Best credit card for KrisFlyer points in Australia: Earn rate, fees and more

If you’re a member of the Singapore Airlines’ frequent flyer program, KrisFlyer, or are considering becoming one, having the right credit card can make it easier to build up your points and access rewards faster.

In this guide, we’ll look at the best credit cards in Australia for earning KrisFlyer points. We’ll look at what each one offers, things to consider when comparing them, and how to pick the credit card that matches your spending habits and travel plans. If you’re a frequent flyer, we'll also share more about the Wise debit card, a handy way for you to save while spending abroad.

Table of contents
What is a KrisFlyer points earning credit card? Best credit card for KrisFlyer points HSBC Star Alliance American Express Platinum ANZ Rewards Black Westpac Altitude Black Commbank Ultimate Awards St.George Amplify Signature Visa Bring the Wise card along with you when travelling to save on foreign currency fees

What is a KrisFlyer points earning credit card?

A KrisFlyer credit card allows you to earn KrisFlyer points as you spend. Usually, the points are earned per dollar spent on eligible purchases, with some cards offering additional perks like travel insurance or lounge access.

The KrisFlyer miles you earn can be redeemed for a range of rewards, including:

• Flights and upgrades¹
• KrisShop purchases²
• Pelago travel experiences
• KrisFlyer experiences

They can also be converted to other rewards points, including Shangri-La Circle Points, Marriott Bonvoy Points, Velocity Australia Points and ALL Accor rewards points.²

What to consider when choosing a credit card for KrisFlyer points?

Not all credit cards that earn KrisFlyer miles work the same, so it’s important to weigh up their features and costs to find the one that suits you best. Key things to consider include:

Earn rate - Check how many KrisFlyer miles you’ll earn per dollar spent to get a sense of your potential rewards.
Sign-up bonus - Review the bonus offer, the conditions for unlocking it, and whether it’s achievable given your usual spending.
Annual fee - Balance the annual fees against the benefits, and perks you expect to actually use.
Eligibility - Make sure you meet any income, residency, personal or credit requirements before applying.

At the end of the day, the right card will be the one that aligns with your spending and travel habits, enhancing what you’re already doing.

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What is the best credit card for KrisFlyer points?

So, which KrisFlyer credit card will help you maximize your miles, while suiting your spending habits and giving you the perks you value most?

To help you decide, we’ll begin with a side by side comparison of the most popular options in Australia, followed by a closer look at what each one offers.

Card	Earn Rate	Annual Fee	Additional Perks
HSBC Star Alliance³	1 Star Alliance Point per $1 spent up to $3000 per statement period, then 0.5 points per $1 after that	$499	Complimentary travel insurance HSBC Instant Savings
American Express Platinum⁴	2.25 American Express Rewards points per $1 spent of purchases 1 point per $1 spent on at Australian government bodies	$1450	Travel perks Dining perks Subscription perks Exclusive events and offers
ANZ Rewards Black⁷	2 ANZ Rewards Points per $1 spent up to $5000 per statement period, then 1 points per $1 after that	$375	Complimentary travel insurance
Westpac Altitude Black⁸	3 Altitude Points per $1 spent abroad 2 Altitude Points per $1 on everyday spending 1 Altitude Point per $1 on other spending After $10,000 per statement period it reverts to a standard rate of 0.5 Altitude Point per $1	$295	Westpac Rewards 2x Priority Lounge Passes per year Complimentary travel insurance
Commbank Ultimate Awards Card¹⁰	3 Awards Points per $1 spent abroad 2 Awards Points per $1 on everyday spending 1 Award Point per $1 on other spending After $10,000 per statement period it reverts to a standard rate of 0.5 Award Point per $1	$35 per month where $4000 isn’t spent	Complimentary travel insurance Commbank Yello Cashback Offers 2x Mastercard Travel Pass lounge passes per year
St.George Amplify Signature Visa¹³	3 Amplify Points per $1 spent abroad 2 Amplify Points per $1 on everyday spending 1 Amplify Point per $1 on other spending After $10,000 per statement period it reverts to a standard rate of 0.5 Amplify Point per $1	$295	Complimentary travel insurance Visa and My Offers benefits 2x Priority Lounge Passes per year Cashback on ShopBack

Before we delve into the individual cards, here’s an idea of what each card is best for:

• HSBC Star Alliance: Best for access to rewards on multiple airlines
• American Express Platinum: Best for high value perks that offset annual fees
• ANZ Rewards Black: Best for existing ANZ customers
• Westpac Altitude Black: Best for a lower annual fee, especially if with Westpac already
• Commbank Ultimate Awards Card: Best transaction fee free international spending
• St.George Amplify Signature Visa: Best for a lower annual fee, especially if with St.George already

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Now let’s look at each credit card in a little more detail.

HSBC Star Alliance

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card, with an annual fee of $499, allows you to earn Star Alliance rewards points as you spend.³ While these aren’t KrisFlyer points, they can be redeemed directly for flights on Singapore Airlines.³

Main features:

• No fee for the first year, then $499 per year after that
• Spend at least $4000 on eligible purchases within the first 90 days to get fast tracked access to Star Alliance Gold Status in year one
• Interest free period of up to 55 days on eligible purchases
• Free additional cardholders³
• Access to the HSBC Instant Savings app
• Compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay³

Pros	Cons
Opportunity to fast track access to Star Alliance Gold Status Higher interest free period Points can be redeemed at several airlines	Higher annual fee Can’t be redeemed for the full suite of KrisFlyer rewards Minimum income of $75,000³

American Express Platinum

With an American Express Platinum credit card, you can earn Membership Rewards Points which can then be converted to KrisFlyer points at a one to one ratio.⁵ The American Express Platinum credit card has an annual fee of $1450.

Main features:

• 225,000 bonus Member Rewards Points when $5000 is spent within the first 3 months
• Up to $400 in Dining Credits
• $450 Travels Credits per year and complimentary travel insurance
• Access to 1400+ airport lounges and transfer points to 10+ airlines
• Complimentary hotel memberships and elite statuses
• Subscription benefits for various services including Amazon Prime
• Access to exclusive Platinum Card experiences and offers

Fees:

• Annual fee - $1450

Pros	Cons
High standard earn rate of 2.25 points per $1 spent A large number of high value perks Opportunity to earn a higher number of bonus points	Highest annual card fee Must manually convert points to KrisFlyer

ANZ Rewards Black

The ANZ Rewards Black credit card enables you to earn ANZ Rewards Points and has an annual fee of $375.⁷ These can be converted to KrisFlyer points at a ratio of 3 ANZ Reward Points for 1 KrisFlyer mile.

Main features:

• Spend at least $5000 within 3 months of approval to get 130,000 bonus points, plus 50,000 points if you have the card 15 months after activation
• Interest free period of up to 44 days
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Digital wallet compatible
• Convert points to other programs including KrisFlyer and Velocity Frequent Flyer⁷

Pros	Cons
More affordable card option Comes with some travel perks Opportunity to earn bonus points	Conversion rate to KrisFlyer points is lower No airport lounge access Have to manually convert the points⁷

Westpac Altitude Black

The Westpac Altitude Black allows you to choose between Altitude Rewards, Altitude Qantas or Altitude Velocity.⁸ Altitude Rewards points can be converted to KrisFlyer points at a rate of 3 Altitude Rewards Points for 1 KrisFlyer mile.⁹ The Westpac Altitude Black has an annual fee of $295.

Main features:

• Earn up to 160,000 bonus points through welcome offers
• $200 fee for the first year, then $295 per year after that
• Existing Westpac customers can pay $99 for the first 12 months
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Bonus cashback on Shopback
• Choose to keep points as Altitude Rewards and covert as you want

Pros	Cons
Cheapest annual KrisFlyer credit card option Comes with some travel and rewards perks Opportunity to earn bonus sign up points with discounted first year fees	Conversion rate to KrisFlyer points is a third Have to manually convert the points

Commbank Ultimate Awards Card

With a Commbank Ultimate Awards Card, you can choose between the CommBank Awards program or Qantas Points program.¹⁰ If you choose CommBank Awards, the points can be exchanged for KrisFlyer points at a ratio of 3 Awards points for 1 KrisFlyer point.¹¹ The Commbank Ultimate Awards Card works on an a monthly fee basis of $35 rather than an annual fee.

Main features:

• No card fees for each month that more than $4000 is spent
• Receive 25,000 points each month that you spend at least $3000, for the first 4 months
• Interest free period of up to 44 days
• No additional cardholder fee
• Access to the CommBank Yello Cashback
• Awards points don’t expire

Pros	Cons
Can cost $0 per month Comes with travel perks Opportunity to earn bonus points in the first 4 months Points don’t expire	Requires $12,000 spending to get the full bonus points Conversion rate to KrisFlyer is 3 to 1 Must manually convert the points

St.George Amplify Signature Visa

When you sign up for a St.George Amplify Signature card with an annual fee of $295, you get to choose between an Amplify Rewards or Qantas Rewards card.¹³ Amplify Points can be converted to KrisFlyer miles as a ratio of 3 Amplify Points for 1 KrisFlyer mile.¹⁴

Main features:

• Earn up to 160,000 bonus points through welcome offers
• $199 fee for the first year, then $295 per year after that
• Existing St.George customers can pay $99 for the first 12 months
• Complimentary travel insurance
• Bonus cashback on Shopback
• Convert to other reward programs including KrisFlyer and Woolworths Everyday Rewards

Pros	Cons
Cheapest annual KrisFlyer credit card option Comes with some travel, cashback and rewards perks Opportunity to earn bonus points for new cards with discounted first year fees	Have to manually convert the points Conversion rate to KrisFlyer points is a third

Bring the Wise card along with you when travelling to save on foreign transaction fees

While earning Krisflyer points with a credit card can be a great travel perk, spending internationally with credit cards often comes with hidden costs like high foreign transaction fees. Instead, save on your travel expenses with a Wise card.

The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 7x when you're spending internationally. You can spend in 150+ countries at mid-market rate — basically the rate you see on Google. With no foreign transaction fees and low, transparent pricing, Wise usually gives you the best value for your money.

Simply create a Wise account for free, order a card and top-up AUD to get started. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as make some free ATM withdrawals each month for when you're abroad. You can get digital cards and add to your Google or Apple Pay wallet for instant use. Spend directly with the Wise account in AUD and let auto-conversion do the trick or convert in advance to your desired currency. You can hold and exchange 40+ currencies in your Wise account and spend the currencies you hold for free.

Wherever your travel takes you, the Wise card makes spending money abroad cheaper and easier.

🚀 Get your Wise card

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This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Savings claim based on our rates vs. selected Australian banks and other similar providers in Jan 2025. To learn more please visit https://payout-surge.live/au/compare%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E

Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

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Source:

1. KrisFlyer - Use Miles
2. KrisFlyer - Other ways to redeem miles
3. HSBC - Star Alliance Credit Card
4. American Express - Platinum Credit Card
5. American Express - KrisFlyer
6. American Express - All Cards
7. ANZ - Rewards Black credit card
8. Westpac - Altitude Black
9. KrisFlyer - Westpac
10. CBA - Ultimate Awards Credit Card
11. KrisFlyer - CommBank
12. CommBank - What you’ll need when applying for a CommBank Credit Card
13. St.Geroge - Amplify Signature Card
14. KrisFlyer - St George