Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card

Pauline Hatch

Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 9 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. Ask Pauline a Question about this card.

The Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card

Allowing cardholders to stack up points on the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, the Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card offers a decent everyday earn rate capped at $10,000 per month. Cardholders can also enjoy complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership, plus a few platinum extras, including insurance cover and a concierge service.

What we love...

Choosing this card, cardholders can earn Qantas Points on their everyday card spending, with an earn rate of 0.75 Qantas Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases. Plus, collect additional 10,000 points every year. To be eligible for the additional bonus points, your card account must not be in arrears at any time during the yearly period. The bonus points will be credited on the 11th month anniversary of the yearly period and every 12 months thereafter.

While you can only earn points on the first $10,000 you spend on the card each month, you can pick up an additional 1 bonus Qantas Point per $1 spent on selected Qantas spending.

If you are not yet a member, you can benefit from complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership simply by signing up for this card, providing a saving of $99.50. This can get you on your way, as you accumulate points that can be redeemed within the extensive Qantas program. You could use your points to cover your next overseas trip, or you could pick up something special from the Qantas Store or from Qantas Wine.

Another platinum perk on this card provides cardholders with 24/7 access to Visa's worldwide Platinum Concierge service. No matter where you are in the world, you can call up this concierge to ask for assistance with anything from directions to the nearest embassy, to theatre recommendations and restaurant reservations.

So, what should you expect to pay for the Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card? As a platinum rewards card, it’s no surprise it comes with a substantial annual fee. That’s just par for the course with these cards. What matters is whether you find value in the card. That means getting more back in rewards and extras than you pay out on that annual fee.

It is worth mentioning that you can add additional cardholders to the account at no extra cost. This could help you earn points faster, with more cards out there racking up points. Bear in mind that the $10,000 monthly spending cap still applies. Also, if you have a Partnership Advantage Home Loan, your annual fee will be waived.

What’s not so great...

Just as you expect annual fees on this type of card to be substantial, you also expect interest to be high. With its relatively high interest rate, the Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card is not a card you want to carry a balance on. Instead, pay off your balance each month to take advantage of up to 45 days interest free on purchases and keep your interest costs at zero.

Why should you choose this card?

As a Qantas Point earning card, the Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card may be the card for you if you want to earn Qantas rewards on your everyday card spending. However, you should take into account the monthly spending cap and the card’s annual fee to make sure it offers you value.

If you are a keen traveller, the Qantas program could take you places, as you earn a maximum of 90,000 Qantas Points per year on this card (not including bonus points). The card’s complimentary travel cover could also come in handy as you travel, saving you time and money on standalone policies.

Overall Rating

The Regional Australia Bank Visa Platinum Rewards Credit Card earns Qantas Points on everyday spending, with platinum extras such as insurance cover and a concierge service thrown into the mix.