Which travel card should you take on your next overseas trip?
Travel cards can be a great way to lock in exchange rates and spend in foreign currencies, whether you’re travelling overseas or shopping online. However, as there isn’t one “best” travel card to suit all Australian spenders, it’s important that you compare your options .
This guide compares the Qantas Cash Card with the Travelex Money Card. Not only will it help you decide which card is right for you, you can also apply the strategies used to compare each option when looking at other travel money options.
Qantas Cash vs Travelex Money Card
| Feature/fee/rate |
 Qantas Cash |
 Travelex Money Card |
|---|---|---|
| Available currencies | AUD, AED, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, THB, USD | AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, THB, USD |
| Points earn rate | 1.5 Qantas Point per $1 spent in foreign currency. 1 Qantas Point per $4 spent in AUD. | N/A |
| Currency conversion | 0% | 5.95% of transaction value |
| Load fees |
|
|
| Minimum load amount | $50 | |
| Maximum load amount |
|
$100,000 (subject to $100,000 maximum balance during any 12-month period) |
| Daily transaction limits |
|
|
| ATM withdrawal fees |
International:
|
|
| Monthly inactivity fee | N/A | $4 |
Other factors to compare
As well as the features and fees compared above, you should also consider the following when weighing up which card is right for you:
- Additional cards. If you require an additional card, you may request an extra one from Travelex for a $5 fee. Qantas however only allows one card per cardholder.
- Loading funds. Both cards let you load funds onto your account via bank transfer or BPAY, but only Qantas lets you load via debit card. On the other hand, you may choose to load or reload in person at a Travelex store. Bank transfers generally take up to one business day to process, BPAY takes up to two or three business days, while debit card payments are instant.
- Smartphone app. Both the Qantas Cash app and Travelex Money app simplify travel money management on your smartphone or smart device. You may check currency balances, move money between currencies, view transactions, and make electronic reloads using either app.
- Worldwide acceptance.Both cards are reloadable Mastercards which means that they enjoy worldwide acceptance wherever Mastercard is recognised.
- Rewards program Since one offers rewards while the other doesn’t, the Qantas Cash card may be your obvious choice especially if you’re an existing and active Qantas frequent flyer member. However, you should make sure that the potential rewards outweigh any costs of the card before you make your decision.
- Emergency cash and card replacement. Both of these cards offer Mastercard Global Support services.
- Exchange rates. When you load funds on your card, they'll be locked in at the current exchange rate. Before you apply for a card, you should compare the exchange rates they apply. For example, at the time of writing AU$100 will get you $75.14 US dollars on the Qantas Cash card. However, if you opted for the Travelex Money Card, you would get $76.24 US dollars for $100 Australian dollars.
Verdict
If you want to earn points as you spend, the Qantas Cash card comes out on top. However, if you want to save on ATM withdrawals as you're getting cash overseas and access more competitive exchange rates, the Travelex Money card could offer you better value.
In the end though, remember that there isn’t one superior card for every person because all our needs are different. You can use our travel money guide to compare other travel cards and decide which one is right for you.
Picture: Shutterstock
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