Compare Qantas Credit Cards

The great thing about getting a Qantas points earning credit card is that you don’t need to fly often to be able to cash in on awesome travel rewards. That’s because you’ll be earning Qantas points every time you make a purchase with your credit card. It’s actually one of the fastest ways for you to earn frequent flyer points while on the ground. 

Another way to earn points fast is to shop with Qantas program partners as you'll often get bonus points or discounts. There are hundreds of partners to choose from including retail clothing stores, accommodation and hotels, car rental companies, even streaming services and cinemas. 

But before you sign up and start Qantas points crunching, there’s a couple of things you should know about these credit cards . That way, you can compare the Qantas points earning rates, learn how to get the most out of the card’s extra features and find out how to boost your points pile without overspending or getting into debt. Read on to learn more ...

How do Qantas credit cards work?

A Qantas credit card is like any other rewards credit card, but instead of earning points in a bank’s rewards card program, for every dollar you spend on eligible purchases with your card, you will earn Qantas Points. Once you’ve stockpiled enough points in your Qantas Frequent Flyer account, you can put them towards your next overseas odyssey, domestic flights, hotel stays and other travel expenses like car hire. Alternatively, with the Qantas Frequent Flyer program you can use these points to fund some much needed retail therapy or even to help out with your health insurance costs.

Who offers Qantas credit cards?

The Qantas Frequent Flyer program is one of the most popular rewards programs out there, so it is no surprise that such a wide range of Aussie credit card providers offer Qantas-branded cards. In addition to the big four banks (Commonweath, Westpac, ANZ & NAB) and credit card giant American Express, you can also nab yourself a Qantas credit card from the likes of Bankwest, Citi, HSBC, Macquarie as well as many other smaller banks and card providers like Woolworths and Qantas Money.

Will my Qantas Points expire?

With the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, if you want to keep your tally ticking over and your points valid, you have to either earn or spend a Qantas Point at least once every 18 months.

This is why getting a Qantas credit card is a great option, especially if you don’t fly all that often. It means that as long as you make a purchase on your card every so often, you’ll know that you’re adding points to your account balance and keeping your account active.

Which features should I look out for when comparing Qantas credit cards?

Choosing a credit card can get a little complicated as they all have unique features, but when comparing Qantas credit cards some of the key ones to keep an eye out for are:

• Points caps.  If you want the freedom and ability to tally up countless Qantas Points every month, there be sure to check whether there are any points earning caps. Some providers cap the amount of points you can earn in one month, while others allow you to make the most of your spending habits and earn as many points as your purchases will reward you with.

• Bonus point offers. One of the quickest ways to score free travel is through introductory points offers. These usually come with some conditions though so just be sure you don’t find yourself spending money (and getting into debt) just so that you accrue points. Right now on the Mozo database Qantas Frequent Flyer bonus points offers go up to a whopping 150,000 points. Just remember, with bonus points offers, the amount you have to spend, the amount of bonus points available and the timeframe in which you have to spend can change from card to card so check out which one might suit your financial situation most.

• Earn rates. Why earn just one point when you can earn two, or three! While you will earn Qantas Points with any Qantas credit card, just be aware that they don’t necessarily all accrue points at the same rate. Some cards will also let you earn points for a mix of Amex, VISA or Mastercard purchases and earn rates differ depending on the payment platform. Luckily, at Mozo we think that this is a pretty important feature so we’ve summarised just how many Qantas Points you’ll be earning for every precious penny you spend on your card, in the table above.
• More than one card? One of Mozo’s top tips when it comes to accruing extra rewards points is to get more than one card to maximise the amount of points you earn. The equation is simple, more than one cardholder means more purchases and that means one thing, more Qantas Points. When comparing Qantas credit cards it is definitely worth checking out how many cards you can get without having to pay a fee. Just make sure that, with all these extra purchases (and points), you’re still able to pay off your balance in full each month so that you can avoid the hefty interest rates associated with these cards. And also be aware that it’s your credit history that will be affected if there is ever an issue.
• Annual fees. Just because you want access to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program in Australia, doesn’t mean you necessarily need to splash out an exorbitant annual fee to get your hands on a Qantas-branded piece of plastic. When scouring the market, an annual fee is a key feature that can help you make the decision on whether you go with one card or another and some providers will waive this fee completely. 

What are the DOs and DON’Ts when using a Qantas credit card?

DO - Pay your balance off in full each month. If you don’t, you’ll likely have to pay a high purchase interest rate which will negate the value of any Qantas Points you earn.

DO - Use complimentary features and services. A lot of Qantas credit cards come with complimentary features like travel insurance, price protection and purchase insurance as well as other neat travel features like Qantas lounge passes or discounted hotel stays. Make the most of your fresh piece of plastic by looking into what it offers and live it up with those extra features, especially when travelling.

DO - Compare the standard features. It is easy to get swept up by the aura surrounding the Qantas Frequent Flyer program or by any bonus offers on the table. But make sure you also compare the staples of the credit card such as the purchase interest rate, balance transfer rate and annual fee as these are the key things that will determine the card’s affordability for you in the long run.

DO - Get familiar with Qantas’ bonus partners. You can earn bonus points for your Qantas Frequent Flyer account by shopping at some of Qantas’ partners such as Woolworths, BWS and Caltex, so keep your loyalty card handy when doing the groceries, buying alcohol or filling up. You can also earn bonus points through Qantas’ Online Mall where, after logging in, you’ll be rewarded for your purchases at a bunch of online retailers such as THE ICONIC, Booktopia and David Jones.

DON’T - Overspend. Fight that new credit card urge to buy, buy, buy. You can afford to take a long game approach to your spending because Qantas points will only expire if you don’t have any activity over an 18 month period. The last thing you want is your credit card bill to be so big that you can’t pay it off in full after just your first month.

DON’T - Withdraw cash. As with all credit cards, you’re not going to want to use your Qantas credit card to withdraw cash. Doing so will not only mean you’re up for a pricey cash advance fee, which is either a flat amount or a percentage of the withdrawal amount, but you’ll also start paying interest on this cash immediately. But more importantly, you don’t earn any Qantas Points with a cash advance so there really is no point!