Frequent flyer bank cards reward you with free flights, upgrades and different journey perks only for doing all your on a regular basis spending. There’s a card for all the pieces: you’ll be able to select from fundamental, no-frills choices to playing cards that dish out massive factors and large options.
Loads of frequent flyer bank cards include epic sign-up bonus factors to kickstart your rewards stash, and a few have stability switch options if you wish to shift your debt to a brand new card for 0% curiosity and to pay it off sooner.
Or, when you’re simply saying “present me the factors!“, search for bank cards that pay out the very best variety of frequent flyer factors for each greenback you spend.
We’ve made it straightforward by summarising the options of every card proper right here. You may click on the cardboard to see the cardboard’s full particulars on the financial institution’s web site, and apply from there too.
Right here’s the highest frequent flyer bank cards for June 2024
Try our prime frequent flyer offers for this month. Click on ‘go to supply’ for a full rundown of the cardboard’s options, and to use.
Qantas Premier Platinum Credit score Card – as much as 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors
With the Qantas Premier Platinum Credit score Card, you’ll stand up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors – 70,000 while you apply and spend $3,000 or extra on eligible purchases inside 3 months from card approval, plus an extra 30,000 when you haven’t earned Qantas Factors with a bank card within the final 12 months. Their rewards program is stable too, providing you with 1.5 factors per $1 spent on worldwide purchases, 1 level for home spending (as much as $10,000 per assertion interval, then reverts to 0.5 factors) and a bonus level while you purchase chosen Qantas services and products. This card has another good perks, like a concierge service, discounted flights for as much as 8 companions, lounge entry and a diminished annual price for the primary yr, plus 0% p.a. on stability transfers for 12 months with a 2% stability switch price.
Qantas American Specific Final – as much as 90,000 bonus Qantas Factors plus $450 Qantas Journey Credit score
The Qantas American Specific Final Credit score Card is a premium card that gives a great deal of journey advantages and factors. New cardholders might obtain as much as 90,000 bonus Qantas Factors. That’s 70,000 bonus Qantas Factors while you apply on-line by 3 September 2024, are authorised, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in your new Card throughout the first 3 months. Plus, an extra 20,000 bonus Qantas Factors in your second yr upon price renewal. Earn as much as 1.25 Qantas Factors on on a regular basis purchases, 0.5 Qantas Factors on authorities spend, and an extra 1 level per $1 on eligible Qantas services and products with no factors capping. Annually you’ll obtain a $450 Qantas Journey Credit score for eligible home or worldwide Qantas flights when booked by American Specific Journey, which compensates for the $450 annual price.
Qantas Premier On a regular basis Credit score Card – as much as 8,000 bonus Qantas Factors
The Qantas Premier On a regular basis Credit score Card affords a variety of advantages. For the primary 4 months from card approval, cardholders can earn 2 bonus Qantas Factors per $1 spent on eligible purchases, on prime of the usual earn charges. This permits for a most of 8,000 bonus Qantas Factors while you apply at the moment and get authorised. The cardboard includes a low annual price, complimentary worldwide journey insurance coverage, and a 0% p.a. rate of interest on stability transfers for 12 months with 2% stability switch price.
ANZ Frequent Flyer Platinum Credit score Card – 75,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $100 again
ANZ Frequent Flyer Platinum Credit score Card offers loads of platinum perks plus, a really interesting introductory provide of 75,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $100 again to your card while you spend $2,500 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from approval. This card helps you to earn Qantas Factors as you store – 0.75 Qantas Factors per $1 spent on eligible purchases as much as $3,000 per assertion interval, then 0.5 Qantas Factors per $1 spent on eligible purchases above $3,000 per assertion interval. On prime of that, get pleasure from platinum advantages together with complimentary Worldwide and Home Journey Insurance coverage, Buy Safety Insurance coverage, Prolonged Guarantee Insurance coverage, and eligibility for Visa Provides + Perks.
American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card – 170,000 bonus Qantas Factors
Should you’ve bought a enterprise and also you’re in search of alternatives to earn essentially the most of your transactions, it’s best to benefit from this large welcome provide of 170,000 bonus Qantas Factors from the American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card. Obtain 170,000 bonus Qantas Factors while you apply by 25 June 2024, are authorised, and spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in your Card within the first 3 months from approval. Get pleasure from TRIPLE Qantas Factors for your small business on eligible Qantas flights and a couple of Qantas Factors on Qantas services and products. It is a cost card with no pre-set spending restrict which ensures larger cost flexibility. Provides two new thrilling advantages – as much as $200 again with Dell Applied sciences.
ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit score Card – As much as 130,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $250 again
A high-earning rewards card – ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit score Card affords as much as 130,000 bonus Qantas Factors – 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $250 again to your new card while you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from approval plus 30,000 bonus Qantas Factors while you preserve your card for a yr. Earn 1 Qantas Level per $1 spent as much as $7,500 per assertion interval, then 0.5 Qantas Factors per $1 spent above $7,500 per assertion interval, uncapped. Get pleasure from its glorious collection of options together with, complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership, yearly Qantas Membership lounge invites, and journey insurance coverage covers.
Discovering the Finest Credit score Card Provides on Frequent Flyer Playing cards
Frequent flyer factors (and the redemption applications they’re connected to) generally is a complicated world to dive into, however they’re additionally a few of the greatest perks a bank card can provide.
You’ll earn rewards factors only for doing all your day-to-day spending, and convert these factors into journey freebies and privileges, and even retail merchandise.
Now positive methods to discover your greatest card? We’ve bought you coated. Beneath is a simple information on frequent flyer factors, how they work, and methods to discover the bank card that’ll provide the most bang in your buck.
Step 1: Issues to look out for when evaluating frequent flyer bank cards:
- The frequent flyer program it’s connected to
- Whether or not the factors might be transferred to different frequent flyer applications
- Introductory bonus factors you get for signing up
- Any expiration dates in your factors
- The earn charge (factors you earn per greenback spent)
- Caps on the factors you’ll be able to earn
- Annual charges
- Different bonus options of the cardboard
Introductory Bonus Factors
Some frequent flyer playing cards provide you with bonus rewards factors on sign-up, as much as the tune of 120,000 factors (or much more).
However there’s a small catch – you’ll want to fulfill the eligibility standards to get your factors, which normally means spending a minimal quantity in your card inside a sure timeframe.
Examine the quantity required and be sure you can meet it – it’s typically within the neighborhood of $3,000 spent inside 90 days of approval, however might be kind of.
What number of factors you may earn
Rewards factors are handed out for the {dollars} you spend on eligible purchases. Some issues received’t earn rewards factors, like Bpay transactions, money advances (the place you withdraw cash out of your bank card) and a few authorities funds.
Most occasions, rewards additionally received’t apply on stability transfers, the place you progress your stability remaining from one bank card to a brand new one which has 0% or low curiosity utilized to the transferred quantity. Examine the cardboard’s PDS and the TMD to ensure.
The quantity of factors you’ll be able to earn depends upon a couple of issues:
- The earn charge. That’s what number of factors per $1 you spend. 1 frequent flyer level per greenback is pretty commonplace, though some playing cards provide 0.5 or 0.75 factors per $1.
- Tiered factors. Generally the earn charge modifications relying on what you purchase and the place. As an illustration, a card may pay 1 level per $1 for eligible purchases as much as a specific amount per 30 days, after which it drops to 0.5 factors per $1 after that. You may earn extra factors for worldwide purchases, or for getting merchandise by an affiliate enterprise or airline.
- Factors caps. Some playing cards put a restrict on the quantity of frequent flyer factors you’ll be able to earn in a yr (as an example, 100,000 factors yearly). Nonetheless, in some instances, factors which are earned for purchases made with specific companies are uncapped factors and don’t depend in direction of your whole factors depend. So you may earn, for instance, 125,000 factors in a yr even when the cap is 100,000, as a result of 25,000 had been earned from uncapped purchases at sure shops.
- Membership standing. Relying on the cardboard, you might earn standing factors together with your spending that transfer you up into extra prestigious tiers, doubtlessly providing extra factors per $1, and unlocking extra journey options like additional checked baggage, flight upgrades and lounge entry.
To take advantage of factors out of your spending, you’ll be able to take into consideration how a lot you spend in your card every month, and select a suggestion with uncapped factors or a better spending tier so that you don’t lose out on worthwhile rewards by hitting the factors incomes restrict.
Additionally, think about the stuff you purchase typically. 🛒 Should you use your card for grocery store spending, search for a card with the perfect earn charge on these purchases. ✈️ Or, when you use your card for journey, discover a card that rewards spending on flights, lodging and automotive leases.
Annual charges and ongoing prices (and the trifecta candy spot)
The balancing act of discovering a fantastic frequent flyer card for you is weighing up the annual price, the earn charge and the introductory provide.
Tremendous useful recommendations on annual charges:
- A card with a giant introductory provide is more likely to have a better earn charge, but additionally a better annual price.
- A card with a reasonable introductory provide will normally have a decrease earn charge, and a decrease annual price to go well with.
Discovering a card that hits your trifecta candy spot means wanting on the worth you’ll get from the frequent flyer rewards, and deciding if it outweighs the annual price.
For instance, when you earned 45,000 factors per yr on a Qantas frequent flyer bank card that supplied 1 level per $1 spent, and had an annual price of $350, you would need to weigh up in case your factors earn was well worth the barely larger yearly price.
Contemplating 36,000 factors can get you to Christchurch and again from Sydney utilizing Qantas factors (plus any regular taxes and airline charges), and including in every other perks the cardboard affords like free journey insurance coverage, the cardboard may go out effectively in your favour even with a better annual price.
And naturally, that instance doesn’t embody any bonus provide factors while you join.
On that time, some playing cards provide diminished annual charges for the primary yr, or decrease ongoing annual charges when you spend a minimal quantity per yr. Examine for the most recent frequent flyer bank card annual price offers utilizing the ‘annual price’ toggle on our one-click comparability instrument.
The curiosity you’ll be charged
Once you use your bank card and don’t repay the stability (the quantity you owe) earlier than the due date or inside any interest-free intervals the cardboard affords, you’ll need to pay curiosity on the stability.
It’s additionally known as the acquisition charge, and frequent flyer bank cards are inclined to have larger buy charges as a result of they’re a high-value card.
Examine the acquisition charge and be sure you’re assured you’ll be able to carry on prime of your repayments so that you’re not slugged with excessive curiosity expenses, as a result of that may scale back the worth of your journey rewards.
Expiration dates on frequent flyer factors
Some frequent flyer factors by no means expire, however some expire inside a sure timeframe, or when you don’t use your card for a specified period of time. It’s typically straightforward to maintain your account energetic since you’ll be incomes factors each time you spend in your card.
| Frequent Flyer program | Factors expiry coverage | preserve factors energetic |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity Factors | Sure, after 24 months of inactivity |
|
| Qantas Factors | Sure, after 18 months of inactivity in your account |
|
| American Specific Journey Factors | No expiry, however factors might be misplaced if all playing cards related to this system are cancelled |
|
At all times test the high-quality print of the frequent flyer program for expiration insurance policies, and any conditions the place they could cancel the rewards program.
Step 2: Unpacking the perfect frequent flyer program for you
Every frequent flyer bank card is linked to a selected frequent flyer program that you may redeem the factors by.
Right here’s a snapshot of the frequent flyer applications out there that cowl Australian and worldwide airways:
- Qantas – Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Virgin – Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer
- Singapore – Airways Singapore Airways KrisFlyer
- Cathay Pacific – Marco Polo Membership
- Etihad – Etihad Visitor
- Emirates – Skywards
- Malaysia Airways – Enrich
- British Airways – British Airways Government Membership
- American Airways – AAdvantage Frequent Flyer
- United – Mileage Plus
As you’re evaluating playing cards, you’ll discover most hyperlink up with Qantas Frequent Flyer, Virgin Velocity Frequent Flyer or American Specific applications. Nonetheless, you should still use your frequent flyer factors for different airways throughout the similar community, like Singapore Airways Krisflyer, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Air New Zealand Airpoints, Emirates Skywards and Etihad Visitor.
Becoming a member of a frequent flyer program
Once you apply for a bank card connected to a frequent flyer program, you’ll must change into a member to begin incomes and spending factors.
Most applications are free to hitch, or provide you with alternative to hitch totally free by different partnerships.
For instance, becoming a member of Qantas Frequent Flyer normally prices $99.50, however some bank cards provide free membership, or you’ll be able to be a part of by way of your Woolworths On a regular basis Rewards card.
Earlier than you apply, it’s a good suggestion to test the small print on the cardboard to learn the way and when the factors you earn are transferred to your frequent flyer account. Some playing cards provide direct switch, others switch factors on the finish of every month, whereas others solely provide guide switch on the cardholder’s request – with a minimal switch quantity required.
Try how one can maximise your points-earning potential in your chosen card. This will imply utilizing your card with sure companions throughout the journey trade, resembling motels and automotive rent corporations, or with sure retailers.
Sure, it’s a bit tedious, however studying a bit about your frequent flyer card can actually give your factors incomes a lift.
What are you able to redeem frequent flyer factors on?
It’s a fantastic concept to test the frequent flyer program and its retailer, so can select one that gives the stuff you need (and, it’s extra enjoyable while you’ve already chosen the reward you wish to get totally free!).
Sometimes, you should use frequent flyer factors for:
- Journey. That features flights, upgrades, motels and lodging, and automotive rental.
- Purchasing. Go to this system’s on-line rewards retailer to search out and redeem your factors at standard shops.
- Reward playing cards. You may redeem frequent flyer factors for present playing cards, however sometimes you’ll get extra worth utilizing them for journey.
- Enjoyable eating extras. Some applications provide freebies and reductions on eating. For instance, Qantas Factors might be redeemed on Qantas wine.
Should you don’t have sufficient factors to cowl all the value of the acquisition, many playing cards provide points-and-pay, the place you’ll be able to pay money to cowl any shortfalls in your factors.
Step 3: Testing your card’s different options
Many bank cards provide a bunch of different options apart from rewards factors, and frequent flyer playing cards – particularly the fancier, costlier ones – are sometimes choc-full of them.
Options you may discover on a frequent flyer bank card:
- Complimentary journey insurance coverage (could possibly be home, worldwide, or each)
- Airport lounge entry
- Airport transfers
- Journey credit score
- Concierge companies
- Reductions with partnering companies
- Cashback affords
- VIP entry to occasions
All the additional ‘dazzle’ on a card can assist offset the upper annual price, particularly when you like to journey, dine and luxuriate in social occasions.
Should you’re after factors to spend on retail, you may wish to have a look at the perfect rewards-earning bank cards, that are linked to financial institution rewards applications (not particular frequent flyer memberships) and have decrease annual charges.
Different affords to look out for
Introductory affords are one massive good thing about frequent flyer bank cards, however you too can search for reductions on annual charges and any cashback affords.
Some playing cards waive the annual price for the primary yr, or when you hit a minimal spend yearly.
There are additionally cashback or journey credit on provide, the place you’ll have a nominal quantity paid again to your account, or earn a journey voucher to spend annually. Each options assist offset any ongoing charges on the cardboard.
Some lenders provide 0% curiosity on stability transfers, which is the place you progress the debt from a bank card to at least one that received’t cost curiosity for a sure timeframe.
Earlier than you ask, you received’t earn factors while you switch a stability. Which suggests combining a stability switch (the place the purpose is to repay debt) with a card that’s about incomes rewards on massive spending is probably not the perfect mixture.
Should you’re eager to get forward of your bank card stability, use our one-click comparability instrument to discover a stability switch card that may aid you most.
FAQs
What’s an ‘eligible transaction’ for incomes factors?
An eligible transaction normally means common spending on on a regular basis objects, like groceries, consuming out and reserving tickets (together with flights). Usually, you received’t earn factors on money advances (the place you withdraw cash out of your bank card) and any balances transferred from a distinct card.
Typically, you received’t earn factors on authorities transactions both, like paying your charges invoice.
The bank card’s PDS will define which transactions are eligible for incomes factors.
Are all frequent flyer factors price the identical quantity?
No, every frequent flyer program has their very own worth system. For instance, a $100 Bunnings present voucher will value 23,170 Qantas Factors, or 21,800 Velocity Factors.
If you wish to get essentially the most out of your factors, you’ll be able to search the completely different rewards applications and select the one with the higher factors redemption on stuff you’re probably to purchase.
Can I add extra cardholders?
Including relations to the account is an efficient option to bump up your factors earnings sooner, however not all playing cards enable extra cardholders, and a few make you pay.
The extra cardholder price is perhaps minimal, like $10 per yr, however may additionally require a price to hitch the membership program.
At all times test the phrases for including additional cardholders to ensure it’s not going so as to add ongoing bills that outweigh the advantages.
How do I select my card as soon as I’ve selected my Rewards Program?
If you already know which frequent flyer program you wish to be a part of, you’ll be able to examine the playing cards connected to your program by utilizing our one-click comparability instrument:
Evaluate all Qantas Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Evaluate all Velocity Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Or, you’ll be able to examine bonus factors for all rewards playing cards, together with non-frequent-flyer applications, on our bonus factors comparability web page.
Should you’re nonetheless unsure, you’ll be able to examine all bank cards providing frequent flyer factors and click on every card to learn its professionals and cons.
Can I earn factors on authorities funds, like my ATO invoice?
Most bank cards don’t provide factors on authorities transactions, and those who do are most frequently enterprise bank cards. Nonetheless, some American Specific frequent flyer playing cards provide factors on funds to authorities our bodies.
As at all times, test the cardboard’s particulars to search out out.
