Compare Qantas frequent flyer credit cards

Qantas frequent flyer members know that earning frequent flyer points can unlock a world of opportunities, including Status Bonuses, priority check-in, lounge access and more. However, unless you’re able to fly very often, it may take you years to earn enough points through flights to enjoy these perks.

This is where Qantas frequent flyer credit cards come in. A range of credit card issuers across Australia have partnered with Qantas to allow cardholders that are Qantas frequent flyer members earn bonus Qantas rewards points on eligible spending.

There are five main Qantas frequent flyer program tiers, each with their own individual benefits that increase as your status rises:

• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum
• Platinum One

Credit card issuers offering Qantas-linked cards may allow you to earn points towards your account, increasing your ability to earn points and potentially improving your chances of increasing your Qantas status.

It’s not just Qantas that has partnered with Australian credit card companies to allow customers to earn frequent flyer points on purchases. Some of Qantas’s affiliated airlines also offer frequent flyer credit cards, or are linked to credit cards that allow you to earn points. 

Jetstar credit card

Qantas’s budget option, Jetstar, offers a Visa Credit Card for its Jetstar members that may help them to grow their frequent flyer points. The Jetstar Visa Credit Card enables cardholders to earn Jetstar Dollars or Qantas Points on eligible purchases, which can be redeemed for Jetstar travel vouchers or flights with Qantas and its partners.

Benefits of an affiliated Jetstar credit card include: 

• Earning 1 Jetstar Dollar for every $200 spent; 
• The opportunity to accrue rewards through the Qantas Frequent Flyer program; and
• The convenience of accessing over 30 million merchants in over 200 countries and approximately 1.5 million ATMs.

Emirates credit cards

Emirates is another major affiliate of Qantas, and this airline also partners with credit card issuers to help you earn points (known as Emirates Skyward Miles) that may be redeemed for flight upgrades, airport lounge access, hotel accommodation or transport. 

At the time of writing, these card issuers allow customers to earn Emirates Skywards Miles:

• Commonwealth Bank may allow customers to convert 4 CommBank Awards points into 1 Skywards Mile
• American Express may allow customers to convert 2 Membership Rewards into 1 Emirates Skywards Mile

You could also earn Emirates Skyward Miles by making purchases with non-flight partners, including InterContinental Hotels, Hertz, Citibank and others.

There are a few ways you can earn frequent flyer points with a Qantas credit card, including:

• Eligible spending to earn rewards points
• Bonus Qantas points on sign up
• Transferring from another rewards program

Ultimately, the best credit card to earn Qantas frequent flyer points will be different for each Australian cardholder due to their individual financial needs and budget. As there are strict eligibility criteria for each Qantas credit card tier, you may not be approved for every points-earning card.

How many Qantas points can you earn?

The amount of Qantas points you can earn will depend on the credit card you choose. Some credit cards may offer generous six-figure bonus points on sign up. Some rewards credit cards have points caps. For example, at the time of writing Qantas advised that Qantas Points were capped at 30,000 per account number for each statement period for business rewards customers, or 360,000 p.a. from the account opening date.

Points caps limit the maximum number of points you can earn with the card. Once you reach your points cap, you won’t earn more points until you redeem the point balance you already have.

Qantas Points can typically be exchanged, via the Qantas Store, to purchase a range of household items, from electronics and appliances to gifts and fashion accessories. 

Qantas points can also be redeemed for donations to a range of charities, or used to book hotel stays or holiday experiences. 

Points earned on your Qantas frequent flyer credit card may also be spent on flights and travel upgrades with Qantas or one of its partner airlines. Typically when you purchase Qantas tickets online, you may be able to pay with your points or part-pay with your points at check-out.

These are the key Frequent Flyer credit card features to compare when choosing your best option as a Qantas member:

• Earn rate: How many points per dollar you can earn on eligible spending with your credit card. This fluctuates between each credit provider and can range from 0.5 points per dollar spent to 2-3 points per dollar spent.
• Bonus points: How many points you can receive as an introductory offer, or by fulfilling bonus terms and conditions. These can range from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of Qantas points, depending on the credit provider as well as the type of card chosen.
• Points cap: The maximum number of points you can earn on a card before you need to start spending them.

More common credit card features to compare include:

• Interest rate: How much extra you’ll be charged on purchases if you don’t clear your card balance on time. Rewards credit cards often have higher rates than more basic credit cards. 
• Annual fee: A charge you’ll pay each year to your card provider. Rewards credit cards often have higher fees than more basic credit cards. 
• Interest-free days: How long you’ll have each billing cycle (often monthly) to clear your credit card balance. If you can reliably pay off your card within this interest-free period (often 45 to 55 days), you can avoid being charged interest on your purchases. 
• Eligible spending. Not every purchase you make will earn you rewards points. Take a look at the credit card’s T&Cs and familiarise yourself with the credit provider’s affiliated stores in which you may not only be able to earn rewards points but earn bonus ones too. If your everyday purchases or even one-off purchases will never earn you rewards points, it may be worth asking yourself if this type of card suits you.

What is eligible spending?

Generally, you can only earn reward points when purchasing products and services with your credit card; also known as eligible spending. Depending on your lender, you may not earn points when you use your credit card to pay bills, to make cash advances, or to gamble. 

The major benefit of a Qantas frequent flyer credit card is that it allows you to earn Qantas points at a greater rate than through traditional earning methods, such as booking flights or accommodation with affiliated hotels.

Many new card issuers also offer bonus rewards points on sign up, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer points. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that you may have to meet certain conditions to be eligible for these bonus points, such as meeting minimum spend requirements within a set time frame.

You may also gain access to several additional perks and rewards, such as complimentary insurance on domestic or overseas travel, lounge invitations/Qantas club access, purchase protection, waived annual card fees and more. Keep in mind that for some credit card insurance policies you may need to book your Qantas flights and accommodation with your Qantas frequent flyer credit card to be eligible.

Before you apply for a Qantas frequent flyer credit card, think about if you’re interested in the rewards that are available. If you regularly fly with Qantas or its partner airlines, you may enjoy the value of Qantas Points. 

One way to work out if a Qantas frequent flyer card may be right for you is to calculate how many reward points you may earn through your regular spending. Next, compare the value of the rewards you could redeem to the cost of the credit card’s fees. If it looks like you’d pay more in fees than you’d likely earn in rewards, then the card may not provide much value to you. The Qantas Points Calculator may come in handy here.

It’s also important to think about if you can afford to pay off your credit card in full each month. If you’re likely to leave money owing on your card, you may be charged interest on this amount. The cost of these interest charges could outweigh the value of any reward points you’d earn. To help minimise your interest charges, you may want to also consider credit cards with lower interest rates, though these may not offer rewards points. 

To apply for most Qantas frequent flyer credit cards, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be an Australian permanent resident
• Have an Australian residential address and phone number
• Be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member

Some Qantas reward cards may have additional eligibility criteria, such as earning a minimum income per year. 

Typically, the more rewards and benefits that are available on a card, the more difficult it may be to successfully apply for the card. Different lenders use different eligibility requirements for their rewards credit cards, so check with the card provider before you apply.