Compare frequent flyer credit cards

A frequent flyer credit card can earn you free or discounted flights, premium seat upgrades and much more. Start comparing bonus points and annual fees right here.

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Frequent Flyer Knowledge Hub

What is a frequent flyer credit card (and why you might want one)

A frequent flyer credit card is a type of rewards credit card that earns you frequent flyer points when you spend at eligible retailers.

Credit card providers offer these cards in collaboration with an airline, so the points you earn are tied to a particular frequent flyer program. The biggest ones in Australia are Qantas Frequent Flyer (Qantas) and Velocity Frequent Flyer (Virgin Australia).

Frequent flyer points can be redeemed on flights, accommodation or used to purchase items at a rewards store, but the most lucrative way to use them is generally on air travel.

For this reason, frequent flyer credit cards can be attractive to those planning trips, especially if they’d like to save money or experience a little luxury while doing it.

If you’re looking for some of the best credit cards in Australia, our editors hand-pick the top offers every month to help you start your search.

Okay, what’s the catch?

Frequent flyer credit cards typically have higher annual fees compared to standard cards, and they tend to have higher interest rates too.

More broadly, rewards credit cards have seen a significant devaluation of rewards points over the past 10 years, something that Mozo’s finance expert, Rachel Wastell, says consumers should be aware of.

“You now need to spend more on your rewards credit card, and keep it active for a longer period, to accrue points, so consumers need to be careful they’re not spending more than they need to, because doing so could end up negating the dollar value of those points,” she says.

It’s also worth noting that as frequent flyer programs have grown, the number of points in the market has also increased, which in turn brings about more competition for flights and premium seats.

Popular frequent flyer programs in Australia

Qantas Frequent Flyer

  • $99.50 joining fee
  • Earn points with Qantas and several partner airlines

Qantas has the largest frequent flyer program in Australia. While it costs $99.50 to join, it’s possible to become a member for free when you sign up for certain credit cards.

Qantas is part of the Oneworld global alliance, which means you can earn and redeem points when you fly with Qantas or one of its many partner airlines.

You can also earn points when you shop at partner stores, or take advantage of bonus point offers when you sign up to a frequent flyer credit card linked to the national carrier.

Velocity Frequent Flyer

  • Free to join
  • Smaller number of partner airlines compared to Qantas

Virgin Australia’s loyalty program is called Velocity Frequent Flyer and it’s free to join (unlike Qantas).

Virgin Australia isn’t part of a global alliance, which means it’s partnered with a limited number of airlines, but you can still earn and redeem points when you fly with eligible carriers.

On top of this, you can earn Velocity Points by shopping with retail partners, staying at select hotels or applying for a Velocity-earning credit card.

What can frequent flyer points be used for?

  • Flights and seat upgrades
  • Hotels, car hire and travel experiences
  • Food and wine
  • Shopping and gift cards
  • Airline rewards store
  • Insurance

Maximising your frequent flyer points

There are plenty of ways to earn and use points, but what’s the best way of using them?

Unfortunately, airlines don’t provide guidelines on how much a point is worth, but generally speaking, you’ll get the most value out of your frequent flyer points if you redeem them on flights and seat upgrades rather than on shopping or the airline’s rewards store.

You can also try out our rewards revealer tool to see if the frequent flyer points you could earn with your average yearly spend will outweigh the cost of each card’s annual fees.

What other benefits do you get?

Frequent flyer credit cards can also come with a range of other perks, such as:

  • Airport lounge access
  • Complimentary travel insurance
  • Extended warranty and purchase protection
  • Travel credits or discounts
  • Bonus points when you first sign up

Are frequent flyer credit cards worth it?

Frequent flyer credit cards can be appealing to regular travellers or anyone planning a big holiday, but they tend to come with higher annual fees and interest rates than regular cards.

For a frequent flyer credit card to be worthwhile, the value you get from it should be greater than the costs of keeping it.

Worth it if

+ You can pay off your balance in full every month.

+ You’re a frequent traveller that can make use of the benefits.

+ You don’t let your frequent flyer points expire.

+ The frequent flyer points you use outweigh the cost of annual fees. 

Not worth it if

- You don’t travel regularly.

- You don’t actively use your frequent flyer points for valuable rewards.

- You’re overspending on flights or everyday purchases just to earn points.

- The annual fees outweigh the monetary value of the rewards.

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Frequent flyer credit cards: FAQ

How to join Qantas Frequent Flyer for free?

The Qantas Frequent Flyer program comes with a one-time fee of $99.50, but there are ways you can become a member for free. Some credit card providers will waive the cost of signing up if you choose their card, or you can take advantage of promotional offers that can include a free membership.

Do frequent flyer points expire?

Yes, frequent flyer points can expire. The time of expiry varies depending on the rewards program, but Qantas Frequent Flyer points expire after 18 months of account inactivity, while Velocity Frequent Flyer points will expire after 24 months of account inactivity.

What is the best credit card to earn frequent flyer points in Australia?

There is no one credit card that is best for earning frequent flyer points, but one approach you can take is seeking out the card with the top bonus point offer when you first sign up. The provider with the highest bonus points can change throughout the year, but we keep track of the top deals on our compare rewards credit cards page.

Jasmine Gearie
Jasmine Gearie
RG146
Senior money writer

Jasmine is a senior writer at Mozo with a focus on home loans and refinancing. She has authored home loan research reports for Mozo, and has also written about broadband, mobile and the rate moves at Australia’s Big Four banks. You’ll also find her decoding financial jargon on Mozo’s Instagram. Jasmine previously wrote for TechRadar Australia, where she covered the telco and NBN sector for over four years. She studied a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism and Public Relations).

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Credit card customer reviews

Commonwealth Bank Awards Credit Card
Overall 6/10
Proceed with caution

Pros you get flexible payment terms and con is the interest rates and not much rewards

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Pros you get flexible payment terms and con is the interest rates and not much rewards

Price
5/10
Features
4/10
Customer service
8/10
Convenience
10/10
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5/10
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Tee, New South Wales, reviewed 5 days ago
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Overall 7/10
High fees, good rewards, not a trustworthy bank

I like this product for the free flybuys on signing up and the ongoing rewards system, but the annual fees are too high to keep the credit card past the first year. I have previous experience of ANZ signing me up to products I haven't asked for in what I consider an unethical way.

Read full review

I like this product for the free flybuys on signing up and the ongoing rewards system, but the annual fees are too high to keep the credit card past the first year. I have previous experience of ANZ signing me up to products I haven't asked for in what I consider an unethical way.

Price
6/10
Features
8/10
Customer service
6/10
Convenience
7/10
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4/10
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Sophie, Victoria, reviewed 11 days ago
Suncorp Credit Card
Overall 5/10
Change of payment date

Changed my payments date back eleven days. So went from towards end of the month repayments to the tenth of the month. My budget was perfect the way it was now I am very inconvenienced. Cannot understand who thought changing my payment date without notice was a good idea.

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Changed my payments date back eleven days. So went from towards end of the month repayments to the tenth of the month. My budget was perfect the way it was now I am very inconvenienced. Cannot understand who thought changing my payment date without notice was a good idea.

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Carol, New South Wales, reviewed 11 days ago
Commonwealth Bank Credit Card
Overall 4/10
Banks have taken advantage of busy customers

No rewards for both credit cards therefore I am Looking at other banks that offer rewards system for card usage

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No rewards for both credit cards therefore I am Looking at other banks that offer rewards system for card usage

Price
7/10
Features
1/10
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5/10
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Shona, Western Australia, reviewed about 1 month ago

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