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 pieces: you may select from fundamental, no-frills choices to playing cards that dish out huge 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 steadiness switch options if you wish to shift your debt to a brand new card for 0% curiosity and to pay it off sooner.
Or, should you’re simply saying “present me the factors!”, search for bank cards that pay out the very best variety of frequent flyer factors for each greenback you spend.
We’ve made it straightforward by summarising the options of every card proper right here. You may click on the cardboard to see the cardboard’s full particulars on the financial institution’s web site, and apply from there too.
Right here’s the highest frequent flyer bank cards for 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
Take pleasure in 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 throughout 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 presents 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, presently $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 gives cashback and reductions with collaborating 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
Take pleasure in as much as 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors – 30,000 Velocity Factors per thirty days whenever you apply for a Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Credit score Card by 29 September 2022, get accepted, and spend $1,500 or extra on eligible transactions within the first 2 months from card approval. Further profit to new cardholders is a combo provide 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 Reward Voucher annually.
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 accepted, and spend $3,000 in your new Card throughout the first 3 months. Plus, an extra 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 an extra 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.
Citi Rewards Credit score Card – Velocity Factors Provide – 60,000 bonus Velocity Factors
Offering distinctive worth and suppleness, Citi Rewards Credit score Card is presently 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 accepted 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). Take pleasure in extra the spend and earn privilege with out worrying the annual payment within the first yr, saving you $149. Plus, you’ll respect extra this card should you’re seeking to consolidate debt as this additionally presents 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 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 whenever 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 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
In case you’ve obtained a enterprise and also you’re in search of alternatives to earn probably the most of your transactions, you must reap the benefits of this large welcome provide 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 accepted, and spend $3,000 within the first 2 months from card approval to obtain the 160,000 bonus Qantas Factors and flight voucher. Plus, an extra 20,000 bonus Qantas Factors for first time Qantas Enterprise Rewards cardholders. Take pleasure in TRIPLE Qantas Factors for your online business on eligible Qantas flights and a pair of Qantas Factors on Qantas services. It is a cost card with no pre-set spending restrict which ensures better cost flexibility.
Discovering the Finest Credit score Card Affords on Frequent Flyer Playing cards
Frequent flyer factors (and the redemption packages they’re connected to) generally is a complicated world to dive into, however they’re additionally among 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 find out how to discover your greatest card? We’ve obtained you coated. 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 may try our record of the highest frequent flyer bank cards for this month, or use our comparability software to type frequent flyer playing cards by totally different options, and examine what number of factors you would possibly earn in a yr based mostly in your regular spending habits.
Step 1: Issues to look out for when evaluating frequent flyer bank cards:
- The frequent flyer program it’s connected to
- Whether or not the factors may be transferred to different frequent flyer packages
- Introductory bonus factors you get for signing up
- Any expiration dates in your factors
- The earn price (factors you earn per greenback spent)
- Caps on the factors you may 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 to can meet it – it’s usually within the neighborhood of $3,000 spent inside 90 days of approval, however may be roughly.
What number of factors you may 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 occasions, rewards additionally gained’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 verify.
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 may earn depends upon a couple of issues:
- The earn price. That’s what number of factors per $1 you spend. 1 frequent flyer level per greenback is pretty customary, though some playing cards provide 0.5 or 0.75 factors per $1.
- Tiered factors. Typically the earn price adjustments relying on what you purchase and the place. For example, a card would possibly 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 would possibly earn extra factors for worldwide purchases, or for getting merchandise via an affiliate enterprise or airline.
- Factors caps. Some playing cards put a restrict on the quantity of frequent flyer factors you may earn in a yr (for example, 100,000 factors yearly). Nevertheless, in some circumstances, factors which might be earned for purchases made with explicit companies are uncapped factors and don’t depend in direction of your whole factors depend. So you may earn, for instance, 125,000 factors in a yr even when the cap is 100,000, as a result of 25,000 have 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, probably 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 may take into consideration how a lot you spend in your card every month, and select a suggestion with uncapped factors or a better spending tier so that you don’t lose out on priceless rewards by hitting the factors incomes restrict.
Additionally, take into account the stuff you purchase usually. In case you use your card for grocery store spending, search for a card with one of the best earn price on these purchases. Or, should you use your card for journey, discover a card that rewards spending on flights, lodging and automotive leases.
Annual charges and ongoing prices (and the trifecta candy spot)
The balancing act of discovering an important frequent flyer card for you is weighing up the annual payment, the earn price and the introductory provide.
Tremendous useful tips about annual charges:
- A card with an enormous introductory provide is prone to have a better earn price, but additionally a better annual payment.
- A card with a reasonable introductory provide will normally have a decrease earn price, and a decrease annual payment to swimsuit.
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, should 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 well worth the barely larger 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 presents like free journey insurance coverage, the cardboard may match out nicely in your favour even with a better annual payment.
And naturally, that instance doesn’t embody any bonus provide factors whenever you enroll.
On that time, some playing cards provide decreased annual charges for the primary yr, or decrease ongoing annual charges should 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 software.
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 presents, you’ll must pay curiosity on the steadiness.
It’s additionally referred to as the acquisition price, and frequent flyer bank cards are inclined to have larger buy charges as a result of they’re a high-value card.
Examine the acquisition price and be sure to’re assured you may carry on high of your repayments so that you’re not slugged with excessive curiosity prices, as a result of that can scale back the worth of your journey rewards.
Expiration dates on frequent flyer factors
Some frequent flyer factors by no means expire, however some expire inside a sure timeframe, or should you don’t use your card for a specified period of time. It’s typically straightforward to maintain your account energetic since you’ll be incomes factors each time you spend in your card.
| Frequent Flyer program | Factors expiry coverage | The way to preserve factors energetic |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity Factors | Sure, after 24 months of inactivity |
|
| Qantas Factors | Sure, after 18 months of inactivity in your account |
|
| American Specific Journey Factors | No expiry, however factors will likely be misplaced if all playing cards linked to this system are cancelled |
|
At all times examine the positive print of the frequent flyer program for expiration insurance policies, and any conditions the place they could cancel the rewards program.
Step 2: Unpacking one of the best frequent flyer program for you
Every frequent flyer bank card is linked to a selected frequent flyer program that you could 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
- 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 packages. Nevertheless, you should still use your frequent flyer factors for different airways throughout the similar community, like Singapore Airways Krisflyer, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Air New Zealand Airpoints, Emirates Skywards and Etihad Visitor.
Becoming a member of a frequent flyer program
Whenever you apply for a bank card connected to a frequent flyer program, you’ll have to turn out 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 normally prices $99.50, however some bank cards provide free membership, or you may be part of by way of your Woolworths On a regular basis Rewards card.
Earlier than you apply, it’s a good suggestion to examine 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 will imply utilizing your card with sure companions throughout the journey business, akin to lodges and automotive rent firms, 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 an important concept to examine the frequent flyer program and its retailer, so can select one that provides the stuff you need (and, it’s extra enjoyable whenever you’ve already chosen the reward you need to get totally free!).
Usually, 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 seek out and redeem your factors at common shops.
- Reward playing cards. You may redeem frequent flyer factors for present playing cards, however sometimes you’ll get extra worth utilizing them for journey.
- Enjoyable eating extras. Some packages provide freebies and reductions on eating. For instance, Qantas Factors may be redeemed on Qantas wine.
In case you don’t have sufficient factors to cowl the complete value of the acquisition, many playing cards provide points-and-pay, the place you may 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 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 (could possibly be home, worldwide, or each)
- Airport lounge entry
- Airport transfers
- Journey credit score
- Concierge companies
- Reductions with partnering companies
- Cashback presents
- VIP entry to occasions
All the additional ‘dazzle’ on a card may also help offset the upper annual payment, particularly should you like to journey, dine and luxuriate in social occasions.
In case you’re after factors to spend on retail, you would possibly need to have a look at one of the best rewards-earning bank cards, that are linked to financial institution rewards packages (not particular frequent flyer memberships) and have decrease annual charges.
Different presents to look out for
Introductory presents are one huge advantage of frequent flyer bank cards, however it’s also possible to search for reductions on annual charges and any cashback presents.
Some playing cards waive the annual payment for the primary yr, or should you hit a minimal spend yearly.
There are additionally cashback or journey credit on provide, the place you’ll have a nominal quantity paid again to your account, or earn a journey voucher to spend annually. Each options assist offset any ongoing charges on the cardboard.
Some lenders provide 0% curiosity on steadiness 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 whenever you switch a steadiness. Which suggests combining a steadiness switch (the place the objective is to repay debt) with a card that’s about incomes rewards on huge spending might not be one of the best mixture.
In case you’re eager to get forward of your bank card steadiness, use our one-click comparability software to discover a steadiness switch card that can enable you most.
FAQs
What’s an ‘eligible transaction’ for incomes factors?
An eligible transaction normally means common spending on on a regular basis objects, like groceries, consuming out and reserving tickets (together with flights). Usually, you gained’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 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 value 23,170 Qantas Factors, or 21,800 Velocity Factors.
If you wish to get probably the most out of your factors, you may search the totally different rewards packages and select the one with the higher factors redemption on stuff you’re most certainly to purchase.
Can I add further cardholders?
Including relations to the account is an effective approach to bump up your factors earnings sooner, however not all playing cards enable further cardholders, and a few make you pay.
The extra cardholder payment could be minimal, like $10 per yr, however may additionally require a payment to affix the membership program.
At all times examine the phrases for including additional 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 understand which frequent flyer program you need to be part of, you may evaluate the playing cards connected to your program by utilizing our one-click comparability software:
Evaluate all Qantas Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Evaluate all Velocity Frequent Flyer bank cards.
Or, you may evaluate bonus factors for all rewards playing cards, together with non-frequent-flyer packages, on our bonus factors comparability web page.
In case you’re nonetheless unsure, you may evaluate 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 those who do are most frequently enterprise bank cards. Nevertheless, some American Specific frequent flyer playing cards provide factors on funds to authorities our bodies.
As all the time, examine the cardboard’s particulars to seek out out.
