Want to earn Qantas frequent flyer points on your overseas spending? Read this guide to find out how Qantas Travel Money options can help you get more rewards.
Whether you want a dedicated travel money card, a credit card or debit card , Qantas has partnered with a range of providers to give you access to money when you go overseas.
Here, we take a look at the features and benefits of these options, how to earn Qantas frequent flyer points with them and what you need to know before you decide to get travel money through the Qantas network.
Qantas has partnered with Heritage Bank Limited to release the Qantas Cash card: a prepaid Mastercard that lets you load up to 11 currencies at a time.
This multi-currency travel card can be used at over 35 million locations around the world and also doubles as your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership card.
Features of Qantas Cash Card
Frequent flyer rewards. When you use the Qantas Cash Card, you will earn 1.5 points per $1 spent in a foreign currency and 0.25 points per $1 spent in Australian dollars.
Flight benefits. Qantas offers fee free flight booking on Qantas.com for trips departing in less than seven days from the booking date. You can also use the card as a boarding pass for some flights.
11 global currencies. Preload Australian dollars and then transfer them to any of the following 10 currency options: AED, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, THB and USD. This gives you a chance to lock in competitive exchange rates before you travel and avoid international transaction fees that other cards may charge.
International ATM withdrawal fee. The Qantas Cash Card charges a fee for all ATM withdrawals outside of Australia. The specific rate varies depending on the currency used, but starts from around GBP1.25.
Debit card load fee. There is a 1% charge of the total amount loaded onto the card using an eligible Australian debit card. To avoid this cost, you can choose to add money to the card via BPAY, which doesn't attract a fee.
Load limitations. You are required to add at least $50 to the card at a time and you can load up to AUD$20,000 on the card in a 24 hour period.
Tap-and-go technology. With Mastercard PayPass, you can simply tap your card to make a payment for transactions under $100 in Australia.
Card to card transfer. Move funds from your account to another Qantas Cash Card by logging into your card account online.
Safety. The card has 24/7 fraud support, chip-and-PIN technology and a zero liability policy to protect you against unauthorised charges.
While the Qantas Cash Card has a wide range of benefits, it's important to keep the following factors in mind if you want to get the most out of this prepaid travel money card.
ATM fees. You will be charged a fee every time you use the card at an ATM outside of Australia, which could quickly eat into the balance of the card.
Loading times. The time it takes to load money onto the card varies depending on how you add it. If you use an eligible Australian Mastercard or Visa (the Debit Load option), it will be instant but cost you 1% of the total transferred. If you load via a bank transfer, it will take one business day, and BPAY loads take two to three business days. Make sure you factor these times in so that you know you will have funds available when you use the card.
Default PIN. You can't personalise your PIN for this card, which means you will have to memorise it before you can use the card.
Just remember that purchases made on a credit card will attract interest charges if you carry a balance from month-to-month. If you don't think you can pay the balance in full, you may want to consider a debit card that earns points, such as the Bankwest Qantas Transaction Account.
Either way, it's important to remember that Australian credit cards and debit cards will still attract a foreign transaction fee for purchases made overseas (or with an international online retailer), which could add 2% to 3% to your total transaction value. Make sure you factor these costs into your budget if you take your everyday credit card or debit card with you overseas, or look for a card that has no foreign transaction fees to make paying with plastic more affordable.
Travel insurance
Qantas has a number of travel insurance options available to help you look after yourself, your family and your belongings when you're overseas, including:
Annual multi-trip insurance. A $545 fixed-price option covering unlimited trips in a 12-month period.
International comprehensive insurance. Coverage for single, international trips, with policies available for people up to 69 years of age as well as people over 70 years of age.
These policies are offered through Qantas Assure, and underwritten by QBE. If you're an Australian Qantas Frequent Flyer member, you can also redeem points on your travel insurance when you book a domestic or international flight departing from Australia at qantas.com.
When purchasing Qantas travel insurance, make sure you check the details of the policy so that you know how much you are covered for and any additional costs. Coverage for vehicle rental hire, for example, costs an extra $20 for every $500 of the limit on your selected policy, while snow sports coverage costs between $250 and $500 more.
It's also important to check the excess amount you will pay for each insurance claim. Generally excess costs start from $100, although there may be some exceptions depending on the policy and the level of coverage you require.
Complimentary travel insurance included with Qantas
Qantas credit cards offer complimentary travel insurance to help you save money and provide you with convenient insurance cover.
No, Qantas is not a bank. Heritage Bank Limited is the issuer of Qantas Cash. This means that Qantas Cash cardholders' contractual relationship is with Heritage Bank Limited rather than Qantas. Be sure to refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for additional information.
The second load of funds will be locked-in to the exchange rate that's in place at the time of loading, not the exchange rate that was in place when you first loaded funds on the card.
If your card is stolen Qantas has a 24/7 emergency assistance line to help you. They can give you emergency cash and help you suspend your card to prevent funds being stolen. Any fraudulent transactions on this card are covered by Mastercard's Zero Liability policy, provided you've acted within the conditions of use set out in the Product Disclosure Statement.
The Qantas Cash card doesn't charge currency conversion fees on unloaded currencies. So even if you're travelling somewhere that has a local currency that isn't supported by the card, you can still use it without the extra cost.
Yes. Partners, dependent children and other children can be covered by your travel insurance for an additional premium. Make sure you request this in your quote, or ask for an upgrade of your policy before you commence travel.
Marc Terrano is the lead publisher of Points Finder and a co-host of the Pocket Money podcast. He was previously a writer and publisher for home loans at Finder. Marc has a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) from the University of Technology Sydney. He’s passionate about creating honest and simple reviews and comparisons to help Australians get the best value for their money.
I am considering to load USD on to my Qantas Frequent Flyer card for a trip to Chile and Argentina.
However, I notice that both those countries are not included in your list of Locations (countries) on this web page ?
Does that mean I will not be able to use ATM’s in those countries to withdraw USD in cash.
You can still access cash anywhere in the world at any ATM that accepts Mastercard Prepaid.
When withdrawing a supported currency from an international ATM, the relevant fee will apply in that currency. When withdrawing an unsupported currency, the AUD$1.95 fee will apply. ATM operators may charge an additional fee.
Hi Sally
I have loaded one foreign transaction into the Qantas ff cash card and about to add another; will the second transaction have the earlier exchange rate or will it be at the latest exchange rate.
Thanks
The second load of funds will be locked-in to the exchange rate that’s in place at the time of loading, not the exchange rate that was in place when you first loaded funds on the card.
I am going to Europe, Russia, Croatia and Dubai but can’t find a card that has these currencies. Only two of them. Are there any cards that include these currencies.
Thanks Kathy
Thanks for your question. While most travel cards support Euro currency, not many Australian credit cards support the other currencies you’ve listed.
As such, you may like to consider a card that doesn’t charge currency conversion fees on unsupported currencies, meaning you can use your card internationally without the cost of such fees.
At this point, the Commonwealth Bank Travel Money card is the only Australian prepaid travel money card that doesn’t charge currency conversion fees for unsupported currencies.
In the event that you lose your card, you’ll need to notify Qantas immediately. Qantas will then either suspend or close your account. When you get in contact with Qantas, you can either request an emergency fund transfer or a replacement card.
I’ve emailed you the Qantas Cash customer support number for your convenience.
No, unless you’re attempting to use a currency that is not supported by the card, there is no fee.
For a full list of the Qantas Cash travel money card fees and charges, please see the Product Disclosure Statement available through the Qantas Cash website.
I am currently in the US and have my qantas cash card,my first purchase the other day rent through with no issues. Yesterday I attempted to make multiple purchases and both we’re declined. I used the correct pin and it didn’t go through. As a result, I paid in cash. I have just been online to my account to see why this was occurring, and have seen that the payments are sitting there as pending ( for one set purchase we attempted it 3 times, so it says that transaction is pending for 3 times. Why is this happening? Will I now be charged 3 times from my card when I paid in cash already?! I need access to my card and need to resolve this as soon as possible, however don’t have access to a phone right at this moment in time to call Qantas help line.
There is no monthly fee for the Qantas Cash. If you’d like Qantas to refund your credit in your Qantas Cash, please get in touch with them directly to request this.
Unfortunately we can’t recommend one card over another. Your decision may be based on the countries you’re travelling to and whether or not you can preload the currency beforehand to save on fees.
You may also want to consider how you’re going to spend your money, if you know that you’ll be withdrawing out of ATMs quite frequently, then you may want to opt for a card that charges less fees for withdrawing out of an ATM.
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I am considering to load USD on to my Qantas Frequent Flyer card for a trip to Chile and Argentina.
However, I notice that both those countries are not included in your list of Locations (countries) on this web page ?
Does that mean I will not be able to use ATM’s in those countries to withdraw USD in cash.
Hi Cliff! Thank you for your inquiry.
Thank you for your inquiry.
You can still access cash anywhere in the world at any ATM that accepts Mastercard Prepaid.
When withdrawing a supported currency from an international ATM, the relevant fee will apply in that currency. When withdrawing an unsupported currency, the AUD$1.95 fee will apply. ATM operators may charge an additional fee.
Best Regards,
Robyn
Hi Sally
I have loaded one foreign transaction into the Qantas ff cash card and about to add another; will the second transaction have the earlier exchange rate or will it be at the latest exchange rate.
Thanks
Hi Roberto,
Thanks for your comment.
The second load of funds will be locked-in to the exchange rate that’s in place at the time of loading, not the exchange rate that was in place when you first loaded funds on the card.
I hope this has answered your question.
Cheers,
Sally
What if I lose my card?
I am going to Europe, Russia, Croatia and Dubai but can’t find a card that has these currencies. Only two of them. Are there any cards that include these currencies.
Thanks Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your question. While most travel cards support Euro currency, not many Australian credit cards support the other currencies you’ve listed.
As such, you may like to consider a card that doesn’t charge currency conversion fees on unsupported currencies, meaning you can use your card internationally without the cost of such fees.
At this point, the Commonwealth Bank Travel Money card is the only Australian prepaid travel money card that doesn’t charge currency conversion fees for unsupported currencies.
You can compare other travel money options here.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
Hi Len,
Thanks for your question.
In the event that you lose your card, you’ll need to notify Qantas immediately. Qantas will then either suspend or close your account. When you get in contact with Qantas, you can either request an emergency fund transfer or a replacement card.
I’ve emailed you the Qantas Cash customer support number for your convenience.
I hope this has helped.
Thanks,
Sally
Does this card carry a fee to deposit money online?
Hi Sue,
Thanks for your question.
No, unless you’re attempting to use a currency that is not supported by the card, there is no fee.
For a full list of the Qantas Cash travel money card fees and charges, please see the Product Disclosure Statement available through the Qantas Cash website.
I hope this has answered your question.
Thanks,
Sally
Hi does this card have a reload fee?
Hi Sue,
Thanks for your question.
No, loading funds onto the Qantas Cash travel money card is free.
I hope this has answered your question.
Thanks,
Sally
Can my wife’s Qantas card be linked to my Qantas card’s account, that way we have a card each, and both operate / draw out of the one account?
Hi Tony,
Thank you for your question.
You can only have one Qantas cash card per account.
I hope this has answered your question.
Thanks,
Sally
Hello,
I am currently in the US and have my qantas cash card,my first purchase the other day rent through with no issues. Yesterday I attempted to make multiple purchases and both we’re declined. I used the correct pin and it didn’t go through. As a result, I paid in cash. I have just been online to my account to see why this was occurring, and have seen that the payments are sitting there as pending ( for one set purchase we attempted it 3 times, so it says that transaction is pending for 3 times. Why is this happening? Will I now be charged 3 times from my card when I paid in cash already?! I need access to my card and need to resolve this as soon as possible, however don’t have access to a phone right at this moment in time to call Qantas help line.
Thanks,
Raana
Hi Raana,
Thanks for your question.
You can get in touch with Qantas through an online message through this link.
All the best and hope you resolve this with Qantas asap.
Cheers,
Shirley
To avoid the monthly ongoing fee. Is it only charged if there are funds in the account? How do you bring the balance back to zero?
Hi Pamplona,
Thanks for your question.
There is no monthly fee for the Qantas Cash. If you’d like Qantas to refund your credit in your Qantas Cash, please get in touch with them directly to request this.
Cheers,
Shirley
Hi,
How do you make online purchases with the Qantas Travel Card if it doesn’t have an expiry date on the card?
Thanks,
Hi Andie,
Thanks for your question.
The Qantas Cash expiry date should be listed on the Qantas Cash side of your Qantas Card.
Cheers,
Shirley
I’m tossing up between the Qantas card and the ANZ and Westpac cards. Which would you recommend?
Hi Mick,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately we can’t recommend one card over another. Your decision may be based on the countries you’re travelling to and whether or not you can preload the currency beforehand to save on fees.
You may also want to consider how you’re going to spend your money, if you know that you’ll be withdrawing out of ATMs quite frequently, then you may want to opt for a card that charges less fees for withdrawing out of an ATM.
Cheers,
Shirley