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100,000 Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months
Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card
Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card

American Express Credit Cards

Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card

Updated 1 March 2024

The Qantas Ultimate lives up to its name with premium perks for travellers and those wanting to earn Qantas Points. You can get 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online by 2 April 2024, are approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.

Making travel easier, you'll also get a range of globetrotting perks including $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year, travel insurance and airport lounge passes.

Terms and conditions apply.

Points Earn Rate (per $1 spent)

1.25 points

Qantas

Rewards Program

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Bonus Points

100,000 pts

Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months

Pros and cons

  • Special offer: Earn 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online by 2 April 2024 and spend $3,000 within the first 3 months (new Qantas Amex Ultimate cardholders only)
  • Earning points: Earn up to 1.25 Qantas points per $1 spent on everyday transactions (uncapped, but the everyday earn rate will change to 1 Qantas Point after 100,000 points are earned in a calendar year)*. Earn 0.5 points per $1 on government bodies.
  • Travel perks: $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year plus two entries per year to The Centurion® Lounge and two Qantas Club lounge passes each year (Qantas spend required)*
  • Insurances: complimentary domestic & international insurance when booked with the card (including limited COVID-19 cover, T&Cs apply).
  • Extras: Up to 44 days interest-free plus four free additional card members, and free Qantas Wine membership
  • *Please note: terms and conditions apply, please check our review and the PDS for details

  • High purchase rate of 23.99% p.a.
  • Some features are only available after you spend directly with Qantas, such as the Qantas Lounge Club passes
  • Foreign transaction fee of 3%

Creditcard.com.au review

Editor Review

Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card

Pauline Hatch
Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 8 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. about this card.

The Big Review: Qantas American Express Ultimate

Point calculations are accurate as of 11 January 2024 but may be subject to change without notice. All routes may have additional taxes and charges. Check on the official American Express page for the updated calculations.

A prestige rewards card packed with premium travel benefits, the Qantas American Express Ultimate is now even more appealing, offering new cardholders 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months. You’ll also get a $450 Qantas Travel Credit and Qantas Wine Premium membership.

Here's a rundown of the card's features. We'll look at how it earns points further down.

  • Receive 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply by 2 April 2024, get approved, and spend $3,000 within the first 3 months.
  • $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year*
  • Complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership
  • Two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations
  • Two complimentary entries per year to The Centurion® Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport
  • Complimentary domestic and international Travel Insurance Cover (including limited cover related to COVID-19, T&Cs apply). Available for you, your spouse and your dependent children (25 years of age or younger)
  • Complimentary Card Purchase Cover
  • Annual fee of $450
  • Standard variable interest rate on purchases currently at 23.99% p.a.
  • Applicants who currently hold or who have previously held any card issued by American Express Australia Limited in the past 18 months are ineligible for the bonus Qantas Point offer.
  • Applicants who are previous or existing bank-issued American Express companion cardholders are eligible for the bonus Qantas Point offer.

* Note about Travel Credit: Travel Credit must be redeemed in a single transaction of at least $450 using your Qantas Ultimate card via the American Express Travel Online portal. The Travel Credit will be credited to your account in 3 business days (but allow 30 days just in case).

This Card: The Lowdown

As a prestige travel rewards card, the Qantas American Express Ultimate is designed for frequent travellers who want to be rewarded for their credit card spending, while also enjoying a wide range of travel-related benefits and extended travel and Card Purchase Cover.

With 100,000 bonus Qantas Points offer, the Qantas American Express Ultimate can be a great choice for new cardholders who want to give their rewards balance a boost.

To give you an idea of where 100,000 Qantas Points can take you, you can fly roundtrip on economy Classic Flight Reward, from Sydney to Brisbane from 16,000 Qantas Points plus taxes, fees, and carrier charges. If you paid cash for this, it would normally cost hundreds of dollars.

The bonus points will be awarded to the eligible card member’s account 8-10 weeks after the spend criteria have been met, provided the account is in good standing.

The Qantas American Express Ultimate offers travel-related benefits such as:

  • $450 Qantas Travel Credit to use each year on eligible international or domestic Qantas flights, booked and paid for online at American Express Travel
  • Two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations after your first eligible card spend each year on selected Qantas products and services in Australia
  • Two complimentary entries per year to The Centurion® Lounge, located at Sydney International Airport or Melbourne International Airport
  • Complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership, allowing you to enjoy gourmet food, beautiful wines and exclusive access to food and wine events around Australia.

As for added protection on travel and retail purchases, the Qantas American Express Ultimate provides:

  • Medical Emergency Expenses Cover
  • Public Transport Accident Cover
  • Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover
  • Baggage, Money and Documentation Cover
  • Travel Inconvenience Insurance on flight departure delays
  • Card Refund Cover
  • Card Purchase Cover
  • Online Fraud Protection Guarantee

Digging Deeper

With the basics covered, it’s time to dig a little deeper into what’s on offer with the Qantas American Express Ultimate, so you can decide whether this card is right for you.

This Card: As a Rewards Card

One of the biggest drawcards of the Qantas American Express Ultimate is its rewards program. As one of the highest earning Qantas Points cards, it offers you the opportunity to earn big on your credit card spending.

  • Earn 1.25 Qantas Points for every $1 spent on everyday purchases*
  • Earn 0.5 Qantas Points per $1 spent at government bodies in Australia
  • Earn 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on eligible Qantas products and services

*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 Points per $1 spent. (Note: if you applied for the Card between 1 July 2023 to 9 January 2024, this change will come into effect from 10 July 2024.)

You can also earn points faster by adding family members to your account card at no additional cost. The points you earn will be transferred automatically to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account each month. From there, you can redeem them on whatever you choose.

For instance, you could choose to redeem your points for air travel, opting for a Classic Flight Reward or a Points Plus Pay Flight, or selecting an upgrade with Classic Upgrade Rewards or Bid Now Upgrades.

Alternatively, you could use your Qantas Points to purchase or renew a Qantas Club Membership, book car hire or accommodation with Qantas Hotels, shop for premium wines and gourmet food with Qantas Wine, or invest in extra protection with Qantas Insurance.

Of course, you could also redeem your points for merchandise at Qantas Store.

  • Electronics on offer include the Apple TV 4K 64GB (48,520 Qantas Points)
  • Home essentials on offer include the De'Longhi Nespresso Inissia Capsule Coffee Machine (46,780 Qantas Points)
  • Sports gear on offer includes the Fitbit Charge 4 (21,650 Qantas Points)
  • Fashion items on offer include Ray-Ban Aviator Classic Sunglasses (35,650 Qantas Points) and the Fossil Men’s Hybrid Smartwatch (46,780 Qantas Points).
  • Gift cards on offer include Woolworths Physical Gift Card ($50 for 10,390 Qantas Points), and theJB Hi-Fi Digital Gift Card ($50 for 9,890 Qantas Points).

This Card: As a Travel Rewards Card

The ideal travelling companion for people who love to travel, the Qantas American Express Ultimate offers an outstanding range of travel-based perks.

$450 Qantas Travel Credit

Helping to offset the card’s $450 annual fee, the Qantas American Express Ultimate provides cardholders with $450 Qantas Travel Credit every year.

Replacing the card’s previous offer of one return domestic flight each year, this Travel Credit is designed to offer more flexibility, providing cardholders with $450 that can be put towards the purchase of a Qantas domestic or international flight booked through American Express Travel.

To be eligible for this Travel Credit, you must have paid the annual fee, and your account must be current and in good standing. You'll need to spend $450 minimum to redeem your Travel Credit using your Qantas Ultimate credit card via the American Express Travel Online portal. The Travel Credit will be credited to your account in 3 business days (but allow up to 30). Travel Credit also can’t be carried over to the subsequent year if it remains unused.

You can redeem Travel Credit for any eligible Qantas flight you want to book, as long as there is a QF flight number on your ticket. You can’t use your Credit for accommodation or car hire unless there is a Qantas flight within the same transaction.

In terms of points-earning potential, you can earn points on the portion of the booking that is not paid for with your Travel Credit. So, if your flight costs $1250, you can earn points on $800 of that booking.

Another point to note regards fees and taxes on your booking. Booking fees and taxes of an award redemption need to be paid directly through the Qantas website or over the phone. Thus, you cannot use your Travel Credit to pay them as Travel Credit can be redeemed through the American Express Travel Online website only.

Lounge Access

The Qantas American Express Ultimate provides cardholders with two types of Lounge access. As a cardholder, you will receive two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations each year after your first card spend on selected Qantas products and services in Australia.

So, to be eligible, you will need to book a Qantas flight (with a QF flight number) through Qantas direct, or at participating travel agents, or pay for Qantas Frequent Flyer or Qantas Club membership.

Within two weeks of that purchase, two Qantas Club Lounge Invitations will be assigned to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. Each invitation provides you a single Lounge visit, which means you can’t bring a guest, unless you gift them one of your invitations.

Also on offer is complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge at Sydney or Melbourne International Airports twice a year. You must present your Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card to gain entry to the lounge. This offer doesn’t require an eligible purchase.

This Card: Extras on Offer

Having covered the rewards program and the travel perks, it’s now time to look at the various other extras the Qantas American Express Ultimate has up its sleeve.

First up, you will receive complimentary Qantas Wine Premium membership, worth $99 per year. As a premium food and wine portal, Qantas Wine allows you to partake in gourmet food, outstanding wines and exclusive access to food and wine events around Australia. Earn 3 bonus Qantas Points per $1 spent on Qantas Wine purchases (on top of the points you would normally earn on everyday spending).

In terms of complimentary insurance cover, this card has plenty to offer. However, it’s a good idea to check the PDS closely to find out more about the various insurance covers available, so you know exactly what’s covered – and what isn’t.

Domestic and international travel insurance includes Medical Emergency Expenses Cover, Public Transport Accident Cover, Trip Cancellation and Amendment Cover, Baggage, Money and Documentation Cover, and Travel Inconvenience Insurance on flight departure delays.

The Qantas American Express Ultimate also works to protect your purchases.

  • Card Refund Cover will credit your account if you're refused a refund on an unused eligible item within 90 days of purchase,
  • Card Purchase Cover will repair or refund eligible items if they’re accidentally broken or stolen within 90 days of purchase,
  • The Online Fraud Protection Guarantee means you won't be held responsible for any unauthorised charges online using your card details.

This Card: The Essentials

Now we’ve covered the fun bits, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. Firstly, the annual fee is $450. This may seem like a significant amount, but when you take into account all the extras on offer, it could in fact be great value. It really depends on how much you use the features provided.

The Qantas American Express Ultimate has a standard interest rate on purchases of 23.99% p.a. As this is relatively high, it’s best to make sure you clear your balance at the end of each statement period.

To be eligible for this card, you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or hold a long term visa for at least 12 months and does not include student visas), you must be at least 18 years of age, and you must have no history of bad debt or payment default.

Decision Time

With so much to offer, the Qantas American Express Ultimate is hard to say no to, especially with 100,000 bonus Qantas Points offer. If you want extensive travel perks and features, and a high-earning rewards program backed by excellent customer service, this card could indeed be the one for you.

User reviews

Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card ( based on 13 Creditcard.com.au user reviews )

57% rating based on 13 reviews

Rates
Fees
Rewards
Customer Service
Value
0%

R K

21 June 2022

So the $450 annual fee is offset by the $450 travel credit (only for Qantas flights) and the points earning rate is the best on the market by far. Only problem I had was additional card holders while being free of cost to add, did not receive any of the card offers that the primary holder does. I.e. $10 off fuel when spend over $80 only would exist on the primary card not the additionals. This became kind of annoying but that’s the only downside.

Recommends this card
90%

Jeanne

22 June 2020

Due to the virus and all flights being cancelled, at the moment I have $450 travel credit from last year sitting with Qantas and $450 from this year. I also have a total of four of those lounge passes which I will probably never use as I don't live in Melbourne or Sydney. There doesn't seem to be any option to get a refund of these payments via American Express but really I don't need to spend $450 a year just to have a credit card and the money could be put to better use in my bank account. Amex simply swiped another $450 from my account in March at the time when all flights had been cancelled. When I complained they said I can use the card for "other things" but I don't really think the "other things" justify the $450 charge. They should reduce it to $100 until Qantas is back in the air.

Recommends this card
48%

Haoming

5 February 2020

Travel credit sounds good by itself but you need to book through their website which cost more to start with, and if any changes required, other than paying amex for changes, you need to pay the airline for changes. Double unnecessary charges. Went to the melbourne amex lounge yesterday and the customer service was horrible, no one at reception and the way they tell customer last drink at 10:30 was rude and they close at 11pm, good wise? It was horrible, the worst lounge I ever been to.

Does not recommend this card
98%

JoeM

24 November 2019

As long as your doing some traveling each year you can't go wrong with this card. The $450 cost per year is redeemable, travel insurance free, and I use it for all my shopping. Direct debit entire balance each month, Plus the complementary lounge passes you can't go wrong!!!

Recommends this card

Rates and fees

Interest rates



Purchase rate 23.99% p.a.

Cash advance rate N/A

Interest free period on purchases up to 44 days

Credit limits

Minimum credit limit $3,000

Maximum credit limit N/A

Fees & repayments

Annual fee $450 p.a.

Additional cardholder fee Up to 4 at no extra cost

Foreign transaction fee 3%

Minimum repayment $30 or 2.5%, whichever is greater (personal & business); N/A (charge cards)

Cash advance fee N/A

Late payment fee $30

Rewards and points

Rewards program

Rewards Program Qantas Frequent Flyer Qantas Frequent Flyer

Bonus points 100,000 points

Annual points cap uncapped

Bonus points spend criteria Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months

Earning points with this card

Qantas Rewards points 1.25 points per $1 spent

Points cap per month N/A

Overseas earn rate same as standard earn rate

Additional features

Complimentary insurance

International Travel Insurance Yes

Flight Inconvenience Insurance Yes

Transit Accident Insurance Yes

Smartphone Screen Insurance No

Purchase Protection Insurance Yes

Extended Warranty Insurance No

Rental Vehicle Excess In Australia Insurance No

Extras

$450 Qantas Travel Credit each year

Two Qantas Club lounge invitations each year

Two The Centurion® Lounge entries each year

Eligible with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay

Overview

Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card

New Qantas American Express Ultimate Card Members can get 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online by 2 April 2024, are approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.

Key features

Minimum criteria to apply for this card

  • Be over 18 years old

  • Good Credit and have not applied for multiple credit cards recently

  • Australian citizen or permanent resident or hold a long term visa (at least 12 months; does not include student visas).

  • You have your personal details ready to complete the online application

Pauline

Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 8 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. Pauline is passionate about seeing Aussies win by making their money – and their credit cards – work smarter, harder and bigger

Recently Asked Questions

Something you need to know about this card? Ask our credit card expert a question.

89 questions (showing the latest 10 Q&As)

seiko

seiko

10 March 2024
how can I get an invitation to a complimentary lounge? I want to use the lounge in Singapore. I will travel by Qantas flight.
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    12 March 2024
    Hi Seiko, good question! With the Qantas American Express Ultimate card, you'll receive 2 Qantas Club Lounge Invitations each anniversary year of card membership after spending on selected Qantas products and services. Once you meet the spend requirement, typically you'll receive an email notification from Qantas within 2 weeks, indicating the availability of the lounge invitations for use. Enjoy your travels!
Allan

Allan

4 March 2024
My monthly air travel is paid by my employer. This is booked under my name done by a travel agent which I earn frequent flyer points for. They are QF flights. Will this give me the 2x lounge access.
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    5 March 2024
    Hi Allan, that's a great question! The lounge access is not attached to the flight but to the cardholder, so it's likely not available to you if it wasn't paid for on your card. However, lounge passes can be transferred from your employer to you. You can see how that works on this Qantas page under "Transferring your invitation". Thanks Allan!
Kevin

Kevin

7 February 2024
Re. Amex Qantas Ultimate CC, Is the Centurian & the Qantas Club lounge equally good? Are they better than Plaza Premium Sydney? Is Qantas Club lounge available in KL & Phuket?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    13 February 2024
    Hi Kevin, I haven't personally used the Centurion lounges so I can't comment on those! You can read more about them and see photos on the Amex site here. It doesn't look like KL or Phuket airports have Qantas Club lounges (although KL has a Plaza Premium lounge).
Dru

Dru

23 January 2024
Can you please explain why it says 75100 points earned over 12 months?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    25 January 2024
    Hi Dru, the points earned is only an estimation figure based on what you’ve entered into the sliders above our comparison tables. As the points were listed at 100k and not 100,000, our comparison engine wasn’t calculating the number. Thanks for bringing this up and we’ve updated our data point to reflect this.
Mark

Mark

8 September 2023
“Two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations”, Can I use Qantas Club overseas?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    11 September 2023
    Hi Mark, yes there are many Qantas Club lounges all over the world. You can see all the lounges on the Qantas airport lounge page here. Hope that helps, thanks Mark!
Libby

Libby

23 August 2023
Hi Pauline. Is it possible to 'preload' the AMEX Qantas Ultimate card to make a very large purchase which is over the amount of the credit limit? i.e. have the funds for the purchase already on the card and pay by card so as to get the FF points
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    29 August 2023
    Hi Libby! That's a good question. Credit card providers don't give clear answers on loading your card into a positive balance. Some say your card will be frozen until the balance is repaid back to you, others say you still won't be able to spend above your credit limit even if there is extra cash on the card. Amex is one of the most stringent about positive balances. I can't find anything on Australian sites, but the US site says you won't earn FF points on amounts above your credit limit. And, it might be charged as a cash advance! It's murky ground, as you can see. Thanks Libby!
Afrim

Afrim

30 July 2023
Hi. If I were to purchase air tickets, hotels, car hire ect would I get points for these? Is that included in the 3k spending in the 1st 3 months to qualify for the 75k points?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    1 August 2023
    Hi Afrim, I checked this for you and American Express, like any other card issuers, does not provide a published list of eligible transactions. Typically, eligible transactions include your daily expenses such as groceries and dining at your favourite restaurants. However, transactions like cash advances, interest payments, fees, and similar items are not considered eligible. For more detailed information, I recommend checking their official T&Cs PDS for more information.
Braeden

Braeden

11 July 2023
Do additional card holders have the same beneifts as the main holder when using the The Qantas American Express Ultimate Card? Looking to use this for our personal spending
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    12 July 2023
    Hi Braeden, great question. Amex says additional cardholders can earn points and track their own transactions, but can't view the main account. The insurance terms refer to the "Card Member and Additional Cardholders", which sounds like extra cardholders could be covered, too. They can also use Amex Offers. You can add extra people through the app, as long as they are over 16. You can find more info on Amex's Additional Cardholder page. Thanks Braeden!
Ash

Ash

1 June 2023
Whats the minimum credit on this card and is there a minimum salary threshold?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    6 June 2023
    Hi Ash, with the Qantas American Express Ultimate card, the minimum credit limit you can be approved for is $3,000. Please note that if approved for a credit card, the actual credit limit set by the card issuer will depend on various factors, including your annual income and ability to make payments. In terms of the salary requirement, I checked the information for you. Apart from the standard eligibility criteria such as being at least 18 years old, an Australian citizen, and having a good payment history, there is no specific mention of the minimum salary required. However, they do require you to provide details of your income, expenses, debts, proof of income, and Australian driver's licence.

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