Thanks for your question.
You can compare a range of credit cards that allow you to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points. By clicking on the ‘balance transfer’ heading at the top, the results on the table will be filtered to display those with the lowest balance transfer rates offer.
I hope this has helped.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
Can I fly any where with 128597 available points
Hi Tina,
Thanks for your question.
This depends through what rewards program you hold the points with, as each program’s points equate to different rewards. You can usually how far you can fly on the program’s website.
I hope this has helped.
Thanks,
Elizabeth