Best credit cards for Qantas points in New Zealand: Earn rate, fees, requirements and more

The Qantas Frequent Flyer program is a popular airline rewards program that lets members earn points on flights, shopping, and everyday spending. These can then be redeemed for flights, upgrades, or other rewards on offer. If you’re already a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, or are just starting to explore the program, know that the right credit card can be a simple way to boost your points balance.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the best New Zealand credit cards for earning Qantas Points, what to consider when comparing them, and suggestions for how to find a card that matches your spending habits and travel plans. You can also learn more about the Wise card, an easy way to stretch your dollars when paying in foreign currencies.

What is a Qantas points earning credit card?

Qantas points credit cards are credit cards that allow you to earn a set number of Qantas points per $1 of eligible spending. The cards sometimes come with additional Qantas perks, like lounge access, and may also have a sign-up bonus for new customers.

The Qantas points earnt through credit card spending can be redeemed through the Qantas rewards programs, for things like flights, upgrades and retail rewards.

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

Not all credit cards that earn Qantas Points work the same way, so it’s worth comparing the features and costs to see which one gives you the best value. Key things to look out for include:

• Earn rate - Check how many Qantas Points you’ll get per dollar spent so you can estimate your potential points.
• Sign-up bonus - Look at the bonus offer, the conditions attached, and whether you’re likely to meet them.
• Annual fee - Weigh up the yearly fee against the value you expect to get from the card and its perks.
• Eligibility - Review the requirements to make sure you qualify before applying.

Ultimately, the best Qantas rewards credit card is the one that works for your spending style and travel plans.

What is the best credit card for Qantas points?

Deciding which Qantas points earning credit card is best for you is a little simpler in New Zealand, since there’s just two partner banks offering Qantas credit cards to Kiwis.¹ To help you pick the right one, we’ll start with a side by side comparison, then dive into the details of what each card offers.

Taking in all the features, here’s an idea of what each card is best for:

• BNZ Advantage Visa Classic: Best low cost card
• BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum: Best balance of cost and earning rate
• American Express Gold Rewards Card: Best for points earning

Now let’s delve into the features and fees of each card, as well as the pros and cons.

BNZ Advantage Visa Classic

With a BNZ Advantage credit card you can earn BNZ Points.² These points can be redeemed for a range of rewards, including flights, hotels, car rental, gift cards, or cash back to a BNZ account.

They can also be transferred to other participating partner loyalty programs, including Qantas. Through their partnership, you can convert 4 BNZ Points to 1 Qantas Point, with a minimum transfer of 400 BNZ Points.³

Main features:²

• Earn 1 BNZ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases
• Up to 55 days interest fee
• $6 half yearly fee for an additional or joint card
• Joint card holders split the reward 50/50
• Compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay

Fees:

• Annual fee - $40 paid as $20 half-yearly
• Interest rate - 20.95% pa
• Cash advance rate - 22.95% pa
• Minimum credit limit - $500

BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum

A step up from the BNZ Advantage Visa Classic is the BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum credit card.² It also allows you to earn BNZ Points which are converted at the same rate of 4 BNZ Points to 1 Qantas Point, with a minimum transfer of 400 BNZ Points.³

Main features:

• Earn 1.65 BNZ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases
• Up to 55 days interest fee
• $10 half yearly fee for an additional or joint card
• Compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Comes with travel perks like insurance, concierge services and emergency assistance

Fees:

• Annual fee - $90 paid as $45 half-yearly
• Interest rate - 18.95% pa
• Cash advance rate - 18.95% pa
• Minimum credit limit - $5000

American Express Gold Rewards Card

With an American Express Gold Rewards credit card, you can earn Membership Rewards points through your daily spending.⁵ These rewards points can then be converted to Qantas Points at a rate of 2 American Express Membership Rewards Points for 1 Qantas Point.⁴ The minimum transfer for this is 500 Member Rewards Points.

Main features:

• Earn 2 Member Rewards points per $1 spent on eligible purchases
• Up to 55 days interest fee
• Free additional cards for up to 4 family members
• Compatible with Apple Pay
• Comes with complimentary domestic and international travel insurance when conditions are met
• Receive 2x $100 Dining Credits to spend at Dining Collection restaurants

Fees:⁶

• Annual fee - $200
• Interest rate - 22.95% pa
• Cash advance rate - 22.95% pa

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

While earning Qantas 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 and poor exchange rates. The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 8x 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 NZD 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 NZD 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