Best local credit card for backpackers?

[JerseyVics]

First post loaded with questions....

I'm planning a 325 day visit to Australia from NY on a Work & Holiday Visa.

I'd like to open an Aussie bank account with the best credit card option to suit my frequent flyer program of choice. The choice I haven't made yet. I was thinking Virgin Blue but on a recent search from SYD to MEL, JetStar was siginicantly cheaper... so I'm not commited yet.

In the US I use my JetBlue AMEX and Virgin America VISA for everything, because I don't fly for work, the only reward flying I do is thanks to my credit cards.

I intend to do something similar in Australia. So I wonder what would be the best Frequent Flyer program to join. Which one gets the most points/award dollars/miles from which credit card, and what bank would be best to deal with when it comes to getting that credit card?


This question would be best posed to other backpackers, but I haven't found any posts about backpackers here... plus I think most of them rent camper vans or hitch to get between places, and I'm spoiled.


Actually, I'm addicted to flying so I'll try to do as much as possible of it as long as I could get a local job to support that hobby. I checked Qantas award flights for International travel and it seems it would take me a lot more than a year flying longhaul to earn anything meaningful so thats why I'm leaning towards Velocity... but I'm open to suggestions.


Thanks!

--Russ

[Dave Noble]

I think that most CC companies will only give cards to permanent residents , not temporary visitors and that for a visa type card your best chance is getting a bank account that offers a visa/mastercard debit card

Dave

[NM]

I think that most CC companies will only give cards to permanent residents , not temporary visitors and that for a visa type card your best chance is getting a bank account that offers a visa/mastercard debit card\

And of course such a card is not going to of use to earn FF points/miles/rewards.

[JerseyVics]

And of course such a card is not going to of use to earn FF points/miles/rewards.

Touche!

I would continue using my Virgin America Visa but they charge 3% foreign currency exchange fee. Than again I noticed that paying for an Australian flight with a credit card requies a $3 processing fee... how do Aussies pay for their flights anyway when they book online?

[serfty]

G'day JerseyVics, welcome to AFF & welcome to Oz.

I guess you can only try - note that if you do manage to get a point earning card, most come with surprisingly high annual fees.

Also note, that most cheap Jetstar airfares do not earn any miles.

[serfty]

... how do Aussies pay for their flights anyway when they book online?

There are options to "Direct Debit" or Bpay (Qantas).

[NM]

Touche!

I would continue using my Virgin America Visa but they charge 3% foreign currency exchange fee. Than again I noticed that paying for an Australian flight with a credit card requies a $3 processing fee... how do Aussies pay for their flights anyway when they book online?

We either pay the fee or use BPay which is more like a cash transfer and hence no fee.

[JerseyVics]

thank you serfty!!!

thats great to know, thanks.

based on other backpacker boards it seems ANZ access select or HSBC Online Savings are top picks.

any experience with those?

by the way, Virgin Blue looks like a logical choice for me, cheaper than Qantas and has potential to give something back for frequent flying even limited at that.

[Evan]

You can probably get a visa debit card from one of the banks like ANZ that i know have them, i dont know much about them except you use your own money and not credit.
Probably no FF points.

If you get an Amex account in the USA you may be able to simply transfer it to Australia... i have been investigating doing just that from Australia to Singapore and it seems rather easy.

E

[JerseyVics]

If you get an Amex account in the USA you may be able to simply transfer it to Australia... i have been investigating doing just that from Australia to Singapore and it seems rather easy.

E

I will be buying some AMEX Traveler Cheques for my trip soon, so I'll find out at the AMEX Travel Center, I'm actually thinking of buying AMEX travel insurance as well for my trip, so it could be a one stop shopping experience.