travel credit card qantas

Best Qantas credit cards for Frequent Flyer Points

The best qantas frequent flyer credit cards can give you 80,000+ qantas points on sign-up and perks like lounge passes and status credits..

In this guide

What is the best Qantas credit card?

Pros and cons of qantas credit cards, how to compare and choose a qantas credit card, types of qantas credit cards, how to get the most from a qantas credit card, qantas points value, points hacking: how does it work, frequently asked questions.

There isn't one best card for everyone, so we've looked at different cards on the market to pick out 4 popular offers with everything from bonus points to $0 annual fees.

• Qantas Amex Ultimate Card - Qantas Points per $1 spent
• Qantas Premier Platinum Mastercard - Bonus Qantas Points and travel features
• Qantas Amex Discovery Card - Qantas Points and $0 annual fee
• ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit Card - Bonus Qantas Points

Qantas Points per $1 spent

Qantas American Express Ultimate Card

What we like about it:

• The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card has the highest direct earn rate for Qantas Points in Australia at 1.25 points per $1 spent on everyday purchases.
• It also gives you 1 additional Qantas Point per $1 for eligible spending with Qantas (including flights booked through the Qantas website) – meaning you get up to 2.25 points per $1 , uncapped.
• Right now, it offers 60,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
• Travel perks include a $450 yearly Qantas Travel Credit, complimentary international and domestic travel insurance and airport lounge passes.

Annual fee and purchase rate

• $450 annual fee
• 23.99% p.a. interest rate for purchases

Bonus Qantas Points and travel features

Qantas Premier Platinum Mastercard

• The Qantas Premier Platinum offers up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points: 70,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months as a new cardholder, and another 20,000 bonus points if you haven't earned Qantas Points with a credit card in the last 12 months.
• You also get 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent on eligible spending in Australia for the first $10,000 each month and 0.5 points per $1 after that. Plus higher rates of 2 points per $1 for Qantas spending and 1.5 points per $1 overseas on eligible purchases.
• Travel perks include a discounted companion flight offer each year with the Qantas Premier Concierge, 2 airport lounge invitations every year and complimentary travel insurance.
• $349 annual fee in the first year, then $399 per year
• 19.99% p.a. interest rate for purchases

Read review

Qantas Points and $0 annual fee

Qantas American Express Discovery Card

• The Qantas American Express Discovery Card has no annual fee , ever. This is a rare feature for any card that earns points in Australia.
• It earns 0.75 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible spending, with 0.5 points per $1 for spending with government bodies. And you can earn up to 1.75 Qantas Points per $1 when you pay for Qantas flights and other eligible Qantas products and services.
• It doesn't offer as many perks as some cards with annual fees, but you do get purchase protection insurance , up to 4 additional cardholders at no cost and Amex Offers .
• $0 annual fee, ongoing

Bonus Qantas Points

ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit Card

• The ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit Card offers 130,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. That's enough for a one-way business class flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.
• For everyday spending, you'll earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 on eligible purchases, up to $7,500 per statement period (then 0.5 points/$1).
• Other travel benefits include 2 Qantas Club lounge invitations per year and complimentary travel insurance.
• $425 annual fee
• 20.99% p.a. interest rate on purchases

Methodology: How we chose these cards

• The amount of bonus points offered (the more points, the higher the ranking)
• Bonus point spend requirements
• The annual fee details
• The points earned per $1 on eligible spending
• The value of points, based on reward examples and/or Finder’s analysis of how much Qantas Points are worth
• The terms for interest-free days on purchases
• The interest rate for purchases

In addition to the key factors, we may consider any additional features or introductory offers that are relevant and have the potential to offer further value.

Keep in mind: Our top picks may not always be best for you. Based on your situation, you may find certain features to be more or less important, so compare your options before you apply.

I recently took out the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card as I was planning a trip to the US. By booking my flights using my credit card, not only did I get closer to unlocking the bonus points offer, I also qualified for free travel insurance on my trip.

What's the catch?

These Qantas credit cards offer a lot of value when it comes to frequent flyer rewards and perks. But they all have interest rates higher than the average Australian credit card interest rate . If you don't repay your card balance each month, the interest charges will outweigh the benefits of the points. Be sure to compare the card's annual fee as well. Cards with more points and perks usually have higher fees.

• Earn Qantas Points on everyday spending. These cards typically earn between 0.5 and 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent.
• Bonus point offers. You can get anywhere from 8,000 to 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply for a new card and meet the offer requirements. Sometimes you'll earn enough to redeem a reward flight straight away.
• Qantas perks and benefits. Qantas credit cards can also come with complimentary travel insurance, airport lounge passes, bonus status credits, travel credits and exclusive offers.
• High interest rates. Frequent flyer and rewards credit cards typically charge higher ongoing interest rates on purchases than other types of cards.
• High annual fees. Most frequent flyer credit cards charge an annual fee, and it can be more than $400 on some premium ones.
• Points caps. Some cards only let you earn points up to a certain amount each month or year. If you regularly spend more than this threshold, it will limit the value you get from a card.

My standard metric for assessing points value is how much value you get for every 1,000 points you spend. For a London to Sydney business class upgrade I got in August 2023, that worked out at $58.50 per 1,000 Qantas Points. It’s really hard to do better than that.

Angus Kidman, Finder’s editor-at-large Why my $7,653 Qantas Business Class upgrade is such a great points deal

Bonus points and sign-up offers

You can get a lot of value from sign-up bonus points and other offers when you choose a new card. Just make sure you know what you need to do to collect the points – and remember to look at the card's interest rate and annual fee.

What's the biggest bonus Qantas Points offer on the market?

The Qantas Premier Titanium Credit Card currently has one of the biggest bonus Qantas Points offers in Australia, with 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply by 01 August 2024 and spend $5,000 in the first 3 months of approval as a new cardholder. It's also one of the most exclusive frequent flyer credit cards on the market, with a minimum income requirement of $200,000 and a $1,200 annual fee.

You can get 170,000 bonus Qantas Points with the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card, but you'll need to run a business and have an ABN to get this card.

Points per $1 spent

As a general guide, 1 Qantas Point per $1 is usually seen as a good earn rate.

What are eligible purchases?

Eligible purchases earn Qantas Points and include groceries, petrol, retail items and travel bookings. Transactions that don't earn points typically include cash advances, balance transfers, BPAY payments and government transactions (such as paying the ATO). Check each card’s terms and conditions for full details.

Qantas credit card travel perks

Choose a platinum or higher tier credit card and you can get valuable extras, such as:

• Airport lounge access
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Concierge services
• Flight or travel credit
• Exclusive Qantas offers, such as discounted companion fares or Qantas Club membership

Rates and fees

The cost of any credit card will help you decide if the points and perks are worth it. The main ones to check are:

• Annual fee. Typically ranges from $99 to $450. Some cards offer waived or reduced annual fees in the first year or ongoing (but these options are limited).
• Purchase interest rate. Qantas credit cards charge interest rates ranging from 17% to 22%.
• International transaction fee. This fee is around 2-3% of any overseas transactions, including when you shop online with international retailers.

Are these cards good to travel with? Qantas credit cards generally aren't good to travel with because most of them charge a foreign transaction fee worth around 2% to 3.4% of every $1 you spend in non-AUD currency.

But you could book travel with a Qantas credit card to get points and perks, then save on costs by using a 0% foreign transaction fee credit card , debit card or prepaid travel card when you travel overseas.

Eligibility

Every card has different eligibility criteria. But because Qantas credit card fees and interest rates are higher than some standard cards, you usually need to have at least a good credit score .

With bonus point offers, you also usually need to be a new customer. For example, with American Express, in order to get a bonus points offer you cannot hold or have held another Amex credit card within the last 18 months.

Tip: You need to include your Qantas Frequent Flyer number to earn Qantas Points on the application. It usually costs $99.50 to join but Finder has rounded up 13 ways to join for free – including with some Qantas credit cards.

Just like there are different tiers in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, there are different levels of credit cards you can choose from.

The annual fees and points per $1 spent can vary a lot, even between different levels of credit cards. But in general, the points and perks you get from a Qantas credit card increase in higher tiers and so does the annual fee.

A Qantas credit card can be worth it if you pay off your credit card as you go and get enough value from the points and perks to justify any annual fee.

Otherwise, this type of card probably isn't worth it, as the interest and fees you'll pay will eat up any rewards value.

Example: How many Qantas Points do you need to earn to offset a credit card's annual fee?

Say you got a Qantas frequent flyer credit card with a $300 annual fee. Based on our Qantas Frequent Flyer Points analysis , you could balance out the card's annual fee by earning 24,000 Qantas Points and redeeming them for a return economy flight from Melbourne to Brisbane (valued at an average of $316).

If this card earned 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent, you'd need to make $24,000 worth of eligible purchases within a year (or $2,000 per month) to offset the annual fee. On a card with a lower earn rate of 0.5 Qantas Points per $1, you'd need to spend $48,000 per year, or around $4,000 per month to earn enough points for this reward flight.

And if you got a new card with 60,000 bonus Qantas Points, it would be enough points for a return business class reward flight from Melbourne to Brisbane (55,200 Qantas Points) – which is valued at $1,928. That's more than 6 times the cost of the annual fee in this example.

Want other ways to earn Qantas Points? Check out Finder's Qantas Frequent Flyer guide to see how you can earn points on Woolworths shopping, utilities and more.

Flights and flight upgrades with Qantas or a partner airline usually give you the most value for your points compared to other rewards. And you can fly to over 1,200 destinations.

With that in mind, here are some examples of how much your points are worth based on different rewards in 2024:

Qantas Classic Flight Rewards and Qantas Classic Plus Flight Rewards

Qantas has added a second tier to its flight rewards program. Classic Flight Rewards remains the same, but there is now a much wider selection of rewards flights available via the new Qantas Classic Plus Flight Rewards.

But you'll generally need to spend more Qantas Points when booking a Qantas Classic Plus Flight Rewards flight. The amount of points you'll need fluctuates depending on the season. The original Classic Flight Rewards options appear on the Qantas website with a red ribbon. The new Classic Plus options appear with a blue ribbon.

You can learn more about the new tier here .

How we worked out these examples

We then searched for flights on those routes through the Qantas website, choosing dates at least 3 months in advance. The current values are based on flight searches in January 2024. We chose Economy Saver and Business Saver fares for each flight route to get the estimated costs for a direct flight in April 2024.

The gift card reward is based on the standard redemption value listed on Qantas Marketplace on 2 January 2024.

3 tips to get Qantas flight rewards

• Plan ahead. Frequent flyer reward seats get sold out quickly. For the best availability, start looking around 11-12 months in advance.
• Build up status. Platinum and Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer status gives you a better chance of getting reward seats and upgrades. Flying with Qantas and partners is the main way to get Status Credits but sometimes credit cards and other products will also offer updates.
• Remember fees and taxes. Reward flights have separate taxes, fees and carrier charges that you need to pay for. These vary depending on the flight but if it's overseas, you should budget at least $200 per fare – and keep in mind it could be more if you're travelling further.

See Finder's guide on how much a Qantas Point is worth for more examples and tips on valuable ways to redeem Qantas Points.

Some dedicated Qantas Points chasers will choose a card based on the bonus points offer, keep it for a while and then look for another sign-up offer.

This strategy is known as credit card churning and is used to get as much value as possible out of introductory offers. But it does come with risks:

• Every card you apply for adds to your credit report
• Too many applications in a short time can hurt your credit score
• If you carry a balance on any card, you'll have to pay interest – not to mention all the annual fees

Credit card companies also have strategies to counter churning. For example, by spreading the bonus point requirements out over more than 12 months or by limiting offers to new cardholders.

Bottom line? Churning can be a simple way to get a lot of Qantas Points. But keeping a card for at least 12 months is less likely to raise red flags for lenders.

Finder research shows 28% of Australians collect Qantas Frequent Flyer Points . And rising travel costs mean that using points for reward flights can give you even more value.

Which Qantas credit card earns the most points?

As of 8 February 2024, the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card has the highest direct earn rate for Qantas Points in Australia at 1.25 points per $1 on everyday purchases, uncapped. It charges a $450 annual fee and offers a yearly $450 travel credit.

The Qantas Premier Titanium also earns 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, but this is capped at $12,500 a month for eligible spending in Australia (0.5 points per $1 after that). It charges a $1,200 annual fee and offers a 10% discount on Qantas operated flights for up to 2 bookings per year.

How long does it take to get Qantas Points from a credit card?

The points you earn on a Qantas credit card are usually added to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account each month, around the time you get your credit card statement.

If you've earned bonus Qantas Points, these will usually be added to your frequent flyer account within 8 to 12 weeks of meeting a spend requirement.

Can I earn bonus points for signing up and then cancel it?

If you meet the criteria for the bonus points, once they are credited to your account, you can cancel your credit card at any time. Just remember that you'll need to pay off the account balance before you cancel it.

How much would I have to spend to get a free flight?

You need at least 8,000 Qantas Points for a Classic Flight Reward, which would mean spending at least $8,000 on a card that earned 1 point per $1. On a card that earned 0.5 points per $1, you'd need to spend at least $16,000. So it depends on your earn rate and spending.

But if you get a card with bonus points, you might need to spend $3,000 to $6,000 in the first few months to get enough points for a longer flight.

Do Qantas Points expire?

Qantas Points only expire if you do not earn or spend Qantas Points for 18 consecutive months. This means paying with a Qantas credit card is one way to avoid points expiring, because you'll earn Qantas Points per $1 spent. Check out Finder's guide to points expiry for more information and how you can avoid having your points expire.

Does Qantas have its own credit card?

Yes, there are 3 credit cards from Qantas Money that you can compare. In the 2023 Finder Credit Card Provider Customer Satisfaction Awards, our survey found that 73% of Qantas Money customers would recommend it as a provider.

Other banks and credit card issuers also offer cards that are linked to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.

Are there Qantas credit cards with no annual fee?

As of 8 February 2024, both the American Express Qantas Discovery Card and BankVic Qantas Visa have ongoing $0 annual fees.

The CommBank Smart Awards and Ultimate Awards credit cards with Qantas Points also offer a monthly fee waiver when you meet a spend requirement. But there is a $60 yearly fee when you choose to earn Qantas Points with one of these CommBank Awards cards.

Amy Bradney-George

Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald.

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250 Responses

I currently have a Woolworths credit card linked to my Qantas Frequent Flyer account, which earns me Qantas points. Am I still eligible for the additional 15,000 points offered by Finder if I sign up to a new Qantas credit card?

Hi Amanda, Unfortunately, if you currently earn Qantas Points through a credit card (or have in the past 12 months), you wouldn’t be eligible for the the extra 15,000 Qantas Points. But if you want a new Qantas credit card, you can still get bonus points through an introductory offer. I hope this helps.

Could you tell me if all credit card companies have the same eligible purchase policy in regards to what constitutes a NON ELIGIBLE PURCHASE and an eligible?

Also, I have a CBA credit card as it partners with flight centre and I have 700,000 points but my points value is terrible so I’m looking at a Qantas card to replace it so I can get better value for points. I also want to enjoy lounges when I travel.

Not all credit card issuers have the same list of eligible purchases thus it would be best for you to review the card’s Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions or contact the provider if you have specific questions.

The CommBank Awards program offers you awards points for everyday spending and it also gives you options for earning either Qantas or Velocity frequent flyer points. If you choose to apply for a credit card with free lounge access , please use our comparison table to compare your options. When you are ready, press the ‘Go to site’ button to apply.

What card would give me the highest amount of points for international travel? I am planning on being away for a year or so and require a card that can reward me with Qantas points.

While we do not provide specific product recommendations, we can help guide you through the process of comparing options. On the page you’re on, we have a comparison table that provides a list of cards that offer Qantas points.You may sort them by ‘Rewards Points per $ spent’,the page will automatically provide you the card you are looking for. You may hover your mouse to the ‘i’ symbol to know the details about how much point you get earn.

We joined Frequent Flyer (Bronze) 2 months ago, as yet no card. Is this normal?

Please note that if you joined through the Qantas Club Service Centre, your membership card will be delivered within 14 days. Since you mentioned that it has been 2 months when you joined, kindly contact the Frequent Flyer Service Centre as soon as possible to report this matter. Additional info, Bronze Frequent Flyer Cards are only issued to eligible members residing in Australia. A Replacement Card Fee might be charged when a replacement card is issued. However, you may request to waive the said fee since you did not receive the initial membership card.

I have just joined Qantas Frequent Flyer and I am now a member. Will Qantas post me a frequent flyer card? I do not want a credit card just a reward card, and also how can I download a second app for Qantas Frequent Flyers on my phone for my husband as we only have 1 mobile between us?

If you joined through the Qantas Club Service Centre, your membership card will be delivered within 14 days. Since you mentioned that you only have a mobile phone to access yours and your husband’s QFF accounts online, you may log in or log out on your/husband’s account to check your account online. I suggest that you contact the QFF centre for further assistance on the mobile app and your other queries on having QFF accounts.

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Best Credit Cards For Qantas Points in May 2024

• Compare the top credit cards for earning Qantas points, with bonus sign up offers of up to 150,000 points.

Featured offer: American Express Qantas Ultimate Card

Get 60,000 bonus points when you apply online by 28 May 2024, are approved and spend $3k on eligible purchases in the first three months. New members only, T&Cs apply.

Best Qantas point credit card comparison

The table below shows credit cards that earn qantas points. by ‘best’ cards we mean the cards with the highest earn rate on everyday spending. that’s how this table is ordered, but you should consider other aspects of the cards (e.g. rates and fees) when deciding which is best for you..

Info correct as at 1 May 2024. Table is ordered by highest number of Qantas points per $ spent, then lowest annual fee, then lowest interest rate on purchases. Check with the provider for full card details, including fees, limits, terms and conditions to make sure the card is right for you. While this is an extensive list of the Qantas point-earning credit cards available, we can't guarantee that all cards available in the market are shown. *After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent. For Card Members who applied for the Card between 1 July 2023 – 9 January 2024, this change will come into effect from 10 July 2024.

More in our Qantas credit cards guide:

Top Qantas credit card sign-up points bonus

Top low fee qantas credit card, top qantas business credit card, traps to avoid when earning credit card qantas points, top qantas credit card for ongoing points earning, top low rate qantas point-earning card, how to choose the best qantas credit card, what’s the best way to redeem qantas credit card points.

Qantas Premier Titanium Credit Card - 150,000 bonus points

It’s perhaps not surprising that one of Qantas’s own-branded credit cards has the top sign up bonus we could find. 150,000 bonus points is about as good as it gets as a sign-up sweetener, and the earn rate on spending is generous too (up to 1.25 points per $1 on everyday purchases).

Just remember you’ll pay a high annual fee of $1,200 for this card, with a purchase rate of 19.99% (up to 55 interest-free days apply).

American Express Qantas Ultimate Card - up to 1.25 points per $1 on everyday spend *

The AMEX Qantas Ultimate Card is tied with the Qantas Premier Titanium Card for highest earn rate per $1 spent (up to 1.25 on everyday purchases*). But it comes with a considerably lower annual fee of $450, compared to $1,200 for the Qantas Premier Titanium.

Watch for the high rate on purchases at 23.99% p.a., with up to 44 interest-free days which is lower than what many other cards offer.

HSBC Premier World Mastercard - $0 annual fee

Considering the $0 annual card fee, the HSBC Premier World Mastercard offers a lot. It has one of the better earn rates on Qantas points (1 point per $1 spent) capped at a generous $120,000 per year spend. Plus, there’s a bonus rate of 1.5 points per $1 spent in the first year.

For your $0 fee, you also get complimentary travel insurance.

The purchase rate is 19.99% p.a., with up to 55 days interest free.

Qudos Bank Visa Platinum Credit Card - 4.99% for the first 5 months

As a general rule, genuinely low rate credit cards don’t offer perks like Qantas points. However, the Qudos Bank Visa Platinum Credit Card comes with an intro offer of 4.99% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 5 months.

This reverts to 19.49% p.a. with up to 55 interest-free days, which also happens to be one of the lower ongoing rates on Qantas earning cards. Just don’t mistake this for a low rate credit card if you will be revolving a balance.

American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card - up to 1.25 points per $1 on everyday spend

There's also a wide range of options when it comes to business credit cards that earn Qantas points. The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card has the highest earn rate of the cards we analysed, although the earn rate reduces to 0.75 points per $1 spent once you exceed 500,000 points in a year. Overall the total points-earning potential is uncapped.

There’s a $450 annual fee, but no further fee for adding up to 99 extra employee cards. Because it’s a charge card , there's no interest charged on purchases, but the balance must be cleared in full within the cash-flow period (up to 51 days).

The obvious but potentially wrong answer to this question is that the best Qantas credit card is the one that offers the most points. That could either be points per dollar spent or bonus sign-up points or, ideally, a combination of the two.

But chasing points could potentially mean signing up for an expensive card that you may not get full value from (although some people will).

It’s a good idea to look for a credit card that strikes the right balance between cost and what you get in return. In many cases, this means a middle-of-the-road card, with good points-earning potential and a relatively low fee.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the factors to consider.

What to look for in a Qantas credit card

Sign up bonus.

Most Qantas credit cards offer some form of incentive to encourage you to take out the card initially. There is almost always a minimum spend requirement for the offer but it tends to be achievable for most cardholders based on the average credit card spend in Australia .

Earn rate on purchases

An important thing to be aware of is that not all earn rates on Qantas credit cards are created equal. Some cards offer more points for certain kinds of spending, with a reduced rate on other purchases. You often can’t earn points at all on the likes of BPAY payments and cash advances .

Think of this as the main cost of being able to earn Qantas points on your credit card, although some cards have a separate rewards program fee. All other things being equal, the lower the annual fee, the better. There are even a couple of no annual fee credit cards that offer Qantas points.

Extra cardholder fee

Having an extra cardholder (e.g. a spouse) can help you earn more Qantas points on your credit card, but in some cases there will be a fee per extra card.

Foreign exchange fees

Customers attracted to Qantas points often use their credit card when travelling overseas . If that’s you, consider the card’s foreign exchange fee which applies to international spending (including purchases made in Australia from overseas merchants).

CommBank and Bankwest both offer Qantas credit cards with no international transaction fees .

Extra perks

Most Qantas cards offer other credit card rewards , including:

• complimentary credit card travel insurance
• discounts at partner retailers, airlines, restaurants and hotels
• travel or flight vouchers, or even cash back to your credit card

There are also some Qantas credit cards that will get into an airport lounge for free a couple of times per year.

Credit cards are notorious for offering incentives that reward you for spending. If this is money you would be spending anyway, this can work out well for you. But there is a risk you can end up with a lot of Qantas points but also expensive credit card debt. Below are some tips to consider to help you use your card responsibly, while also maximising your Qantas points.

Brad Kelly , Money.com.au's credit card expert

1. Don’t change your (good) spending habits to chase Qantas points

It can be remarkably easy to convince ourselves that spending more money is justified “because I’ll get points”.

The trouble is, the points you earn rarely make up for the extra money you spend. In fact, in some cases you’ll need to spend yet more money while redeeming your points, as points + pay is sometimes required.

If you’re looking for a Qantas credit card, consider a card that’s a good match for your current good spending habits (some offer higher points for shopping at certain retailers you may already use).

2. Don’t go nuts with international spending to boost your Qantas credit card points

Have you ever noticed how some Qantas credit cards offer a higher earn rate on international spending? Sounds great, but what you also need to be aware of is there will likely be a foreign exchange fee added to the cost of those purchases.

This is usually 2-3% and in many cases will comfortably cancel out the benefit you get from the extra points.

3. Watch for point-earning limits on Qantas credit cards

You need to pay very close attention to the caps and earn limits that apply to cards you’re considering. Some providers (including AMEX) are introducing limits on how many Qantas points you can earn at the highest rate.

These caps are usually fairly generous and most average spenders won’t get near them, but you still need to be aware of what you’ll actually be getting beyond the headline offer card providers advertise.

How I maximise my Qantas credit card points

My wife and I have a Westpac Altitude Qantas Platinum Credit Card and use it for most of our spending. Our strategy is to keep as much of our cash savings in our home loan offset account and then use that money to clear the credit card in full each month. We save on home loan interest and usually earn enough Qantas points to pay for something worth a few hundred dollars once a year. We usually do this when the Qantas store has a sale on. 

Sean Callery , Editor of Money.com.au

The conventional wisdom is that paying for travel (i.e. booking flights) is the best way to use Qantas points. It is an airline after all.

But while this is broadly true (at least if you’re looking at the equivalent $ value of your points), it is only a useful rule of thumb if you actually need to book a flight with Qantas or a partner airline.

Another way of looking at it is that the best way to use your Qantas credit card points will be to pay for something you actually need and would be spending cash on anyway. You can convert Qantas points into a gift card for most major retailers, for example.

That way, you will definitely be saving yourself money and getting value from those points. You can always then use the money you’ve saved to pay for the flight or wine, or whatever else Qantas is advertising via its store.

Is a credit card from Qantas itself better than a card from another provider?

Qantas has a range of credit cards offering points in return for spending. But these cards are no different to Qantas point-earning cards offered by any other provider when it comes to the features and costs that may apply.

In fact, Qantas’s credit cards are issued by major bank NAB. Qantas simply rebrands these cards and sells them through its Qantas Money business.

You should assess all credit cards that earn Qantas points (whether Qantas-branded or otherwise) using the same overall criteria before deciding which one is a good match for you.

Sean Callery

Reviewed by.

Credit Cards Expert

Qantas Premier Credit Card

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Change my product

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My flight was cancelled, and I was moved to another flight, how do I claim my missing bonus Status Credits?

Complimentary Travel Insurance

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Managing your account

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Cancelling a recurring payment

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What should I do if I lose my card and I’m issued a replacement card?

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Instalment Plans

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Open Banking

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Financial difficulty

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Loss of a loved one

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Customer Support and Complaints

Accessibility and Disability Support - Qantas Premier credit card

Managing your cash flow during COVID-19

Family and Domestic Violence

Coronavirus update

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Qantas Travel Money Card

Changes to Qantas Travel Money

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General information

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Apply and activate

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Rates, fees and limits

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When to use

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Using overseas

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Transactions

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Contact Information

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Qantas Money App

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Contact details

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Qantas Points

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Card Offers

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All Categories ​>​ ​Qantas Premier Credit Card ​ > ​ ​Complimentary Travel Insurance

The FAQs are a summary only; they are not an exhaustive list of the coverage, terms, conditions or exclusions in the policy. Limits apply and vary with each plan. Please refer to the Terms and Condit…

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Ranked: The Best Credit Card Travel Rewards Programs

For U.S. cardholders, the credit card space has four main travel rewards programs:

• Amex Membership Rewards
• Capital One Venture Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Rewards

When you first start collecting travel rewards , you're going to need to choose a program. Having used all four to varying degrees, I can say they each have their pros and cons, including varying quality of transfer partners.

Featured offer: save money while you pay off debt with one of these top-rated balance transfer credit cards

Amex and Chase both have the most comprehensive programs, so they rose to the top of the list. But choosing an exact order for this list turned out to be a little harder than I expected. Here are the results.

1. Chase Ultimate Rewards

I'll be honest, I went back and forth on who gets first and second place. I'm a bit of an Amex enthusiast, so my bias leans me that way. However, I had to objectively give the win to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

The main thing that makes this program stand out above the others is Chase's travel portal. Specifically, the fact that a few Chase credit cards give you an increased rate on redemptions through that portal.

If you have the right Chase card, you can get $0.015 per point when you redeem through the portal. This is a great rate for folks who don't want to jump through the regular hoops to transfer and redeem points at peak value.

2. Amex Membership Rewards

The American Express Membership Rewards program is a close second here. And I'd argue that it wins by a big margin if your only interest is transferring your points.

Amex has 17 airline transfer partners, 10 of which Chase doesn't have and three that are exclusive to Amex. (FYI, Chase has only two partners that Amex doesn't: United MileagePlus and TAP Air Portugal.)

All of Amex's airline partners transfer at a one-to-one rate except JetBlue (this transfers at a 1:0.8 rate). This means that you'll get one mile in the partner program for each Membership Rewards point you transfer -- unless you get a bonus.

That's right, Amex regularly has transfer bonus offers. These can give you up to 50% more points or miles when you transfer Membership Rewards points to the eligible partner program.

3. (Tied) Capital One Venture and Citi ThankYou

Neither Capital One Venture nor Citi ThankYou is as robust or lucrative as the Chase and Amex offerings. However, both programs do still have their merits.

Indeed, figuring out a winner here is actually pretty hard. Both programs offer roughly the same number of partners, including 10 overlapping partners. Most are 1:1 transfers, though Capital One Venture has worse rates on two airlines and Citi is worse for one hotel brand.

Both programs have their own travel portals where you can directly use points to book travel. And they both give you a value of $0.01 per point/mile when you redeem for travel through the portal.

In the end, choosing between the two programs will likely come down to one of two factors:

• Do you like a particular card best? Citi has one travel rewards card that earns ThankYou points. Capital One has three personal card options (plus three business cards). You may want a specific card for its rewards, welcome bonus, or perks.
• Is there a specific airline you want to use? About half of the partners overlap, but that leaves a lot of partners that don't. If you use one of these specific partners, go with that program.

Overall comparison

Sometimes one good chart is worth a thousand words. Take a look at all of the airline transfer partners side by side:

In the end, as long as you choose a program that you'll use , you really can't go wrong. Points that expire or are allowed to languish in your account aren't worth anything at all.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has positions in American Express. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool recommends Southwest Airlines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

Australia's Qantas to Pay $79 Million to Settle Flight Cancellation Case

Australia's Qantas to Pay $79 Million to Settle Flight Cancellation Case

FILE PHOTO: Qantas Airways planes are parked at the domestic terminal at Sydney airport in Australia, July 1, 2017. Picture taken July 1, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

By Byron Kaye and Poonam Behura

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia's Qantas Airways agreed to pay A$120 million ($79 million) to settle a regulator lawsuit over the sale of thousands of tickets on already cancelled flights, in an attempt to end a reputational crisis that has engulfed the airline.

The company will split A$20 million between more than 86,000 customers who booked tickets on the so-called "ghost flights" and pay a A$100 million fine instead of defending the lawsuit that it had previously vowed to fight, Qantas and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said on Monday.

The fine is the biggest ever for an Australian airline and among the largest globally in the sector, although some Australian banks and casino operators have faced higher penalties for breaches of the law.

"We recognise Qantas let down customers and fell short of our own standards," CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a statement.

The settlement "means we can compensate affected customers much sooner than if the case had continued in the Federal Court", added Hudson, who started her role in September, noting the court still must sign off on the settlement.

If the court approves, the settlement will resolve a dispute that had featured prominently at a time when Qantas's brand value tanked in consumer surveys amid a spike in complaints about cancellations. After the ACCC filed its lawsuit last August, Hudson's longserving predecessor, Alan Joyce, brought forward his retirement.

"This penalty ... will send a strong deterrence message to other companies," ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement.

The payout, however, would pale against the A$1.47 billion net profit that analysts on average forecast Qantas to report in the year to end-June, according to LSEG data. People who bought tickets on non-existent domestic flights would get A$225 and people with international fares would get A$450, on top of a refund, the airline and regulator said.

Qantas shares were flat in late trading, against a 0.6% gain in the broader Australian market.

"We see today's outcome as incremental positive, removing another post-COVID brand and valuation overhang from the stock," RBC Capital Markets analyst Owen Birrell said in a client note.

Qantas is still waiting to learn how much it must pay nearly 1,700 ground handling staff it sacked in 2020 after a court found the job cuts were illegal since they were intended to stop industrial action.

The ACCC lawsuit centred on the months after Australia's border reopened in 2022 following two years of COVID restrictions, and airline cancellations and lost luggage complaints spiked globally amid staffing shortages.

Qantas had argued that it faced similar challenges to airlines around the world, but the ACCC said its actions broke consumer law. It had said the airline sometimes sold tickets to flights weeks after they were cancelled.

The ACCC's Cass-Gottlieb noted that the settlement included a promise from Qantas not to repeat the conduct.

($1 = 1.5124 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Byron Kaye in Sydney and Poonam Behura in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie Freed)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Tags: Australia

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New Qatar Airways Credit Cards Open for Applications

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

In 2022, Qatar Airways joined the Avios frequent flyer program, allowing passengers to earn the same frequent flyer miles earned by British Airways , AerLingus , Iberia Airlines and others.

Now, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can earn Avios without flying and also snag a fast track to elite status, thanks to the release of two new credit cards, issued by Cardless , a fintech company.

The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card.

The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card.

Applications for the cards go live on May 7, 2024. Here's what to expect.

How the new Qatar Airways credit cards stack up

Prospective card applicants were able to join a waitlist in mid-April. If you joined that waitlist and apply within 30 days of the card applications going live, you'll be eligible for an additional 5,000 bonus Avios on the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card or 10,000 bonus Avios on the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card. These are in addition to the sign-up bonuses available to all applicants.

Elite status and benefits

The one year of automatic elite status with each card has no spending requirement. Additional Qpoints earned by spending on the card can help members qualify for status in subsequent years.

Benefits of the Gold status earned with the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card include a 75% tier bonus on earning Avios with eligible flights; priority check-in and boarding; complimentary lounge access and four guest lounge passes every year; a free extra baggage allowance; and complimentary preferred seat selection. Gold elite members will also receive all the benefits of Oneworld Sapphire tier elite status and collect Avios while flying on Oneworld member airlines.

Benefits of the Silver status earned with the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card include a 25% tier bonus on earning Avios with eligible flights; priority check-in and boarding; complimentary lounge access and two guest lounge passes every year; an extra baggage allowance; and 20% savings on preferred seat selection. Silver elite members will also receive all the benefits of Oneworld Ruby tier elite status and collect Avios while flying on Oneworld member airlines.

» MORE: The best airline elite status for 2024

The power of Avios

Avios points earned on these cards can be redeemed for flights with Qatar Airways, but also Oneworld Alliance airlines such as Alaska Airlines and British Airways, as well as partner airlines, including JetBlue Airways. The rewards can also be transferred to other Avios-based rewards programs, such as British Airways and Iberia Airlines. That transfer ability and access to partner airlines make Avios extremely valuable for optimizers who don’t mind learning how to maximize the value of their rewards.

» MORE: What’s the value of British Airways Avios?

Should you get a Qatar Airways card?

Unless you’re a frequent flyer with Qatar Airways and you really value elite status, there are easier and more flexible ways to earn Avios. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® that can be transferred to a variety of Avios-based rewards programs, including the British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub and Iberia Plus. These programs all give you access to the Oneworld Alliance award chart, including Qatar Airways. New cardholders can also qualify for a bigger introductory offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

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Qantas will pay $66m penalty and compensate passengers for selling tickets on thousands of ‘ghost flights’ it had already decided to cancel

Qantas Airways Ltd. will pay a A$100 million ($66 million) penalty and compensate passengers for selling tickets on thousands of flights it had already  decided to cancel , as Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson continues costly repairs to the airline’s battered reputation.

Under an agreement with Australia’s competition watchdog, Qantas will also pay between A$225 to A$450 to more than 86,000 impacted customers as part of a A$20 million remediation program, the airline said Monday.

The deal settles a fiery legal dispute between Qantas and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that last year triggered the  early retirement  of then- Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce and led to a  boardroom cleanout  to repair the company’s brand.

Joyce’s replacement, Vanessa Hudson, is now footing the bill as Qantas attempts to restore its status as a marquee carrier. She kicked off her tenure last year by ploughing extra money into major customer bugbears like on-board catering and call-center staffing. Last month, she overhauled the frequent flyer business to make it easier for customers to redeem points for flights.

“Today represents another important step forward,” Hudson said Monday.

Shares in Qantas rose as much as 0.5% to A$5.91 in early Sydney trading. The stock has risen 10% this year. 

Joyce’s reign was known for its focus on shareholders, profits and bumper dividends. Hudson’s first few months have put a bigger emphasis on customers.

While Qantas on Monday apologized to passengers and acknowledged its shortcomings as flights restarted after the pandemic, the size of the fine is also a financial letoff. The ACCC was pursuing a  record penalty  of more than A$250 million to punish Qantas for selling tickets on flights there were never going to take off.

The watchdog claimed Qantas kept on selling tickets — typically for more than two weeks but sometimes longer than a month — on thousands of flights it had already scrapped. Qantas’ misconduct stretched from May 2021 until August 2023, affecting tens of thousands of flights, the ACCC said.

“Qantas’ conduct was egregious and unacceptable,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a  statement . “Many consumers will have made holiday, business and travel plans after booking on a phantom flight that had been cancelled.”

Impacted customers who made a booking two or more days after the flight was cancelled will receive A$225 for a domestic or trans-Tasman flight, and A$450 for an international service. This is in addition to any refund already offered.

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