Best Credit Card for points conversion

[Mis5P]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help me decide what credit card to go with.

I am after a low/free annual fee credit card that allows greatest points redemption either with Qantas or Singapore Airlines.

Credit Card must allow for bpay.
Edit: And be able to receive points for bpaying.

Any help would be muchly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

 

[NM]

bpay requirement means any Amex card is out of the picture.

Any card that earns Qantas points now has to be a "direct sweep" card and that generally means its not going to match your requirement for low/free annual fee. However, some cards do offer the first year free during sign-up promotions and some people have been successful in have subsequent year's annual fees waived.

The best Qantas earning cards tend to be the Qantas branded cards. But they do also come with high annual fees. Looks for sign-up promos offering first year free and/or bonus points for first use etc. Look at the Qantas web site for their branded card options.

For the lowest annual costs, stick to the Classic/Standard cards. For the highest points earning rates, you will need to look to the Gold and Platinum cards. Low cost and high earning are generally mutually exclusive unless you can convince the bank to waive the fees. But that usually requires at least a moderate annual spend on the card and threatening to close the account.

Not too many options outside of Amex for SQ earning. But I am sure someone will chime in with any options that do exist.

 

[oz_mark]

Not too many options outside of Amex for SQ earning. But I am sure someone will chime in with any options that do exist.

Westpac Altitude allows for transfers to SQ.

 

[P'cisT]

I was under the impression BPay doesn't count towards points. Does anyone know if that applies to my Earth Gold? Can't find any info.

 

[NM]

I was under the impression BPay doesn't count towards points. Does anyone know if that applies to my Earth Gold? Can't find any info.

When I use BPay to pay a bill using my CBA Gold Visa Card, the transactions are just like any other transaction and earn points at the same rate as any other transaction. However, I only ever use BPay from a credit card for billers who access the credit card and not treat it as a cash advance payment. Its quite likely that a BPay payment that is treated as a cash advance (due to the biller not accepting the credit card payment method) will not each CC reward points as most CCs don't pay points for cash advances.

 

[oz_mark]

I was under the impression BPay doesn't count towards points. Does anyone know if that applies to my Earth Gold? Can't find any info.

It varies by reward program. In the case of Earth, the T&C's state that Bpay payments do not count:

Points are not earned in respect of the following
amounts that may be charged to the Card Account:
■ government charges (other than GST payable in
connection with the purchase of goods or
services on which you earn Points);
■ interest and other Bank fees and charges
(including any GST payable on any of these);
■ Cash Advances;
■ any spend deemed by Westpac to be for
business purposes, which includes, but is not
limited to, transactions that relate to the
conduct of a business, use of your Card to
make purchases that are business-related
(including any expenditure of a personal
business nature) or use of your Card to
purchase goods or services that are not used
wholly or predominantly for personal,
■balance transfers;
■ BPAY payments; i.e. bill payments and other
payments made through the BPAY Electronic
Payments Scheme.

(my bolding)

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

i would say the CitiBusiness gold card is about the only option to be able to redeem points for BOTH QF and SQ

Otherwise you will need to have 2 cards

1 option for you might be to get teh ANZ QF standard card and then teh free Amex Gold card (earn rate is 0.5 points per $) and the points can be used for SQ.

 

[jee888]

I do payment by bPay with Citibank Platinum Visa; I have also just transferred my reward points to Krisflyer and Virgin Velocity programs.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Citibank transfers at 3:2
Altitude transfers at 1:1

However most likely your Citibank will earn points at a rate greater than Altitude making it earn more SQ points per $ spent.

(ie my Citibank earns at 1.0 and my Altitude VISA at 0.5. My Earth MC also erans at only 0.5. The Earth Amex Plat at 1.5)

For your circumstance also factor in any Card Fees if you pay any. Each card is different.