Qantas frequent flyer credit cards. The options, fees and points

If you are a loyal Qantas customer that regularly travels with them domestically or overseas, you may already be a member of their frequent flyer program.

Yet, whether you’re a long term Qantas supporter or hoping to become one and benefit from their rewards program, achieving a solid points balance can feel like a slow process.

One option to help you overcome this is to boost your points balance even when not in the air is via a dedicated Qantas frequent flyer credit card.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what these credit cards offer, how they work and what to watch out for so you can decide if this option is for you.

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What’s a frequent flyer credit card and how does it work for Qantas

Several banks and financial institutions offer credit cards with airline frequent flyer points benefits attached. Qantas is one airline that partners with credit card providers to offer this.

Supporting you to boost your frequent flyer points balance, these cards offer you the chance to accrue Qantas points as a reward for your everyday spend.

Different point earning ratios apply depending on the card issuer and many offer bonus points upon signing up, when shopping with preferred partners or when minimum spend criteria is met each statement period.

Not only focused on earning you a steady stream of frequent flyer points, these cards typically offer travel extras. Extras like complimentary airport lounge access, travel insurance, travel vouchers or similar.

Earning options for Qantas

There are two main options for boosting your Qantas points balance through a credit card.

1. Using a dedicated Qantas frequent flyer credit card that directs points straight to your Qantas membership account
2. A credit card that offers a separate rewards program but allows you to shift earned points to Qantas at a set ratio when desired.

Geared towards faster points accrual, we will be focusing on the dedicated Qantas frequent flyer cards in this article.

Top Qantas frequent flyer supported credit cards

As Australia’s national airline, Qantas has partnered with a multitude of credit card providers.

This means there is a huge variety of options in this space with close to 40 options listed on the Qantas website alone.¹

The following are 7 popular options based on their points per dollar earn rate.

• Qantas Premier Titanium
• Citi Prestige Qantas Card
• Qantas Premier Platinum
• Bank of Queensland (BOQ) Specialist Signature Card
• HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card
• American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card
• CommBank Ultimate Awards Credit Card

What are the benefits of a Qantas frequent flyer credit card

Of course the main benefit of holding one of these cards is that you are able to quickly earn additional Qantas frequent flyer points.

Points

With such a wide variety of Qantas frequent flyer credit cards available there are of course differences in how points are accrued and at what rate.

However, depending on which one you choose, you can expect to earn between 0.4 points to 2 Qantas points per dollar on your eligible spend.

All providers will also have different bonus points offered, rule on what constitutes eligible spend, may levy a monthly or yearly points cap and more. To ensure you get the most points out of your card, be sure to check the fine print carefully.

Extras

As mentioned earlier, most of these cards will also provide some added extras, broadly comparing the cards listed with Qantas, you may also enjoy¹:

• Free initial sign up to Qantas frequent flyer if not yet a member
• Accelerated Qantas status credits
• Airport lounge invitations
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Travel credits or discounts
• Reduced or no currency conversion fees for overseas transactions when travelling
• Concierge services
• Stay-pay hotel offers

How to get a Qantas frequent flyer credit card

Outlined below is the process for obtaining one of these frequent flyer credit cards. We have used the Qantas Premier Titanium card, backed by Qantas Money as an example.²

Eligibility criteria

Before applying, it is important to check that you meet all of Qantas Money’s eligibility criteria.

You must be:

• Be 18 years or over
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Earn over $200,000 annually
• Have an address and phone number in Australia
• Be an existing Qantas frequent flyer member

Making an application

1. Applications for this card are made online with Qantas Money, simply click apply now from the product page to get started.
2. To complete the application you will need the following documentation:

• Your drivers licence or passport
• Employment and income details
• Details of any existing loans or credit card and their balances

1. Once finalised you can submit your application and await its processing.

Qantas Money does not advise on timelines for approvals and processing, should you wish to learn more about this, we encourage you to call their customer care team.

Upon receiving your card, you can begin to spend and earn Qantas points immediately.

How to use your Qantas points and rewards

To access your points balance and use it towards flights or rewards, you are required to log into your Qantas frequent flyer account.

Qantas does not limit you to using these towards flights and you may elect to redeem these for shopping on Qantas Marketplace, hotel stays, experiences, food and wine and more.³

Once logged in, simply select from the available offers or flights and follow the redemption process to complete. Help from a Qantas representative is also available over the phone is required.

How many points are needed for a free flight

Qantas advises that domestic flights can be booked with them or their partnered airlines for less than 10,000 points.⁴

You can also elect to use your points towards redemption seats with selected international airline partners, though no estimate is available for this.

The exact number of points you will need for your flight will be determined by your chosen route and destination when travelling.

As there are limited reward seats available on each flight, it is best to book early to ensure you can redeem your points as expected.

Other supported credit cards that can be linked to Qantas

In addition to the cards listed above, you may also like to review the following Qantas frequent flyer credit cards available in Australia.

• ANZ Frequent Flyer Black
• NAB Qantas Rewards Signature
• Bankwest Qantas World Mastercard
• Westpac Altitude Qantas Black
• St. George Amplify Qantas Signature
• Bank Of Melbourne (BOM) Amplify Qantas Signature
• Bendigo Bank Qantas Platinum
• BankSA Amplify Qantas Platinum

This list is by no means exhaustive and many banks and financial institutions offer more than one type of Qantas frequent flyer credit card. All have variations in fees, charges, interest rates, earn rates and other features.

What if I already have reward points on another credit card?

If you hold an existing rewards credit card that is not specifically a frequent flyer credit card, it is also worthwhile checking whether the card issuer allows you to transfer these to Qantas.

Many facilitate this at an agreed redemption ratio and only move them to your Qantas account when requested by you. However, points earning and redemption ratios are often less favourable in these instances.

What to keep in mind

Opting to elevate a Qantas frequent flyers points balance through the use of a credit card may not be suited to everyone. Before applying with any provider, we suggest considering the following.

• Many of these cards come with high annual fees, high interest and added charges for rewards membership. It is helpful to weigh these up against the potential value of reward flight savings before committing
• There are limitations placed on the number of reward seats available on each flight which can make points more challenging to redeem
• No all spend is eligible to accrue Qantas points so it is wise to check this against your typical spending habits
• Monthly or annual points caps may apply to some card products which may not appeal to high spenders seeking a rapid points increase

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Sources:

1. Qantas – Card options & comparisons
2. Qantas – How To Apply
3. Qantas – Using Your Points
4. Qantas – Reward Seats

Sources checked on: 01 December 2023