There are many credit cards available from many different banking institutions in Australia. If you would like to see them all they can be found in the list I have created in my guide.
Today I will discuss some credit cards that offer signup bonuses. These will be mentioned in no particular order below. Before I get into the cards shown, I try to keep the information up to date as best as possible as credit card offers are constantly changing. So make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully for each credit card offer and talk to a financial advisor to see if this information is relevant to you and your circumstances. This is not financial advice. Please read my disclaimer before continuing.
Bonus Point: Up to 100,000 membership rewards points + $400 Travel Credit + 2 AMEX Lounge Passes
Annual Fee: $395
Minimum Spend: $4000
A lot of people will argue between the American Express Explorer credit card and the Qantas credit card.
Each has its pros and cons, but for my needs in particular the American Express Explorer Black credit card is very versatile.
The signup bonus on the Explorer credit card varies quite a lot, depending on the promotions but it's worth waiting for when the promotion is offering 100,000 membership points or more.
It has been known to be 150,000 membership points before.
When this happens make sure to also use a referral code which can be found on sites like Ozbargian and Point Hacks. The referral bonus can give you an extra 30,000 membership points.
I will usually use membership rewards as a credit to pay for purchases on my credit card.
The conversion rate is around 0.7c per point which means from 130,000 membership points you are looking at around $750.
If I am lucky, quite often there are promotions where I get an extra 30% value on my membership points which can be worth almost $1000 in credit from 130,000 MR Points. Membership reward points can also be used for frequent flyer conversion or in the AMEX store like Qantas points.
There is also an included travel credit of $400 which can be used on anything from the travel section on the AMEX page. This includes hotels, flights, car hire and experiences.
Prices are very comparable to what you get from other booking sites and even offer other exclusive bonuses such as member only deals. This $400 credit basically pays off the annual fee.
This credit card is useful if you want signup bonuses but don't want to be locked into a certain membership program.
Finally, the Amex Explorer credit card comes with 2 lounge passes to any American Express lounges in the international terminal.
The requirement for an Amex black card is an income of $75k or more and a minimum spend of $4000 to receive the rewards.
Bonus Point: Up to 90,000 Qantas points
+ 2 Lounge Passes
Annual Fee: $295
Minimum Spend: $6000
These days, as signup bonuses start to decrease, St. George has not changed their signup bonus for quite some time.
The annual fee is $295 fee for a signup bonus of 90,000 Qantas points if you spend the minimum spend of $6000. With today's increase in the cost of living, I have found it is getting easier to reach the minimum spend within 90 days.
The lack of any other cashback is offset by offering 2 lounge passes, each valued at around $55. This value is based on Qantas allowing lounge passes to be purchased for similar prices.
Another interesting feature is the birthday bonus that no other card offers. Within 4 weeks of your birthday, you will receive an additional 10% of the points earned in the last 12 months.
Although this will be a small bonus, it is still a nice feature, especially if you plan on spending a lot on this credit card.
The average Qantas point is worth about 1c per point, so this credit card can net you around $900 worth of Qantas points.
Bonus Point: 100,000 Qantas points + $250 Cashback + 2 Lounge Passes
Annual Fee: $425
Minimum Spend: $5000
You will receive 100,000 Qantas points if you spend the minimum spend of $5000 within 90 days of activation. There is also $250 cash back which will automatically be awarded when you reach the minimum spend. This helps offset the 425 annual fee.
You can also receive 2 lounge passes, each valued at around $55. This value is based on Qantas allowing lounge passes to be purchased for similar prices.
The average Qantas point is worth about 1c per point so this credit card can net you around $1000 worth of Qantas points plus the $250 cash back.
Bonus Point: 120,000 Qantas points + 2 Lounge Passes
Annual Fee: $295
Minimum Spend: $6000
You will receive 90,000 Qantas points if you spend the minimum spend of $6000. The remaining 30,000 Qantas points will be awarded after holding the credit card for 1 year.
This credit card will also give you 2 lounge passes, each valued at around $55 and because lounge passes cannot be purchased, these can be quite lucrative.
The average Qantas point is worth about 1c per point so this credit card can net you around $1200 worth of points if held for more than one year.
Bonus Point: 70,000 Qantas points + 2 Priority lounge passes or airport credit
Annual Fee: $350
Minimum Spend: $6000
You will receive 70,000 Qantas points if you spend the minimum spend of $6000. The remaining 30,000 Qantas points are awarded after holding the credit card for one year.
This credit card also offers two passes in the Priority Pass program. These passes are available to access a large number of lounges in Australia and internationally.
If lounges are not your thing, you can use these passes as food credit in several eateries within the airport terminal. You will receive a $36 credit per pass so all up to $72 to spend.
The average Qantas point is worth about 1c per point so this credit card can net you around $700 worth of Qantas points.