Loyalty programs are a part of everyday life for most Australians, with Finder research showing 91% of people are part of at least 1 rewards program.
Supermarket loyalty programs are the most popular option, followed by the Qantas and Velocity frequent flyer programs. Reward programs also give Aussies another reason to get a credit card.
Biggest loyalty programs in Australia by membership
Based on company data and investor relations reports for 2023, Australia's major supermarket and airline loyalty programs take out the top 4 spots. The top 5 list is rounded out with pharmacy brand Priceline's Sister Club.
Qantas Frequent Flyer: 14.7 million members
Everyday Rewards (Woolworths Group): 14.3 million members
Velocity Frequent Flyer: 11.5 million members
Flybuys (Coles/Wesfarmers): 9 million members
Priceline Sister Club: 8 million members
How many Australians collect supermarket rewards?
Finder research shows 83% of Australians are part of a supermarket rewards program in 2023, with Everyday Rewards and Flybuys dominating the category.
The most popular way to redeem points is for savings on a future grocery shop (58%), followed by frequent flyer point transfers (13%) and other gift cards (9%).
Supermarket rewards by gender
Finder research in 2022 found women (72%) are more likely than men (62%) to use their points to get cashback off groceries.
Men (18%) are also twice as likely as women (9%) to convert their supermarket rewards points to Qantas or Velocity points.
Australian frequent flyer membership statistics
Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer are the two major airline loyalty programs in Australia, with a combined membership base of over 26.2 million people.
Membership is also increasing. In fact, Finder analysis of Qantas annual reports reveals the airline's loyalty program grew by just over 10 million people between 2004 and 2022.
How much are points worth?
Qantas and Velocity points typically offer between 0.3 and 0.8 cents value per point, according to Finder analysis.
The value of these points is typically highest when redeemed for reward flights or upgrades, with some Qantas Frequent Flyer redemptions offering almost $100 value for every 1,000 points redeemed.
But Finder research has found that reward flights can be difficult to redeem.
Have you tried to book a flight in the past 6 months using frequent flyer points?
Answer
Response %
Yes, but I had a bad experience and was not able to use my points
5%
Yes, I was able to use my points as expected
8%
Yes, I was able to use my points but it was more expensive or more difficult than I expected
12%
I don't travel
16%
No, I haven't tried to book travel with points in the past 6 months
60%
Other ways to redeem Qantas or Velocity points include:
Hotel bookings
Car hire
Gift cards
Retail items
What are airline loyalty programs worth?
Frequent flyer programs offer value to airlines, with marketing and the sale of points to partners – including credit card companies and supermarket reward programs – two key drivers of revenue.
According to independent analysis from Asia-based consulting firm On Point Loyalty, Qantas Frequent Flyer is the 13th most valuable airline loyalty program in the world in 2023.
Qantas Frequent Flyer has a market valuation of over $6 billion (US$4.3 billion)
Velocity Frequent Flyer has a market valuation of over $2.1 billion (US$1.5 billion)
Source: On Point Loyalty Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs January 2023
Credit cards and rewards programs
More than 1 in 3 Australians got their last credit card to earn reward or frequent flyer points, making it the second-most common reason people got a card.
What are the top reasons you got your most recent credit card?
In 2023, Qantas reported that "approximately 35% of all consumer spend [occurred] on credit cards earning Qantas Points."
Most bank and credit card-branded rewards programs in Australia allow people to transfer points to frequent flyer programs, as well as offering gift cards, cashback, retail items and other rewards.
Finder estimates the average value of points in these loyalty programs is between 0.002 and 0.005 cents per point, based on gift card or cashback rewards.
But some introductory bonus point offers can give people over $800 value when they first get a card.
Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald.
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