12 great and cost-effective ways to earn frequent flyer points in everyday life

Frequent flyer points conjure images of suits in the sky and first-class cocktails. But you can use airline rewards for much more than discounted flights and earn them without ever setting foot in an airport.

So if you’re keen on racking up an impressive collection of Qantas, Velocity, or Flybuys Travel points, here are twelve big, cost-crunching ideas to get you off the ground. 

Maybe the money you save could go towards travel insurance for your next holiday.

NOTE: Rewards offers always come with terms and conditions, so read the fine print carefully before signing up for or purchasing a product or service.

Alas, Aldi’s only rewards are its low prices and great-value mobile plans. But if you’re keen on racking up frequent flyer points with your weekly grocery shop, Woolworths and Coles have some great options to check out.

At Woolworths, you can convert your Everyday Rewards points into Qantas Points at a 2-to-1 exchange rate (2,000 Everyday Rewards for 1,000 Qantas Points). 

Meanwhile, at Coles, you can earn Flybuys Points every time you shop, which can convert to Flybuys Travel rewards later or Velocity Points (again, 2-to-1 with 1,000 Flybuys Points netting you 500 Velocity Points). You can redeem Flybuys Travel rewards for flights, hotels, hire cars, cruises, and more. 

Subscribing to Coles Plus could double your Flybuys points with every purchase, too, though be sure to read the terms and conditions before signing up.

Your energy provider could earn frequent flyer points, depending on the plan.

For Qantas Points, providers Red Energy and Solargain offer rewards with their plans (T&Cs apply).

For Velocity Points or Flybuys Travel rewards, natural gas provider Kleenheat offers 1 Flybuys Point per $1 spent on your gas bill (with conditions). Remember, Flybuys can be converted to Velocity Points or used on their own.

Different insurance policies can sometimes come with frequent flyer offers. Generally, for every dollar you spend on your premium, you can earn up to a certain amount of points. Just make sure you read the product disclosure statement to see if the amount of coverage suits your needs before purchasing a policy based on the rewards alone.

Currently, Coles Pet Insurance has a Flybuys offer for new customers who sign up by 31 October 2022. For every $1 spent on pet products at Coles, eligible customers could receive 50 times the amount of Flybuys, up to 5,000 Points per month in the first twelve months of coverage (conditions apply). You can redeem these points for Flybuys Travel or Velocity Points.

Coles took home Pet Insurance Provider of the Year at the 2022 Mozo Expert’s Choice Pet Insurance Awards. 

Qantas Home Insurance has a Qantas Points offer for new customers. If you join or switch to a new home & contents policy, you could nab up to 20,000 bonus Qantas Points in the first year (minimum spend and conditions apply). 

Virgin Money, another 2022 Mozo Experts Choice award-winner, has a similar home & contents policy offer. New eligible purchases by 30 November 2022 could receive up to 10,000 Velocity Points (with conditions). 

As for travel insurance, 2022 Mozo Experts Choice award-winner Cover-more has a Velocity Points offer when you cover your next holiday, earning 3 points per $1 spent on your policy (T&Cs apply).

Plenty of credit cards come with frequent flyer points, such as Qantas Points and Velocity Points. 

Cards from Westpac come with Altitude Points, which can be used on services such as gift cards or travel bookings or converted to partner points with Qantas or Virgin (subject to terms and conditions). 

Just read the fine print before signing up for a new credit card – it has to tick all the boxes!

Mobile plans have quickly become necessities of life. But besides data limits, network coverage, download speeds, international roaming, and more to consider, there are also frequent flyer points on offer. 

Optus has both Qantas and Flybuys Points (which can convert into Velocity Points) offers available through its monthly postpaid mobile plans. 

If you’re a bit wary because of the recent news, here’s what we know about the Optus data breach. However, it’s important to note that Optus won several 2022 Mozo Experts Choice Mobile Awards, so the major telco is still worth checking out, especially its 5G mobile plans.

Not keen on a big network? Plans from MVNOs (smaller providers piggybacking off the big networks) can run far cheaper and sometimes offer similar rewards, such as Kogan Mobile (which has an ongoing 1 Qantas Point per $2 spent on your plan, with conditions), Coles Mobile, or Virgin Mobile.

Buying a home is one of life’s major financial decisions, so choosing a home loan best suited for your needs and financial situation is essential. 

Among the many features to consider when comparing home loans, one small one can be frequent flyer points. 

Not many lenders have offers at the moment. Still, a notable exception is multiple 2022 Mozo Experts Choice Awards winner Qudos Bank, which has a Qantas Points bonus offer for eligible home loans.

Virgin Money has removed its Velocity Points offer from all new home loans. However, borrowers who applied before 25 May 2020 and settled by 31 August 2020 will still earn eligible points on an ongoing, upfront, and anniversary basis.

7. Petrol stations

Petrol prices right now are heartbreaking. But if you still need to visit the pump, why not get frequent flyer points (and fuel discounts) while you’re at it? 

Servo chains, in particular, often have special frequent flyer rewards. 7-Eleven offers Velocity Points, while BP flies with Qantas. 

Sick of paying for petrol? Rideshare services can also come with frequent flyer points. Qantas Points are available through Uber on eligible trips to and from the airport, while Ola can nab you some Velocity Points no matter where you want to go (with conditions, of course).

Remember, conditions apply, so check the fine print before swiping your card. 

8. Shopping at your favourite retailers

We’re used to earning rewards through online shopping, but frequent flyer points can be an underappreciated bonus. 

Countless retailers offer opportunities for Qantas Points, Velocity Points, and Flybuys Travel – from clothing stores to home goods – so look out for offers and check the fine print. 

9. Movies and streaming

Even where you watch your favourite movies and series can be an unexpected source of frequent flyer points. 

For streaming, points usually come as a sign-up bonus or regular points for keeping your subscription active. Other memberships typically work on a points-per-dollar system, much like Flybuys. 

Qantas Points can come through Binge, Kayo Sports, and Hoyts Rewards. 

Optus broadband plans can also come with Flybuys points, which convert into Flybuys Travel rewards or Velocity Points.

10. Getting healthy

Keeping up with your steps? Frequent flyer points can come through health-conscious services, such as the Qantas Wellbeing app, which earns – big shock – Qantas Points, or through an eligible Medibank health insurance policy (Velocity Points).

11. Food and wine

Specific wine and spirits retailers, grocery stores (see above), reservation apps, and even home meal kit subscriptions can earn frequent flyer points. This includes Qantas, Velocity, and Flybuys points. 

12. Hotels

Flights aren’t the only booking we make on vacation. Staying with specific hotels, even local Aussie ones for domestic trips, can also net you some quick frequent flyer points.

While it depends on what you have and how you use it, frequent flyer points can make a meaningful difference to the price of modern travel. Whether it’s discounts on flights or hotels or even simple rewards for everyday living, these programs can be a great way to save some money.

Ultimately, however, the best discount must make sense for you and your lifestyle. Much like fuel membership rewards, what makes these options cost-effective is the frequency you use them (pun intended). 

Combining one or more of these services and using them often can rack up frequent flyer points quickly, but pay attention to any terms and conditions and how much money you spend to access them. No sense blowing your budget on “free” rewards!

It also matters how you redeem the points. If you use 2,000 points and only get a $5 discount on flights or hotels, the points probably weren’t worth all the money or effort. Optimising your ways of earning points – then using them effectively – is the ticket.

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