Find a New Qantas Credit Card
By WhistleOut
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The March 31 count down is on to the 'direct earn' changes to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Rewards Program.
Now is a perfect time to re-assess your choice of credit card and rewards program. The Qantas Frequent Flyer changes mean that there are new terms to understand and choices to make.
Also, there are many new flexible shopping options in the credit card market which might be worth a second look. These cards now include options to use your points to buy travel vouchers to spend at your travel agent when paying for flights so that you are not locked into a single airline rewards program.
With ticket prices falling in dollar terms, there are many great options for you to earn free flights with Qantas and other airlines using vouchers as an alternative to a direct earn option.
Let's look at the Qantas cards and changes specifically.
Direct Earn Qantas Cards
The core of this Qantas Frequent Flyer March 31 change is that you (mostly) won't be able to earn personal points in a generic rewards program with your credit card issuer and then transfer the points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. Any points must be transferred to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program by March 31.
To continue to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points, you will need to have all your points going direclty into the QFF program from April 1st, 2009. Some exceptions are business credit cards like the Spirit program from American Express.
Do I Need to Change / Update Cards?
If you want to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points as you spend in the future, the short answer for many people might be 'yes'.
A number of cards have been eliminated from the program as a transfer option and you need to do one of two things if you have an affected card and you want to be able earn Qantas points in the future.
- Find a new 'Direct Earn' Qantas card
- Opt In to change your existing card to a 'Direct Earn' option and move out of your current rewards program. The March 31 changes mean there are a limited number of 'direct earn' credit cards which can earn points directly into the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
Compare all Qantas 'Direct Earn' Credit Cards
Transferring Your Points to Qantas Frequent Flyer
If you have points with these membership programs you will be affected by some changes and Qantas advise you to contact the relevant company to find out how to keep earning points.
- American Express Membership Rewards Ascent (personal)
- ANZ Rewards Visa
- Citibank Rewards
- Citibank Platinum Rewards
- Commonwealth Awards Program
- Diners Club Rewards
- NAB Gold Rewards
- NAB Rewards Program
- St George Private Bank Platinum Choice Rewards
- Suncorp Clear Options
- Westpac Altitude
Importantly, if you stay in these programs beyond March 31 and continue to earn points without contacting your bank and opting in to their suggested change, you will not be able to transfer these points into the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
Do All My Points Go To Qantas?
Yes, with direct earn cards all your points go into the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. So, if you want to redeem shopping vouchers or redeem points for an iPod, you will have to do it all in the Qantas program and not through your bank's original program (even if it may require less points for that iPod redemption).
Are There Other Transfer Options Still Available?
Yes. There are many options still available. Whilst the changes affect the Qantas program, many programs remain un-changed including the transfer of points to Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific etc.
Remind Me...How Many Qantas Points Do I Need?
Classic Awards Points Required (Return)
- Sydney-London: economy 128,000, business 256,000
- Sydney-California: economy 96,000, business 192,000
- Sydney-Singapore/Bangkok/HK: economy 60,000, business 120,000
Remember: You may use travel vouchers to get hundreds of dollars of voucher credits on your travel when you book your next flight, but you will need points in the Qantas program to be able to upgrade flights as the only way to do this is through Qantas Frequent Flyer.
The Sweet Spot
If you can afford the $395 annual fee, the sweet spot during these changes is the American Express Ultimate Card. This card pays you back for your annual fee by giving you a free Qantas domestic flight per year, and you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent directly into the Qantas program. Spend $64,000 and have enough Qantas points for a free trip to LA!
Can I Have More Than One Card?
If you like flexibility, then more than one credit card might be the best option for you. Having more than one credit card to maximise rewards makes more sense than ever if you are a smart shopper. With new credit cards on the market, rewards programs have evolved to really reward spending and provide benefits in selected stores.
Here's some highlights of using multiple credit cards...
Woolworths Everyday Money: If you shop in Woolworths for groceries, you can earn 3 points per $1 spent. Spend $5,800 in Woolworths and get a $100 voucher to spend in Woolworths.
David Jones American Express Card: Earn 2 points for every $1 spent inside David Jones and receive 5 years interest free on some purchases during promotional windows where you can only use your David Jones Amex card to access the interest free terms.