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 all the things: you possibly can select from primary, no-frills choices to playing cards that dish out massive factors and massive options.
Loads of frequent flyer bank cards include epic sign-up bonus factors to kickstart your rewards stash, and a few have steadiness switch options if you wish to shift your debt to a brand new card for 0% curiosity and to pay it off quicker.
Or, when you’re simply saying “present me the factors!”, search for bank cards that pay out the best variety of frequent flyer factors for each greenback you spend.
We’ve made it simple 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 July 2022
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.
Citi Premier Qantas Credit score Card – 80,000 bonus Qantas Factors
Get pleasure from a hefty 80,000 bonus Qantas Factors whenever you apply for a brand new Citi Premier Qantas Credit score Card and spend $4,000 on eligible transactions inside the first 90 days from card approval. Enhance earned factors with 1 Qantas Level per $1 spent on eligible transactions on-line and internationally, and 0.5 factors per $1 on home spend elsewhere. So as to add extra the attractiveness of this card, Citi now affords a half low cost on annual payment which saves you $175 for the primary yr whenever you meet the annual spend requirement of $48,000, at present $375. There’s additionally 0% p.a. curiosity on purchases and steadiness transfers for six months. Add as much as 4 further cardholders at no additional value. The Citi Premier additionally supplies cashback and reductions with taking part service suppliers and retail companions, plus complimentary lounge passes and journey insurance coverage.
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Credit score Card – 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors
Get pleasure from as much as 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors – 30,000 Velocity Factors per 30 days whenever you apply for a Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Credit score Card by 29 September 2022, get accredited, and spend $1,500 or extra on eligible transactions within the first 2 months from card approval. Extra profit to new cardholders is a combo supply which consists of a steadiness switch of 0% p.a. for 18 months and half annual payment within the first yr ($129 thereafter). Plus, journey enjoyable with an unique $129 Virgin Australia Present Voucher every year.
Qantas American Specific Final – As much as 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors plus $450 Qantas Journey Credit score
The Qantas American Specific Final Credit score Card is a premium card that serves up a great deal of journey advantages and factors. New cardholders might obtain as much as 100,000 bonus Qantas Factors – that’s 75,000 bonus Qantas Factors whenever you apply on-line by 23 August 2022, are accredited, and spend $3,000 in your new Card inside the first 3 months. Plus, a further 25,000 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 and products with no factors capping. Every year 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 payment.
Citi Rewards Credit score Card – Velocity Factors Supply – 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors
Offering distinctive worth and suppleness, Citi Rewards Credit score Card is at present providing a considerable welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors to new cardholders. To get the bonus factors, you’ll have to use by 31 August 2022 for a brand new card, get accredited and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases inside 90 days from approval. That is on high of the Citi reward Factors earned on on a regular basis purchases. Earn 1 Citi reward Factors per $1 spent on eligible transactions made abroad in addition to on eligible home spend (capped at $10,000 spend per assertion interval). Get pleasure from extra the spend and earn privilege with out worrying the annual payment within the first yr, saving you $149. Plus, you’ll admire extra this card when you’re trying to consolidate debt as this additionally affords 0% p.a. for 15 months with no steadiness switch payment.
Qantas Premier Platinum Credit score Card – 80,000 bonus Qantas Factors
With the Qantas Premier Platinum Credit score Card, you’ll get 80,000 bonus Qantas Factors whenever you apply for a brand new card by 29 September 2022, and spend $3,000 or extra on eligible purchases inside 3 months of card approval. Their rewards program is strong too, supplying 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 whenever 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 decreased annual payment for the primary yr, plus 0% p.a. on steadiness transfers for 18 months.
American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card – As much as 180,000 bonus Qantas Factors
If you happen to’ve received a enterprise and also you’re in search of alternatives to earn essentially the most of your transactions, you need to benefit from this huge welcome supply of as much as 180,000 bonus Qantas Factors + $450 Qantas Flight Voucher from the American Specific Qantas Enterprise Rewards Card. Apply by 31 July 2022, get accredited, and spend $3,000 within the first 2 months from card approval to obtain the 160,000 bonus Qantas Factors and flight voucher. Plus, a further 20,000 bonus Qantas Factors for first time Qantas Enterprise Rewards cardholders. Get pleasure from TRIPLE Qantas Factors for your online business on eligible Qantas flights and a couple of Qantas Factors on Qantas services and products. This can be a cost card with no pre-set spending restrict which ensures better cost flexibility.
Discovering the Greatest Credit score Card Gives on Frequent Flyer Playing cards
Frequent flyer factors (and the redemption applications they’re hooked up to) could be a complicated world to dive into, however they’re additionally among the greatest perks a bank card can supply.
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 find out how to discover your greatest card? We’ve received you lined. Beneath is a straightforward information on frequent flyer factors, how they work, and find out how to discover the bank card that’ll provide the most bang on your buck.
When you’re prepared to check, you possibly can try our checklist of the highest frequent flyer bank cards for this month, or use our comparability instrument to kind frequent flyer playing cards by completely different options, and test what number of factors you would possibly earn in a yr primarily based in your regular spending habits.
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 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 possibly can earn
- Annual charges
- Different bonus options of the cardboard
Let’s check out some intimately.
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 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 will be kind of.
What number of factors you could possibly 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 steadiness transfers, the place you progress your steadiness 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.
We clarify all about steadiness switch bank cards in our information to utilizing steadiness transfers to assist pay down debt.
The quantity of factors you possibly can earn will depend on a number 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 supply 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 example, a card would possibly 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 would possibly earn extra factors for worldwide purchases, or for purchasing merchandise by an affiliate enterprise or airline.
- Factors caps. Some playing cards put a restrict on the quantity of frequent flyer factors you possibly can earn in a yr (as an example, 100,000 factors yearly). Nevertheless, in some instances, factors which can be earned for purchases made with explicit companies are uncapped factors and don’t depend in the direction of your complete factors depend. So you could possibly 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 along 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 possibly can 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 beneficial rewards by hitting the factors incomes restrict.
Additionally, take into account the belongings you purchase typically. If you happen to use your card for grocery store spending, search for a card with the most effective earn charge on these purchases. Or, when you use your card for journey, discover a card that rewards spending on flights, lodging and automobile 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 supply.
Tremendous helpful recommendations on annual charges:
- A card with an enormous introductory supply is prone to have the next earn charge, but in addition the next annual payment.
- A card with a average introductory supply will normally have a decrease earn charge, and a decrease annual payment 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 payment.
For instance, when you 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 definitely 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 embody any bonus supply factors whenever you join.
On that time, some playing cards supply decreased 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 payment offers utilizing the ‘annual payment’ toggle on our one-click comparability instrument.
The curiosity you’ll be charged
Whenever you use your bank card and don’t repay the steadiness (the quantity you owe) earlier than the due date or inside any interest-free durations the cardboard affords, you’ll need to pay curiosity on the steadiness.
It’s additionally referred to as the acquisition charge, and frequent flyer bank cards are inclined to have greater buy charges as a result of they’re a high-value card.
Examine the acquisition charge and be sure you’re assured you possibly can carry on high of your repayments so that you’re not slugged with excessive curiosity fees, 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 when you don’t use your card for a specified period of time. It’s usually simple to maintain your account lively since you’ll be incomes factors each time you spend in your card.
| Frequent Flyer program | Factors expiry coverage | The way 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 shall be misplaced if all playing cards linked to this system are cancelled |
|
At all times test the nice print of the frequent flyer program for expiration insurance policies, and any conditions the place they might 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 you could redeem the factors by.
Right here’s a snapshot of the frequent flyer applications accessible that cowl Australian and worldwide airways:
- Qantas – Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Virgin – Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer
- Jetstar – Jetstar 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. Nevertheless, you should still use your frequent flyer factors for different airways inside the identical 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
Whenever you apply for a bank card hooked up to a frequent flyer program, you’ll must develop into a member to start out incomes and spending factors.
Most applications are free to affix, or offer you alternative to affix without spending a dime by different partnerships.
For instance, becoming a member of Qantas Frequent Flyer normally prices $99.50, however some bank cards supply free membership, or you possibly can be part of through 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 how and when the factors you earn are transferred to your frequent flyer account. Some playing cards supply direct switch, others switch factors on the finish of every month, whereas others solely supply handbook 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 increasingly imply utilizing your card with sure companions inside the journey business, reminiscent of lodges and automobile 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 test the frequent flyer program and its retailer, so can select one that provides the belongings you need (and, it’s extra enjoyable whenever you’ve already chosen the reward you wish to get without spending a dime!).
Sometimes, you need to use frequent flyer factors for:
- Journey. That features flights, upgrades, lodges and lodging, and automobile rental.
- Procuring. Go to this system’s on-line rewards retailer to seek out and redeem your factors at standard shops.
- Present playing cards. You may redeem frequent flyer factors for reward playing cards, however usually you’ll get extra worth utilizing them for journey.
- Enjoyable eating extras. Some applications supply freebies and reductions on eating. For instance, Qantas Factors will be redeemed on Qantas wine.
If you happen to don’t have sufficient factors to cowl your entire value of the acquisition, many playing cards supply points-and-pay, the place you possibly can pay money to cowl any shortfalls in your factors.
Step 3: Testing your card’s different options
Many bank cards supply a bunch of different options in addition to rewards factors, and frequent flyer playing cards – particularly the fancier, dearer ones – are sometimes choc-full of them.
Options you would possibly 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 providers
- 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 when you like to journey, dine and revel in social occasions.
If you happen to’re after factors to spend on retail, you would possibly wish to have a look at the most effective 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 can even search for reductions on annual charges and any cashback affords.
Some playing cards waive the annual payment for the primary yr, or when you hit a minimal spend yearly.
There are additionally cashback or journey credit on supply, the place you’ll have a nominal quantity paid again to your account, or earn a journey voucher to spend every year. Each options assist offset any ongoing charges on the cardboard.
Some lenders supply 0% curiosity on steadiness transfers, which is the place you progress the debt from a bank card to 1 that received’t cost curiosity for a sure timeframe.
Earlier than you ask, you received’t earn factors whenever you switch a steadiness. Which implies combining a steadiness switch (the place the aim is to repay debt) with a card that’s about incomes rewards on massive spending might not be the most effective mixture.
If you happen to’re eager to get forward of your bank card steadiness, use our one-click comparability instrument to discover a steadiness switch card that may make it easier to 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 unique card.
Usually, 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 value the identical quantity?
No, every frequent flyer program has their very own worth system. For instance, a $100 Bunnings reward 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 possibly can search the completely different rewards applications and select the one with the higher factors redemption on belongings you’re probably to purchase.
Can I add further cardholders?
Including members of the family to the account is an efficient technique 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 may be minimal, like $10 per yr, however may require a payment to affix 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 part of, you possibly can examine the playing cards hooked up to your program through the use of our one-click comparability instrument:
Examine all Qantas Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Examine all Velocity Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Or, you possibly can examine bonus factors for all rewards playing cards, together with non-frequent-flyer applications, on our bonus factors comparability web page.
If you happen to’re nonetheless undecided, you possibly can 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 supply factors on authorities transactions, and people who do are most frequently enterprise bank cards. Nevertheless, some American Specific frequent flyer playing cards supply factors on funds to authorities our bodies.
As at all times, test the cardboard’s particulars to seek out out.
