American Express is offering 50,000 bonus Qantas Points1 for New American Express Card Members who apply for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card by 1 July 2025.
A minimum spend of $5,000 in the first 3 months of approval is required to receive the bonus points. Terms & Conditions apply. New American Express Card Members only.
The American Express Qantas Ultimate Card is targeted towards Card Members who want to maximise the Qantas Points earned from spend on an American Express, as well as receive a range of travel-related benefits.
You’ll also receive:
- a $450 Qantas Travel Credit3 each year to use when booking Qantas flights through American Express Travel;
- two Qantas Domestic Lounge invitations as well as two entries to The Centurion® Lounge in Sydney or Melbourne each membership year4; and
- a complimentary Qantas Wine Premium Membership5
Digging into the benefits of the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card is a competitive card in the premium card market and comes with a high points earn and generous benefits.
Card Details
| Card | Qantas American Express Ultimate |
| Loyalty program | Qantas Frequent Flyer |
| Points earned from spend | 1.25 Qantas Points earned per $1 on eligible purchases 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on selected Qantas products and services in Australia 0.5 Qantas Points per $1 at government bodies in Australia After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent. |
| Points cap | None |
| Travel benefits | $450 Qantas Travel Credit each cardholder years³ 2 The Centurion® Lounge entries each year⁴ 2 Qantas Club lounge invitations each year⁴ |
| Included insurances | Medical Emergency Expense Cover Personal Accident Cover Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover Travel Inconvenience Cover Personal Baggage, Money or Travel Documents Cover Card Purchase and Card Refund Cover (PDS) |
| Overseas transaction fee | 3% of the converted amount |
| Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay |
| Annual fee | $450 |
Earning Qantas Points from spend
With the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, you can enjoy uncapped Qantas Points earning potential for every dollar you spend on your Card, and it will sweep over your points to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account on a monthly basis, as you’d expect.
You’ll earn a solid 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on most everyday purchases, plus earns 0.5 Qantas Points per dollar on government spend, uncapped.
If you find yourself booking several hundreds of dollars in Qantas flights on a regular basis, the additional 1 point per $1 on Qantas spend will quickly rack up to boost your Qantas Frequent Flyer balance.
After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent.2
Read the Point Hacks guide to American Express cards acceptance here.
$450 Qantas Travel Credit
This benefit gives Card Members $450 towards the purchase of a Qantas domestic or international flight through American Express Travel.
The Qantas Travel Credit3 is designed to give Card Members more flexibility than the return domestic flight previously offered and helps to directly offset the $450 annual fee.
You can access the Qantas Travel Credit after you have paid your annual fee and as long as your account is current and in good standing. Do note that if you do not use the entire credit in one booking, you forfeit the remaining balance, so try to save it for a booking over the value of $450.
You’ll receive the credit each year you have your Card but you can use it to book travel into the future, e.g. if the credit expires on July, you can book travel for October.
As for points earn on the booking, the Qantas Travel Credit terms and conditions state:
Except for the $450 Qantas Travel Credit3 portion of your booking, any other amount charged to your Card as part of your booking will accrue Qantas Points in the usual way.
Customers can only book hotels, car hire or experiences if a Qantas flight is within the same transaction, i.e. Card Members will not be able to use their Qantas Travel Credit solely towards hotel, car or experience bookings.
As the taxes and fees on an award redemption using Qantas Points must be paid directly to Qantas through their website or over the phone and the Qantas Travel Credit is only available to use through the American Express Travel website, you cannot use your Qantas Travel Credit to pay the taxes and fees on an award redemption.
Note: You will need to use your annual $450 Qantas Travel Credit on a single travel booking of $450 or more on your eligible Card, made through American Express Travel Online. The Qantas Travel Credit can be redeemed for any eligible Qantas flight booked (i.e. a QF flight number on your ticket). Your booking will be charged in full to your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card and American Express will then credit $450 to your Account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. You will still receive your $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year, and your Travel Credit anniversary will remain the same. Click here for the full Terms & Conditions.
Lounge access
Card Members are eligible to receive two Qantas lounge invitations4.
You can access domestic Qantas Clubs, International Business Lounges (except at Los Angeles) and International (Premium) Lounges in Brisbane, Singapore, Hong Kong and London.
Qantas Domestic Lounge Invitations are valid for a single visit by one guest to a Qantas Club Lounge and must be used prior to their expiry
An important note is that in order to receive the Qantas lounge passes, you need to first make an eligible purchase with Qantas using the Card, which is defined as:
Qantas passenger airfares with a QF flight number purchased directly from Qantas Australia by you (or by a travel agent on your behalf) that appear on your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card statement as a Qantas transaction; Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Club membership joining and annual fees; and Qantas Travel shop purchases.
So, basically, you must first purchase a Qantas flight or purchase a Qantas Frequent Flyer or Qantas Club membership before you can use your lounge passes. This excludes paying the taxes and fees on an award booking using this Card.
Two weeks after you do so, you’ll be sent an email and your two digital lounge passes will be attached to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. You could then choose to transfer them to another Qantas Frequent Flyer member.
The full terms and conditions of the Qantas Club lounge benefit are available here.
Another benefit of the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card is access to The Centurion® Lounge in Sydney and Melbourne, with two complimentary passes also provided per calendar year4.
Card Members can bring their children into the Amex lounge for free (age 2-17) however additional guests over 17 may be subject to an entry fee. Unlike the Qantas lounge passes, you do not need to make an eligible purchase before receiving entry to this lounge.
Complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership
Worth $99 a year, a premium membership to Qantas Wine5, food & champagne portal gives you a bonus 3 points per $ spent as well as free delivery.
Plus, paying for these purchases with this Qantas-branded card will earn you a total of 4.25 points per $ spent on Qantas Wine products (3 points as a Qantas Wine Premium member + 1.25 points for regular spend on this Card). It’s a bit weird that this doesn’t qualify as a purchase of a Qantas product or service, earning 2.25 points.
Note: After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent2.
American Express Plan It
American Express launched ‘Plan It’ in mid-2020, which allows cardholders to create instalment plans that allow for equal payments to be distributed over a 3, 6 or 12 month payment period. There is a monthly fixed fee to access this feature, with up to 10 Plan It plans with a minimum of $100 balance able to be created.
Insurances and other benefits
In the Travel Insurance bucket you’ll get Medical Emergency Expense Cover, Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover, Personal Baggage, Money and Travel Documents Cover and Travel Inconvenience Cover when you pay for travel with the Card. Read the PDS here.
You’ll need to dig into the various PDS of these policies if you intend on relying on this cover to make sure they work for you.
This guide references some of the benefits of insurance policies provided with this card. You should read the PDS and obtain independent professional advice before obtaining this product.
Mobile wallet integration
American Express Cards work with Apple Pay®, Google Wallet™ and Samsung Pay, meaning you can use this card on your smartphone for easier payments.
Read the Point Hacks guide to using Apple Pay or for using Google Wallet and Samsung Pay, including instructions on how to add your American Express card to those services.
With this feature set up, it means you could still use your NFC-enabled phone to make purchases with your American Express account, even if your physical card is lost or stolen and pending replacement.
Eligibility criteria for bonus points for existing American Express Card Members
American Express are quite specific about whether existing Card Members will be eligible for bonus points if they apply for a card, are approved, and meet the minimum spend criteria.
Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer.
American Express don’t allow existing Card Members, even for different types of American Express cards (e.g. Charge, Credit or Business) to be eligible for bonus points offers for cards in a different family.
Frequently asked questions
No. Qantas Frequent Flyer points cannot be transferred to your Amex Rewards account, however, if you would like to earn Qantas points from your credit card spend, you will need to choose a Qantas Credit Card from American Express or alternatively, hold The Platinum Card or Centurion card.
Card Members are eligible for a $450 Qantas Travel Credit3 every year. The Qantas Travel Credit can be redeemed for any Qantas flight booked (i.e. a QF flight number on your ticket) and paid online through American Express Travel in a single booking. Make sure to use your Travel Credit on a booking of $450 or more, otherwise, any unused portion is forfeited.
Head to American Express Travel and make sure to log in to your American Express account using the ‘Log in’ button at the top-right of the page. When you reach the payment page after finalising your booking details, you will be provided with the option to use your Travel Credit as payment for the booking.
If you looking to earn rewards points from your everyday spend, then American Express cards offer some of the best earn rates in the market. Make sure to consult your accountant or financial adviser before applying for a card to ensure that you are choosing the best one for your financial situation.
Summing up: the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card is on the higher end for annual fees but does offer high points earn for the die-hard Qantas Points collector.
The Qantas Travel Credit each year is a useful bonus to offset the annual fee, and the lounge passes and complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership top off a solid offer.
Terms & Conditions
^ Bonus & Eligibility.
Receive 50,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online by 1 July 2025, are approved, and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months from the Card approval date. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment, cash advances, balance transfers, traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion This offer is only available to new American Express Card Members. If you previously held a David Jones American Express Card and have not held any other American Express Card(s) in the past 18 months, you will be eligible for the offer. All other Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the past 18 months are ineligible for this offer. Qantas Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the Qantas American Express Card Points Terms and Conditions. 50,000 bonus Qantas Points will be awarded to the eligible Card Member’s account 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria has been met. Qantas Frequent Flyer membership and the earning and redemption of points are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program available at qantas.com/terms. The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card has an annual Card fee of $450. This advertised offer is not applicable or valid in conjunction with any other advertised or promotional offer.
* Qantas Points.
You must be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and the earning and redemption of points are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program available at qantas.com/terms. Qantas Points and bonus Qantas Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the Qantas American Express Cards Points Terms and Conditions, and exclusions apply. Eligible purchases do not include annual Card fees, cash advances, interest, fees and charges for traveller’s cheques and foreign currencies – these do not earn Qantas Points. For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the Qantas American Express Cards Points Terms and Conditions. You will earn 0.5 point per dollar spent with Merchants classified as ‘government’, including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), Federal/State and Local Government bodies, including where you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant.
³ Qantas Travel Credit
Qantas American Express Ultimate Primary Card Members are eligible for an annual $450 Qantas Travel Credit, subject to the full Qantas Travel Credit Terms and Conditions at amex.com.au/qantasultimate-travelcreditterms. The Qantas Travel Credit can be redeemed through American Express Travel Online on a single eligible travel booking for Qantas Flights (i.e. a QF flight number on your ticket) by selecting the Qantas Travel Credit when you checkout. All Qantas Flight travel is subject to Qantas Conditions of Carriage. To redeem the Travel Credit, the full value of the Travel Credit (or more) must be charged to the eligible Primary Card. The Qantas Travel Credit can be used for 365 days from the benefit anniversary date and cannot be used past the expiration date. To check the expiration date of your Qantas Travel Credit if you have not already redeemed it, please visit americanexpress.com.au/travel; log in and click ‘Travel Credit’. If your booking is cancelled, and your Qantas Travel Credit has already been used and associated statement credit applied to your account, you will forfeit your annual Qantas Travel Credit benefit and American Express may reverse the statement credits issued. You need to be able to spend on the Card to access the Qantas Travel Credit benefit and it should be credited to your Card Account within 3 business days but may take up to 30 days. Your account must be in good standing and you must have paid the annual fee and minimum payment by the due date. If you cancel your Card, change your rewards program or Card type, you will no longer be eligible for the Qantas Travel Credit.
⁴ Airport Lounge Access
The Centurion® Lounge
Entry into The Centurion® Lounge is governed by the full Terms and Conditions available at amex.com.au/airportlounge. All entrants must adhere to the General Conditions of Entry. Qantas American Express Ultimate Card Members are entitled to a total of two (2) entries into The Centurion® Lounges in Australia per calendar year (1 January to 31 December). Complimentary access is available for the Card Member’s children 17 years and younger. Card Members wishing to bring additional guests may be subject to a charge that is to be processed on the Card Member’s American Express Card.
Qantas Club Lounge.
Provided you are a Qantas Frequent Flyer and have registered your Qantas Frequent Flyer number with your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, you are eligible to receive two Qantas Club Lounge Invitations each anniversary year of your Card Membership after purchasing on selected Qantas products and services using your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card. Selected Qantas products and services are Qantas passenger flights with a QF flight number purchased directly from Qantas.com.au; Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Club membership joining and/ or annual fees. Subject to Qantas American Express Card Points Terms and Conditions. Within 2 weeks of purchasing selected Qantas products and services, you will receive an email from Qantas confirming the Qantas Club Lounge Invitations are available for use. Login to the Complimentary Invitations Portal using your Frequent Flyer details to access your invitation, link it with an eligible Qantas flight booking or find out more information. Qantas Club Lounge Invitations are valid for a single visit by one guest to a Qantas Club Lounge and must be used prior to their expiry. Invitations are subject to the Qantas Club Terms and Conditions and are not valid for Qantas International First Class Lounges, the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, Qantas Domestic Business and or oneworld® alliance partner or associated lounges. Qantas Club Invitations cannot be carried forward to any subsequent year and must not be sold, they may only be transferred as allowed by Qantas. Invitations may be revoked or withheld if your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card account is not in good standing, if the selected Qantas products and services are refunded in full or if you have not complied with these Qantas Club Invitation Conditions, the Credit Card Terms and Conditions or the Qantas Club Lounge Access Terms and Conditions.
⁵ Qantas Wine.
Qantas Wine Premium Membership and its benefits are subject to the Qantas Wine Terms and Conditions. To join or purchase from Qantas Wine, you must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member aged 18 years or older and have an Australian delivery address. An annual Membership fee usually applies for Qantas Wine Premium Membership, but this will be waived so long as you continue to hold your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card. Complimentary joining gift is not available with this offer. Qantas Wine Premium Membership will be automatically applied within 2 weeks of Qantas Points being credited to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account from your first spend on your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card. You will receive email confirmation from Qantas about your Qantas Wine Premium Membership enrolment. Qantas Wine Premium members will earn 3 Qantas Points per dollar on qantas.com/wine. Liquor Act 2007: It is an offence to sell or supply to or to obtain liquor on behalf of a person under the age of 18 years. Licence Number: LIQP770016736.
Also worth noting is that the lounge passes are only ‘general’ class invites. So you won’t be able to use them in places like Singapore (where your passes need to hold a ‘first lounge’ status). Some international lounges will accept ‘general’ passes around the world but they are few and far between (Qantas can tell you which these are – but prepare for a very short list)
Long story short- if you are flying from South Australia internationally, the Qantas Lounge passes aren’t worth much unless you plan on travelling after March 2025 OR are connecting in another domestic airport before transiting internationally (with a decent chunk of time to enjoy the facilities)
As always folks, worthwhile considering how much the ‘benefits’ require your travel planning to flex to jump through the hoops
PS. For the newbies, Remember….you will also have to be travelling on Qantas or Jetstar to qualify to use the passes!!!
They state that requirements are to hold a long term visa(12+ months) and it can’t be a student visa.
I hold 407 sponsored visa which is a training visa where I work full time. Do you know if I’m eligible or not?
Thanks
Thanks for the guide, some queries please:
1. Can I use the Qantas Club lounge invitations to access oneworld lounges? Not every airport has a Qantas lounge!
2. Do I need to make an eligible purchase with Qantas using the Card every card membership year to receive the Qantas Club lounge invitations?
Cheers!
The answer to your second question is already in the article – you need to make eligible QF spend first to get the passes.
Check card t and c on Amex site
Currently Amex only offering 55,000 for new sign ups through referral.
I am thinking of buying a ticket to Melbourne but obviously it won’t be more than $450.
Does Amex give an invitation for upgrading to Amex Platinum card to this cardholder?
(This is general factual information only, of course – we’re unable to provide readers with personal financial advice as relevant to their individual circumstances.)
8. Additional Qantas Points: Selected Qantas products and services are Qantas passenger flights with a QF flight number purchased directly from qantas.com.au, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Club membership joining and/or annual fees.
It seems that purchases from the Qantas Rewards Store might not qualify for the bonus anyway.
Cheers
I have my travel credit validity extended due to COVID restrictions, but i dont want to continue with same card for next year to save on annual fee
Turns out, using AMEX travel credit for a QF flight does not make you eligible for additional bonus points on Qantas spend, as I just found out. In my transaction history I only got 1.25 pts/$. So on a $7k spend that is 7,000 points or ~$130, making the $450 travel credit worth less by that amount. :-/
Eligible purchases are all purchases with the exception of those in clause 23. on page 8 of the following terms and conditions:
https://www.anz.com.au/content/dam/anzcomau/documents/pdf/anz-ff-reward-tc.pdf
I hope that helps!
as always a great article packed with goood information…
Two, maybe stupid, questions… We’re NZ citizen but jumping between NZ and Australia as professional housesitters …
1. Can I apply for this card as a NZ citizen and
2. how are the chances to get an approval, especially as there are questions re “how much are your housing costs” and “your monthly income”? As we don’t pay anything for living in a home (for over 2.5 years now) and have our own internet company (not on salary anymore) with no frequent (monthly) income…
Thank you and keep up the great work 🙂
There is never a stupid question!
I applied for this 2 weeks ago under the older offer and will only be entitled to 55,0000 bonus points (not 100,000)!
If I purchase a return international QF flight through webjet, will I receive Qantas Lounge invitation passes?
I will have my wife and 2.5 yr old son travelling with me. Can my son be admitted together with us with just 2 passes?
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
Woon
No. The return international QF flights must be purchased at qantas.com.au using your Amex Ultimate card.
Should you do this and receive the passes, you will be able to enter your wife and son with just 2 passes, as any child under 4 years old does not count as a guest, however, this is subject to capacity constraints of the lounge.
You will be eligible for the bonus points so long as you haven’t been issued with any other American Express card in Australia. The 18-month exclusion relates solely to Amex cards issued by American Express Australia Limited.
Do I need to be a Qantas FF member as well to use the bonus new member sign up points?
You will need to have a Qantas Frequent Flyer account in order for your points to be credited to you.
Given that you never activated the card, I suspect you are not a ‘current account holder,’ however, we recommend that you call American Express to confirm this is the case and that you are indeed eligible for this offer.
My partner just signed up for this card and is awaiting approval. She’s also added me as an additional cardholder on this card.
In regards to the 2 lounge passes per year. She can send 1 Qantas lounge pass to me so that we can both enter the lounge before our flight, right?
As for the AMEX lounge – will I be able to just use one of those since I am an additional cardholder?
Also, and this is HIGHLY unlikely, the 2 x Qantas and 2 x AMEX lounge passes are per ACCOUNT, not per CARD, right? So we have those 4 lounge passes between the two of us, not each of us.
Yes, your partner will be able to send one lounge invitation to your frequent flyer account, but make sure to LINK this complimentary lounge to your booking 24 hours prior to travel. Further information can be found at https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/the-qantas-club/complimentary-invitations.html
Yes, as an additional cardholder, you are able to use one of the Amex Lounge passes for yourself.
The passes are based per ACCOUNT, so 4 passes between the two of you.
No, it’s based on your account month and not a calendar year. So rest assured, you have until October 2020.
Thanks for the feedback and great to hear you got the points. Now you have to decide how to use them.
Once the $450 is subtracted from the cost of your flights, the remaining balance can be paid by credit card or American Express Rewards points.
Related to this – wondering if the inverse also holds? My partner already has the Amex Ultimate and I am wanting to apply for this card and add her as a supplementary card holder. If I do add her, will I be eligible for the bonus points? (I have not held an Amex or been a supplementary card holder in the last 18 months)
Cheers
No, the annual fee is not considered a purchase, which is why it’s not included as part of the ‘Eligible purchases’ exclusion.
Seriously annoying.
You keep flogging this card like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
I’m just checking this out internally for you to see if it is possible. I’ll respond when I hear back.
We can’t remove you just from credit card related emails, as our systems are not set up that way. However, we have unsubscribed you from daily emails and left you on our weekly email list (which contains all daily emails from the past week, so you won’t miss out on anything).
Should you wish to change your email settings, you can do this using the following link: https://join.pointhacks.com.au/emails/.
This offer will end on 15 July 2019, but there will be other American Express offers coming up, potentially very soon!
I had a DJ AMEx card until I cancelled it a month ago. Does this exclude me from the new sign up bonus?
The terms and conditions state:
“Card Members who currently hold or have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited, in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for the Bonus Qantas points offer.”
Therefore, on this occasion, you will be ineligible for this bonus offer.
Unfortunately, you will not receive any referral points if your friend uses the Point Hacks link.
Unfortunately, you will not receive any referral points if your friend uses the Point Hacks link.
We’re just checking this out with American Express. I’ll respond when we hear back.
Thanks!
We’ve been trying to get confirmation from American Express on whether the new arrangement of Amex issuing Westpac-branded cards instead of Westpac issuing Amex-branded cards would make you ineligible for this offer, however, they could not provide us with a clear answer today as the person who looks after this area is on holidays until tomorrow.
Therefore, we are unable to provide a guarantee that the bonus points will come through. Apologies for the bad timing.
I can confirm that Westpac cardholders ARE eligible for the bonus, even though the Westpac Amex card is issued by Amex.
You should be eligible for the offer, as you are not the account holder for the card that you currently have, but it always best to check with American Express to confirm this.
The annual fee is generally charged 1-2 months after account opening.
Unfortunately, current holders of American Express issued cards will be ineligible for this offer.
Say four tickets $200 each. Total $800. Can the whole $450 credit be used in this way?
Which situation applies:
A) cost of this booking will be $350 (whole credit used), or
B) cost of this booking will be $600 (only covers my ticket and remaining $250 of credit is wasted)
If the 4 tickets are purchased on the same booking (same PNR), then A will apply.
However, if you do 4 separate bookings (4 different PNRs), then B will apply.
My understanding is that given the primary card holder for the account is the company, then having a corporate card in your name should not preclude you from any American Express sign-up bonuses, so long as you don’t hold any other Amex cards in your name of course.
I would recommend that you give Amex a call to confirm this though.
American Express frequently do have offers on their cards, however we are not privy to exactly when and what offer American Express will come out with.
Does anyone know how to access the free qantas epiquire/wine membership with this card?
“Complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership
Worth $99 a year, a premium membership to Qantas Wine, food & champagne portal gives you a bonus 3 points per $ spent as well as free delivery.”
I can’t work out how to sign up to epiquire WITHOUT paying the $99.
Thanks!
Can paying an ATO bill (say quarterly BAS) with this AMEX card count towards meeting the minimum spend requirements for achieving the 100,000 sign-up bonus? (I am presuming the ATO accepts AMEX)
I realise the points earn-rate would be lower on a government transaction. I’m interested to know whether this is a valid way to meet the sign-up bonus.
Only eligible purchases will count towards bonus points spend and according to the T&Cs, payments to the ATO are not excluded from being an eligible purchases. Therefore, your ATO bill will count.
Ive got the QF ultimate; I’ve used the travel credit and gotten my bonus points.
I’m going to refer my wife to the program (extra 10k for her and bonus 30k for me). She is going to add me as a supp. card holder (if the deal is still on, then its another 3k for her).
If I as the supp. card holder spend the minimum (I’ve got a big $3000+ purchase in March), will that qualify the whole account for the minimum bonus spend?
I understand the 18month waiting period, my question is; my partner is a supp card holder, to my AMEX card, and has nearly finished her 18month waiting period. Would being a supp card holder to my amex disqualify her from getting the bonus points?
I recently spent on my new qantas ultimate card and have received my first statement. My account is in good health etc however where I should have a substantial amount of points for my spending (on non-government sites and not including my bonus offer points) I have under a quarter of the points I should have earnt. I have viewed the T&C’s and do not see why I have not received points for my spending.
So you could buy the one-way flight with the first year’s credit, then pay your second year’s annual fee and you’ll get the second travel credit after that.
I would suspect that if you used your $450 credit allocation for the 2019 year, American Express would charge you the annual fee and make you pay that and any other outstanding balance before being able to close the account.
It is recommended that you verify this with American Express.
My experience – signed up last Oct, did min spend, points were promptly credited to my QFF automatically (within a week or two), with no contact from me. One phone call to receive 2 x lounge passes – took a while for those to arrive, at least a month.
My question – My partner has just signed up, and would like to buy a prepaid EFTPOS or VISA card to help get to the minimum spend. Will this purchase count towards the minimum spend?
Thanks!
Just wondering if the prices to purchase flights via Amex in order to use the $450 travel credit are more expensive than buying elsewhere? If qantas has a special on will these also be avaialable via Amex?
I stumbled across your site in my search for a new c/card + FF bonus points.
Any idea if these cards require us to sign up for a minimum membership?
A friend claims she card hops between providers in order to build up her FF points balance. Apparently that’s how she funded a US flight for 5 family members last year and plans to do the same again soon.
But it sounds too good to be true. Surely there would be some mechanism built in somewhere to stop us all from jumping ship as soon as we receive our bonus points? Also how would that approach affect the often-outrageously priced annual membership fee?
For example I used to be a cardholder and have waited the 18 months since closing but should I create a brand new account or is it safe to use my existing/old account.
Can the $450 travel credit be used by someone else or only the primary cardholder? Also If flights were to be booked for work related purposes- is a tax invoice provided (showing $450 as one method of payment? Thanks
I currently hold an AMEX platinum Edge card. Am i able to apply for the Qantas American Express Ultimate and be eligible for the bonus points offer?
Thanks!
Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, I understand the travel voucher needs to be used within the membership calendar year, however, does that extend to needing to travel in that time? Or can you book and pay within the calendar year, but travel when you are into your next membership year.
Many thanks in advance.
C.
Also, is there a time frame we have t wait before we reapply?? Maybe they were spooked by my request for a $10K limit rather than a nominated one by them.
I have a feeling this might be the issue. After having 2 lots of credit cards hacked and cancelled, the inevitable direct debit overdue bills following, maybe this has hurt us. We’ve applied for our credit report so we’ll see how we go.
Thanks again
I’m not 100% sure about the upgrade eligibility but I’d vouch that your fare would be eligible as I can’t see anything in the travel credit terms and conditions that prohibits it. On a related side note:
Booked a domestic QF flight on the card and haven’t redeemed the $450 travel credit but will do next year.
Asked repeatedly about lounge passes, was told on the phone that I could call a couple of days before my international flight and they would send me Qantas Lounge passes (as opposed to Amex passes). Called 2 days before my flight and they told me that I needed to have paid for the flight on my Amex and given them 2 weeks notice. They said this was an ‘additional benefit’, even though other support team members had told me otherwise. This was new information to me. They couldn’t manually override this though, so I had no choice but to use the Amex lounge.
The Amex lounge was accessible by just showing the card. But we flew on a Monday morning and there were no seats left. So we ended up leaving.
I think signing up for the card was worth it for the bonus points and the flight, but the lounge passes are overrated and not worth the hassle of getting the correct information out of Amex. I’ll be redeeming the flight credit next year and will promptly cancel my card after this.
It’s all based on the transactions amount, not the amount owing, so feel free to make the payment now.
I signed up for the new AMEX Qantas credit card a few months ago and have received my 85,000 bonus points, my husband is the secondary card holder. I received my 85,000 points and am now looking at the best way to utilise the $450.00 flight credit.
However I understand that you have to book via Amex and these flights are approximately twice the price available elsewhere. I cannot see the benefit in this and tbh it seems to be a bit scandalous. Also I am confused regarding the spend required on Qantas services before you can access the $450 credit? I was told on the phone by an amex representative that this must be used by 31st March 2018. Am I correct in assuming that it is worthless after this date. I am feeling rather disillusioned, or perhaps I am missing a vital point.
You can access this travel credit after you have paid your annual fee and as long as your account is current and in good standing, i.e. you do not need to spend on Qantas products/services – that’s to access the two Qantas lounge passes.
The travel credit is valid for your whole cardholder year (one year from when you were approved for the card).
And sometimes Amex has prices that are higher than found on the official airline’s websites but double the price does not sound normal. It should be the same price or just above, so perhaps search for different routes or dates.
Hope that helps!
Bear in mind that if you do not use the entire credit in one booking you forfeit the balance.
I signed up to this card when the bonus points were 100,000 points. I can no longer find infomation on that deal. Just wondering was the minimum spend of $1500 over 3 months the same for the 100,000 points? For some reason I seem to remember it being $1200 over 2 months, but I may be wrong.
Thanks
And the marketing states:
So it seems that a codeshare flight on another airline with a QF flight number may work but we aren’t 100% sure on that. As this benefit comes into effect today (31 October 2017), we’d love to hear if anyone has any success seeing the discount on the booking page of a codeshare flight.
Two ques I’m hoping u can help answer
1. I just joined the Amex Ultimate card before Oct 2 so was eligible for the 100K QFF reward points but I’ve forgotten what was the spend qualification and until when do I have to spend that amount? The info they sent me didn’t state it and the web now has a diff offer of 55K points which was not the deal when I signed up. Would u happen to know?
I’m new to epicure – how exactly do u access the free premium membership w the card?
Thank you in advance!
The minimum spend requirement for the previous 100K offer was $1,500 within the first 3 months, it would be best to contact Amex to confirm this for your account.
As for Epiqure, you should be able to find the instructions on how to access it on your welcome pack, it will take effect 31st October. If you need more information, please call Qantas directly.
Are the x2 Qantas lounge entries only available to the cardholder or can partners access the lounge if travelling on the same QF flight?
https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/the-qantas-club/complimentary-invitations.html
I interpreted the question as if a lounge pass could let in a guest as well as the person using it but on a second glance, Edward, you’re right! Katie could use two passes for two people – and they don’t have to necessarily be on the same flight.
I just read the T&C on the 2 Qantas Club invitations and it seems that you have to spend on Qantas products before you are eligible to receive these. I have booked a flight to Europe on Qatar for May 2018 and wanted to use the lounge access in Perth as well as on a domestic flight to Melbourne, however it seems that I won’t be able to get the invitations for either as I did not spent with Qantas and Domestic Business Lounge is also excluded from the pass!? Could you confirm this as this would seriously lower the value I get from my card.
There is no requirement to purchase a Qantas flight in order to access the new two Qantas lounge passes from 31 October. That requirement is only for the complimentary Economy domestic return flight.
The lounge passes can be used for domestic Qantas Clubs and International Business lounges but not Domestic Business lounges or the shared oneworld lounge at LAX. More info here.
https://www.americanexpress.com/au/content/text/qantas-ultimate-lounge-pass/Lounge-Pass-Conditions.pdf
It says offer valid until 2nd of October. Do I just need to apply before then or do I need to be approved by then or actually have the card by then? And how long does it generally take for approval?
Thanks.
It says in this guide that you would earn 1.5 Qantas Points/dollar spent at the Epiqure store (in addition to the 3 points as an Epiqure member).
I would have thought that Epiqure purchases would be counted as the selected Qantas products and services and thus attract 2.5 Qantas points/dollar.
Could anyone confirm whether or not this is the case?
If I purchase flights through say Flight Centre, how will Amex know the payment is for a qantas flight?
There is no requirement to purchase a Qantas flight in order to access the new two Qantas lounge passes from 31 October.
That requirement is only for the complimentary Economy domestic return flight and to access that benefit, you must purchase the flight directly from Qantas.
Can’t seem to decide which one to apply for between the two, and I believe I’m not the only one. Comments seem to suggest that the change of free flights to the $450 travel credit may not be as flexible as the travel credits for the Explorer?
Thanks!
because the minimum cost for the 100K bonus points is a $1500 spend, if I decide to purchase a multi-city business class seat to NZ (BNE-SYD-NZ) in December, it easily goes beyond $2200. with the $450 travel credit (after 31 Oct), does that bring the price down to $1750? Do I also get the multiple points per dollar spent for purchasing a Qantas product?
FYI, i’m purchasing the seats because i’m new to this whole travel hacking thing & i’m thinking of saving points at this early stage first, before using them.
Can you confirm that you also get 2 free entries to qantas lounges in addition to the Sydney/Melb Amex lounge entries? There is no mention of this on the Amex website (it only details the 2 entries to the Amex lounge)
I’m planning to fly to Melb for work so work will pay for the flight anyway and this will activate my Qantas Travel Credit – I’m wondering if I can use the $450 travel credit to pay for the ‘fees’ for a points flight to Japan next year?
Also, is the annual travel credit eligible from our card anniversary date? Not calendar year?
Thanks!
You’re right in that the benefits are based on cardholder year, not calendar year.
“…giving cardmembers $450 towards the purchase of a Qantas domestic or international flight through American Express Travel – no other airlines are eligible.”
Do you know the cheapest way to get the $450 credit through that store to make it worth it?
Thanks!
The free flights are also being changed come 31 October, to $450 travel credits. However, there do look to be some caveats & it might not be as flexible as other AMEX cards travel credits.
I have a company issued green corporate amex, which was assigned to me in Dec 2015. Does this card exclude me from the 100k QF bonus points?
Thanks
Further to my previous comment, I can confirm I received the 75,000 bonus points on the Amex Ultimate card despite holding a David Jones Amex within the preceding 18 months.
I’ve previous held a David Jones Express card within the last 18 months. I called Amex to ask if this would make me ineligible for the 75,000 bonus points offer and was told that David Jones cards are exempt (in the same way as bank-issued cards are exempt), therefore making me eligible for the bonus points. I queried the wording of ‘any Card product’ and was assured that DJ’s cards are not treated as ‘Amex issued’ for this bonus offer. Further, the person I spoke to offered to record notes on my account confirming same. I will let you know how it plays out!
I hold an American Express Velocity Platinum card.
I read your rundown on whether or not I am eligible for bonus points + status credits, but I am still confused.
Would I be eligible?
This might be a stupid question but do you have to have a qualifying Qantas spend every single year to get the free annual flight or is it just a one-off once you first get the card?
Looking at the comments above there is still some uncertainty over the options available to activate the free flight as well.
Any advice on all this is greatly appreciated.
Another related question concerning the free flight trigger – can you confirm that purchase of a Qantas Gift Certificate would qualify?
Cheers, Con
You mentioned a while back that you believe that a Qantas points top-up purchase qualifies as the free flight trigger.
Can you confirm this?
I did this on the most recent Saturday and the statement on my account showed up on the Monday:
QANTAS AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA $11.21 22 2,511 2,533
– Qantas First Spend Bonus 0 2,500
– Qantas Airlines 0 11
– Call 1800507104 to redeem your QF flight
As you can see, my offset was $11, which was for a planned flight im taking to Tokyo (with points naturally), it is more than I probably needed to spend, but I genuinely am interested in offsetting my carbon footprint…
So, from my single example, this appears to work nicely.
All the best,
Dave
Qantas Flights
Qantas Gift Vouchers ($50 minimum)
Qantas Epiqure purchases
Qantas Carbon Offsets (make sure you do $1 or more) – http://www.qantasfutureplanet.com.au
But no guarantees on any of the above, that’s all from anecdotal reports – any of those might trigger the Qantas-related component of the signup bonus / the flight.
If the Carbon off is correct this may be the cheapest work around if it works?
How do you know if it has been triggered ?
Any advance on what qualifies as a spend at the travel shop to trigger the free flight ?
Cheers
Dave
But no guarantees on any of the above, that’s all from anecdotal reports – any of those might trigger the Qantas-related component of the signup bonus / the flight.
I hold an Commonwealth Platinum Awards American Express card.
Does this mean I am eligible for the American Express Qantas ultimate?
Travel shops’ – and what is the minimum spend to get the flights? Anyone know this one?
“Selected Qantas products and services are: (a) Qantas passenger flights
with a QF flight number purchased on the Qantas merchant account i.e.
directly with Qantas or some travel agents or (b) purchases from Qantas
Travel shops. Excludes: Qantas Holidays, Qantas Freight, Jetstar and
Qantas branded non-airfare products operated by third parties e.g. Qantas
Box Office.”
Not sure a key ring will cut it…!
You are now also entitled to two entries into The American Express Sydney Airport Lounge per calendar year with this card. The entries may be used by the basic Card Member, Supplementary Card Member or a guest travelling with a Card Member. Complimentary access is available for the Card Member’s children between the ages of 2-17. Not bad.