Frequent flyer bank cards reward you with free flights, upgrades and different journey perks only for doing all of your on a regular basis spending. There’s a card for every thing: you’ll be able to select from primary, no-frills choices to playing cards that dish out large 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 quicker.
Or, if you happen to’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 possibly can 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 July 2024
Try our high 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 rise up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors – 70,000 once you apply and spend $3,000 or extra on eligible purchases inside 3 months from card approval, plus a further 30,000 if you happen to 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 once you purchase chosen Qantas services. This card has another good perks, like a concierge service, discounted flights for as much as 8 companions, lounge entry and a diminished annual payment for the primary yr, plus 0% p.a. on stability transfers for 12 months with a 2% stability switch payment.
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 provides a great deal of journey advantages and factors. New cardholders may obtain as much as 90,000 bonus Qantas Factors. That’s 70,000 bonus Qantas Factors once you apply on-line by 3 September 2024, are authorised, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in your new Card inside the first 3 months. Plus, a further 20,000 bonus Qantas Factors in your second yr upon payment renewal. Earn as much as 1.25 Qantas Factors on on a regular basis purchases, 0.5 Qantas Factors on authorities spend, and a further 1 level per $1 on eligible Qantas services with no factors capping. Annually you’ll obtain a $450 Qantas Journey Credit score for eligible home or worldwide Qantas flights when booked via American Specific Journey, which compensates for the $450 annual payment.
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 high of the usual earn charges. This enables for a most of 8,000 bonus Qantas Factors once you apply at present and get authorised. The cardboard contains a low annual payment, complimentary worldwide journey insurance coverage, and a 0% p.a. rate of interest on stability transfers for 12 months with 2% stability switch payment.
ANZ Frequent Flyer Platinum Credit score Card – 75,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $100 again
ANZ Frequent Flyer Platinum Credit score Card supplies loads of platinum perks plus, a really interesting introductory provide of 75,000 bonus Qantas Factors and $100 again to your card once you spend $2,500 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from approval. This card allows 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 high of that, take pleasure in platinum advantages together with complimentary Worldwide and Home Journey Insurance coverage, Buy Safety Insurance coverage, Prolonged Guarantee Insurance coverage, and eligibility for Visa Affords + Perks.
American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card – 150,000 bonus Qantas Factors
In the event you’ve obtained a enterprise and also you’re in search of alternatives to earn probably the most of your transactions, you must benefit from this huge welcome provide of 150,000 bonus Qantas Factors from the American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card. Obtain 150,000 bonus Qantas Factors once you apply by 1 October 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 online business on eligible Qantas flights and a couple of Qantas Factors on Qantas services. This can be a cost card with no pre-set spending restrict which ensures higher cost flexibility. Affords 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 once you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from approval plus 30,000 bonus Qantas Factors once 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 number 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 Affords on Frequent Flyer Playing cards
Frequent flyer factors (and the redemption packages they’re hooked up to) is usually 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 of your day-to-day spending, and convert these factors into journey freebies and privileges, and even retail merchandise.
Now positive the best way to discover your greatest card? We’ve obtained you lined. Beneath is a simple information on frequent flyer factors, how they work, and the best way 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 hooked up to
- Whether or not the factors will be transferred to different frequent flyer packages
- 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 offer you 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 often means spending a minimal quantity in your card inside a sure timeframe.
Verify 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 will be roughly.
What number of factors you might earn
Rewards factors are handed out for the {dollars} you spend on eligible purchases. Some issues gained’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 instances, rewards additionally gained’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. Verify the cardboard’s PDS and the TMD to verify.
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 normal, though some playing cards provide 0.5 or 0.75 factors per $1.
- Tiered factors. Generally the earn charge adjustments relying on what you purchase and the place. As an example, a card may pay 1 level per $1 for eligible purchases as much as a specific amount per thirty days, after which it drops to 0.5 factors per $1 after that. You may earn extra factors for worldwide purchases, or for purchasing merchandise via 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 (for example, 100,000 factors yearly). Nonetheless, in some circumstances, factors which can be earned for purchases made with explicit companies are uncapped factors and don’t rely in direction of your whole factors rely. So you might 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, it’s possible you’ll 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 further 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 the next spending tier so that you don’t lose out on helpful rewards by hitting the factors incomes restrict.
Additionally, contemplate the stuff you purchase typically. 🛒 In the event you use your card for grocery store spending, search for a card with the most effective earn charge on these purchases. ✈️ Or, if you happen to 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 payment, the earn charge and the introductory provide.
Tremendous useful tips about annual charges:
- A card with an enormous introductory provide is more likely to have the next earn charge, but in addition the next annual payment.
- A card with a average introductory provide will often have a decrease earn charge, and a decrease annual payment to swimsuit.
Discovering a card that hits your trifecta candy spot means trying on the worth you’ll get from the frequent flyer rewards, and deciding if it outweighs the annual payment.
For instance, if you happen to earned 45,000 factors per yr on a Qantas frequent flyer bank card that provided 1 level per $1 spent, and had an annual payment of $350, you would need to weigh up in case your factors earn was well worth the barely greater yearly payment.
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 fit out nicely in your favour even with the next annual payment.
And naturally, that instance doesn’t embrace any bonus provide factors once you join.
On that time, some playing cards provide diminished annual charges for the primary yr, or decrease ongoing annual charges if you happen to spend a minimal quantity per yr. Verify for the most recent frequent flyer bank card annual payment offers utilizing the ‘annual payment’ toggle on our one-click comparability software.
The curiosity you’ll be charged
If 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 should pay curiosity on the stability.
It’s additionally referred to as the acquisition charge, and frequent flyer bank cards are likely to have greater buy charges as a result of they’re a high-value card.
Verify the acquisition charge and be sure you’re assured you’ll be able to carry on high of your repayments so that you’re not slugged with excessive curiosity costs, as a result of that may cut 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 if you happen to don’t use your card for a specified period of time. It’s usually straightforward to maintain your account lively since you’ll be incomes factors each time you spend in your card.
| Frequent Flyer program | Factors expiry coverage | Learn how to preserve factors lively |
|---|---|---|
| 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 will probably be misplaced if all playing cards linked to this system are cancelled |
|
At all times verify 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 most effective frequent flyer program for you
Every frequent flyer bank card is linked to a selected frequent flyer program which you can redeem the factors via.
Right here’s a snapshot of the frequent flyer packages 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 packages. Nonetheless, you should still use your frequent flyer factors for different airways inside 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
If you apply for a bank card hooked up to a frequent flyer program, you’ll must grow to be a member to begin incomes and spending factors.
Most packages are free to affix, or offer you alternative to affix totally free via different partnerships.
For instance, becoming a member of Qantas Frequent Flyer often 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 verify the small print on the cardboard to learn how 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 may occasionally imply utilizing your card with sure companions inside the journey trade, equivalent to lodges 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 thought to verify the frequent flyer program and its retailer, so can select one that provides the stuff you need (and, it’s extra enjoyable once you’ve already chosen the reward you need to get totally free!).
Sometimes, you should use frequent flyer factors for:
- Journey. That features flights, upgrades, lodges and lodging, and automotive rental.
- Buying. Go to this system’s on-line rewards retailer to search out and redeem your factors at widespread shops.
- Reward playing cards. You possibly can redeem frequent flyer factors for present playing cards, however sometimes you’ll get extra worth utilizing them for journey.
- Enjoyable eating extras. Some packages provide freebies and reductions on eating. For instance, Qantas Factors will be redeemed on Qantas wine.
In the event you don’t have sufficient factors to cowl the complete price 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 moreover rewards factors, and frequent flyer playing cards – particularly the fancier, dearer ones – are sometimes choc-full of them.
Options you may discover on a frequent flyer bank card:
- Complimentary journey insurance coverage (may very well 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 will help offset the upper annual payment, particularly if you happen to like to journey, dine and revel in social occasions.
In the event you’re after factors to spend on retail, you may need to take a look at the most effective rewards-earning bank cards, that are linked to financial institution rewards packages (not particular frequent flyer memberships) and have decrease annual charges.
Different affords to look out for
Introductory affords are one large advantage of frequent flyer bank cards, however it’s also possible to search for reductions on annual charges and any cashback affords.
Some playing cards waive the annual payment for the primary yr, or if you happen to 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 1 that gained’t cost curiosity for a sure timeframe.
Earlier than you ask, you gained’t earn factors once you switch a stability. Which implies combining a stability switch (the place the aim is to repay debt) with a card that’s about incomes rewards on large spending is probably not the most effective mixture.
In the event you’re eager to get forward of your bank card stability, use our one-click comparability software to discover a stability switch card that may make it easier to most.
FAQs
What’s an ‘eligible transaction’ for incomes factors?
An eligible transaction often means common spending on on a regular basis objects, like groceries, consuming out and reserving tickets (together with flights). Usually, you gained’t earn factors on money advances (the place you withdraw cash out of your bank card) and any balances transferred from a special card.
Usually, you gained’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 price 23,170 Qantas Factors, or 21,800 Velocity Factors.
If you wish to get probably the most out of your factors, you’ll be able to search the completely different rewards packages and select the one with the higher factors redemption on stuff you’re most definitely to purchase.
Can I add further cardholders?
Including members of the family to the account is an efficient strategy to bump up your factors earnings quicker, however not all playing cards permit further cardholders, and a few make you pay.
The extra cardholder payment could be minimal, like $10 per yr, however may require a payment to affix the membership program.
At all times verify the phrases for including further cardholders to verify 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 realize which frequent flyer program you need to be a part of, you’ll be able to examine the playing cards hooked up to your program by utilizing our one-click comparability software:
Examine all Qantas Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Examine 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 packages, on our bonus factors comparability web page.
In the event you’re nonetheless undecided, you’ll be able to examine all bank cards providing frequent flyer factors and click on every card to learn its execs and cons.
Can I earn factors on authorities funds, like my ATO invoice?
Most bank cards don’t provide factors on authorities transactions, and people 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 all the time, verify the cardboard’s particulars to search out out.