Using credit cards to make travel cheaper and more fun
Travelling comes with non-negotiable costs: flights, accommodation, foreign exchange fees, and insurance. Credit cards can give you these travel essentials for free or at a much lower cost. Nice!
Using rewards points for free flights, upgrades and hotels
You can earn points on credit cards for each dollar you spend or as a lump-sum bonus for signing up. Many rewards programs will let you use your points for flights, upgrades, hotels, holiday packages and more.
Frequent flyer programs like Qantas and Velocity will let you redeem points directly for flights and upgrades, while bank programs like ANZ Rewards may need to be converted to frequent flyer points first.
Quick things to know about rewards credit cards:
- The more points you'll earn, the higher the annual fee is likely to be.
- You may have to spend a certain amount to earn the bonus points.
- Some cards may reduce the points per dollar after you've spent a certain amount in a month.
- Weigh up the annual fee, value of the points and any other costs to decide if you'll get value out of the card.
How to boost your points
Tip #1. Buy everything on your card, but make sure you pay it back before you're charged interest.
Tip #2. Add additional cardholders, whose points will be pooled with yours (some cards may charge a high yearly fee, though).
Tip #3. Double dip by using your credit card alongside other free rewards programs like Flybuys and Everyday Rewards. Both programs earn points that can be converted to frequent flyer points.
How to earn and use Status Credits
Status Credits are a feature of frequent flyer programs like Velocity and Qantas. The more Status Credits you earn through flying or on your credit card, the more privileges you unlock.
For example, you might get priority check-in, lounge passes, bonus points or seat upgrades.
Some credit cards also include Status Credits as a bonus perk for signing up, or each year you have the card.
How to redeem your rewards points
Typically, you'll get the most value from your points when you use them for travel rather than toasters.
You can redeem your points on your rewards program's app or online portal. Once you log in, you'll often be able to choose to redeem points for:
- Frequent flyer miles with another program.
- Partner hotels or car rental agencies.
- Merchandise like electronics, retail, dining and services.
- Concierge services.
- Purchases you've previously made, almost like a cashback program.
Other nice features to look for
Many rewards cards are aimed at travellers, so you might also get perks that make your trips cheaper. For example, you might get:
- Discounts on hotels, car hire or holiday packages
- Travel insurance and/or rental vehicle excess insurance
- Airport lounge access
- Waived currency conversion fees
- Bonus points for spending with certain travel partners
I'll explain each feature briefly to show you how it works.
Complimentary travel insurance
You should always have travel insurance when you're away. Credit card travel insurance is underwritten by big-time insurance companies like Allianz, CoverMore or Zurich. That means you're getting similar cover to the kind you would if you bought standalone insurance, except it's free.
What's covered?
Travel insurance generally covers Australian trips, overseas trips or both. Every policy is different, but standard cover includes emergency medical assistance, cancellation cover and unforeseen changes to your trip. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before you travel.
How do I know I'm eligible?
Usually your travel insurance automatically activates when you meet certain criteria. That might look like:
- Buying your return flight on the card
- Spending at least $500 on flights, accommodation or trip costs
- Being under the restricted age limit (most insurances cut off at 79 or 80 years old)
- Being an Australian citizen
That's just a snapshot, and you'll need to read the eligibility section in the card's T&Cs to make sure you're covered.
✈ Airport lounge access
Airport lounges can be super swanky or just a private space away from the chaos of the airport. You might find complimentary food and drink, free Wi-Fi, lounges, working spaces and conference rooms.
Usually, you'd pay an annual fee or per-visit fee to use a lounge, but some credit cards (like these ones) give you 2 free passes per year, or even unlimited access.
American Express cards and Qantas have their own brand of airport lounges, while other credit card providers have partnered with independent global lounges like Priority Pass or LoungeKey.
💸 Waived currency conversion fees
When you use your credit card to purchase something in another currency – whether buying online or in person when overseas – you'll will be charged a currency conversion fee. The fee could be charged as a percentage of the transaction amount or a standard fee.
Currency conversion fees usually range from 2-4%, which can really add up if you spend a lot while travelling. Say you spend $3,000 on a hotel, $1000 on car hire, $2,000 on dining out and entertainment, and $1,000 on everyday expenses, that’s a spend of $7,000 on your card. With a 4% currency conversion fee, that would be an extra $280 to pay off.
Instead, you may want to look for a card with no currency conversion fee.
💼 Concierge services
What on earth is a concierge service on a credit card? It's a bit like a personal assistant you can call 24/7. You can ask the concierge to arrange travel, book a table at a restaurant, recommend where to take the kids for a treat or reserve tickets at the theatre.
Emergency card replacement
Imagine being on the other side of the world when your wallet is stolen. You have no money and no access to funds. What do you do? Well, if you have the right credit card, a call to your card provider could offer emergency card replacement and even emergency cash while you wait. Just be aware that some cards charge a fee for this, so read up on the small print before you travel.
Using a 0% purchase offer instead of rewards pointsWhile rewards cards can be awesome, they’re not for everyone. So, what’s the alternative if you want to take a trip but don’t have the cash to pay for it right now? Choosing a card with a 0% purchase offer could provide a solution, allowing you to pay for your holiday now, and then pay it off over time while paying no interest. These offers can be huge money-savers – but you need to deal with them correctly if you want to avoid getting into trouble with debt. Here are some of our top tips for finding the right 0% purchase offer, and how to make the most of it once you’ve applied.
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Before you go (literally)
Before you rush off to apply for a card and book your holiday, you need to weigh up if that card is worth its annual fee. These are the most important things to know about travel credit cards to make sure you're getting the best deal:
- Weigh up the cost of annual fees.
Cards with loads of features and points generally have higher annual fees. Will you earn enough points and use enough features to make the card worth it? - Avoid interest.
Interest kills value on any card, but especially on high interest rewards cards and premium cards. Always pay off your card balance before it attracts interest. - Stick to one rewards program.
You'll usually get more value if you concentrate on one rewards program instead of many. Look at programs that offer points transfer options if you need more variety. - Choose different cards for different tasks.
Rewards cards work best as rewards earners, and may not be flexible enough to cover all your bases. It may have high currency conversion rates or not include travel insurance. So, it's ok to consider more than one card to make your travel cheaper overall (just watch out for annual fees). - Don’t overspend. This is especially true if you have a number of cards on the go. Don’t be tempted to spend simply because you have available credit. Keep track of spending using your card’s app, and set a manageable budget.
Marie
18 June 2022Pauline
20 June 2022