Let’s take a closer look at the best rewards credit cards for December 2023.

Our pick for 🏆

Bonus Points

Qantas Premier Platinum

Earning a whopping 80,000 Qantas Points over a year, up to 20% off flights and $50 off the annual fee the first year.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas Premier Platinum

🧡 This card earns 80,000 bonus Qantas Points plus bonus points on overseas spending and certain Qantas products.

🧡 The 50% discount brings the first year’s annual fee to $349.

🧡 As well as great travel extras, it also comes with a surprising 12-month interest-free balance transfer offer.

Pros and cons

• 80,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• Earns up to 1.5 Qantas Points per $1
• Up to 20% off domestic flights for you and 8 travel buddies
• Travel insurance + 2 lounge visits per year
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Points are uncapped but will drop to 0.5 once you’ve spent more than $10,000 in a statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 60k when you spend $3k or more on eligible purchases within 3 months of card approval, and another 20k if you haven’t earned Qantas Points with a credit card in the last 12 months. Offer ends 01 May 2024.*

Our pick for 🏆

Low Cost Rewards

Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

A basic but brilliant Flybuys-earner with no annual fee, ever.

Go to site

Why we chose the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

🧡 The 20,000 Flybuys points are worth $100 and you’ll keep earning points when you spend in partnering stores (and scan your Flybuys for extra points)

🧡 There is no annual fee at all, making this card an easy way to earn points that turn into freebies.

🧡 The 6-month 0% p.a. offer on purchases, coupled with the savings on annual fees and the bonus points, could fast-track your savings and financial goals.

Pros and cons

• 30,000 bonus Flybuy points
• Earn 1 Flybuy per $2 on eligible purchases
• 6-month 0% p.a. purchase offer
• Add up to 4 additional cardholders
• 55 days interest-free

⨻ You won’t get any interest-free days while you have a balance transfer. Once your balance transfer period is over you’ll pay 19.99% p.a. on the remaining amount.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

To get the 30,000 bonus Flybuys points (worth $150 Flybuys dollars) you need to spend $3000 on eligible purchases within 90 days from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards Extras

Qantas Amex Ultimate

This is a globetrotter friend with extras that make travel cheaper and more fun.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas American Express Ultimate

🧡 It comes with $450 Travel Credit per year plus 4 lounge invitations

🧡 Fun extras like complimentary Qantas Wine membership and free shipping

🧡 60,000 bonus points and a huge 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 make this one of the top Qantas-points earning cards.

Pros and cons

• 60,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $450 Qantas Travel Credit every year
• Earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1, uncapped
• Earn 0.5 points on government spending
• 2 Qantas Lounge visits + 2 invitations to The Centurian Lounge
• Overseas and domestic travel insurance

⨻ The Qantas Club lounge invitations are only available after spending directly with Qantas. And, the interest rate on purchases is very high at 23.99% p.a.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 75,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months (new Qantas Amex Ultimate cardholders only)

Our pick for 🏆

Best All-Rounder

ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

A top-class rewards card with big Qantas Points, travel extras and cashback. A good card for frequent travellers.

Why we chose the ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

🧡 Up to 130,000 points is one of the biggest Qantas Points bonuses we’ve seen. It’ll cover a number of return flights around the world.

🧡 The first year’s annual fee is offset by the $250 cashback, making your points even more valuable.

🧡 It includes rental vehicle excess cover in Australia, which is an uncommon and very helpful insurance.

Pros and cons

• Up to 130,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $250 cashback on your account
• 2 lounge visits + a Qantas Club discount
• Travel insurance including rental vehicle excess in Australia
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Note that the annual fee is in the premium range at $425, and points earned per $1 are reduced after $15,000 spent in each statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

You can earn 110,000 bonus Qantas Points and $100 back on your card when you spend $5000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards + Cashback

St.George Vertigo Cashback

Make money by earning up to $400 back and paying a tiny annual fee.

Go to site

Why we chose the St.George Vertigo – Cashback Offer

🧡 This card offers one of the biggest cashback deals by giving you 10% back on purchases (up to $400 total).

🧡 The interest rate on purchases is very low at 13.99% p.a.

🧡 The annual fee is a small $55 per year.

Pros and cons

• Up to $400 cashback on your account
• Low annual fee of $55
• Low interest rate of 13.99%
• 55 days interest-free
• One free additional cardholder
• $500 minimum credit limit

⨻ This card is a no-frills card that doesn’t have ongoing perks or a balance transfer offer.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Get 10% cashback (up to $400 total cashback) if you successfully apply by 30 April 2024 and pay using your new card within 180 days from card approval at selected supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Harris Farm, and Aldi, and selected petrol outlets.

How do you use a rewards credit card?

Credit cards with reward points earn them in two ways:

• Bonus points. Bonus points are awarded when you meet certain criteria. Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount on your new card within the first 2 or 3 months of being approved.
• Points per dollar. You’ll earn points when you use your card to buy everyday items. You might earn anywhere between 0.5 and 2 points per $1, depending on the rewards program.

When you’re comparing credit cards, think about what you want to use the points for. You might want to get free flights or seat upgrades, redeem points for merchandise or even subscriptions, or get money off your grocery shopping.

Then, look at the annual fee. You’ll need to calculate if the points you’ll earn will outweigh the cost of the annual fee. It’s a balancing act. Rewards cards come in a range of annual fees which makes it easier to find one that suits you. Just know that the higher the annual fee, the greater the perks and points potential.

To make the decision a little easier, here’s how to weigh up the cost of the card against the points value.

Estimating points value

1. Work out how much you’re likely to spend on the card each year. You can do that by using a current credit card statement, or estimating the expenses you’ll pay on the card each month.
2. Calculate the value by looking at the reward program’s website to see what you can redeem your points for.
3. Figure out the value of the items or services you could redeem your points for. That will give you an idea of a monetary value of the points.
4. Compare the dollar value to the card’s annual fee.

Looking for other features

You can get other features on a rewards card besides earning points. Most are aimed at travelling, but you can find other extras that include discounts, cashback and exclusive event invitations.

What purchases won’t earn points?

Generally, most rewards programs won’t give you points for cash advances, balance transfers, BPAY payments and paying card fees. Some cards will give you points for government payments and others won’t. Check our review and the PDS to see if you can earn on government payments.

Let’s take a closer look at the best rewards credit cards for December 2023.

Our pick for 🏆

Bonus Points

Qantas Premier Platinum

Earning a whopping 80,000 Qantas Points over a year, up to 20% off flights and $50 off the annual fee the first year.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas Premier Platinum

🧡 This card earns 80,000 bonus Qantas Points plus bonus points on overseas spending and certain Qantas products.

🧡 The 50% discount brings the first year’s annual fee to $349.

🧡 As well as great travel extras, it also comes with a surprising 12-month interest-free balance transfer offer.

Pros and cons

• 80,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• Earns up to 1.5 Qantas Points per $1
• Up to 20% off domestic flights for you and 8 travel buddies
• Travel insurance + 2 lounge visits per year
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Points are uncapped but will drop to 0.5 once you’ve spent more than $10,000 in a statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 60k when you spend $3k or more on eligible purchases within 3 months of card approval, and another 20k if you haven’t earned Qantas Points with a credit card in the last 12 months. Offer ends 01 May 2024.*

Our pick for 🏆

Low Cost Rewards

Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

A basic but brilliant Flybuys-earner with no annual fee, ever.

Go to site

Why we chose the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

🧡 The 20,000 Flybuys points are worth $100 and you’ll keep earning points when you spend in partnering stores (and scan your Flybuys for extra points)

🧡 There is no annual fee at all, making this card an easy way to earn points that turn into freebies.

🧡 The 6-month 0% p.a. offer on purchases, coupled with the savings on annual fees and the bonus points, could fast-track your savings and financial goals.

Pros and cons

• 30,000 bonus Flybuy points
• Earn 1 Flybuy per $2 on eligible purchases
• 6-month 0% p.a. purchase offer
• Add up to 4 additional cardholders
• 55 days interest-free

⨻ You won’t get any interest-free days while you have a balance transfer. Once your balance transfer period is over you’ll pay 19.99% p.a. on the remaining amount.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

To get the 30,000 bonus Flybuys points (worth $150 Flybuys dollars) you need to spend $3000 on eligible purchases within 90 days from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards Extras

Qantas Amex Ultimate

This is a globetrotter friend with extras that make travel cheaper and more fun.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas American Express Ultimate

🧡 It comes with $450 Travel Credit per year plus 4 lounge invitations

🧡 Fun extras like complimentary Qantas Wine membership and free shipping

🧡 60,000 bonus points and a huge 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 make this one of the top Qantas-points earning cards.

Pros and cons

• 60,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $450 Qantas Travel Credit every year
• Earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1, uncapped
• Earn 0.5 points on government spending
• 2 Qantas Lounge visits + 2 invitations to The Centurian Lounge
• Overseas and domestic travel insurance

⨻ The Qantas Club lounge invitations are only available after spending directly with Qantas. And, the interest rate on purchases is very high at 23.99% p.a.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 75,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months (new Qantas Amex Ultimate cardholders only)

Our pick for 🏆

Best All-Rounder

ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

A top-class rewards card with big Qantas Points, travel extras and cashback. A good card for frequent travellers.

Why we chose the ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

🧡 Up to 130,000 points is one of the biggest Qantas Points bonuses we’ve seen. It’ll cover a number of return flights around the world.

🧡 The first year’s annual fee is offset by the $250 cashback, making your points even more valuable.

🧡 It includes rental vehicle excess cover in Australia, which is an uncommon and very helpful insurance.

Pros and cons

• Up to 130,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $250 cashback on your account
• 2 lounge visits + a Qantas Club discount
• Travel insurance including rental vehicle excess in Australia
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Note that the annual fee is in the premium range at $425, and points earned per $1 are reduced after $15,000 spent in each statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

You can earn 110,000 bonus Qantas Points and $100 back on your card when you spend $5000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards + Cashback

St.George Vertigo Cashback

Make money by earning up to $400 back and paying a tiny annual fee.

Go to site

Why we chose the St.George Vertigo – Cashback Offer

🧡 This card offers one of the biggest cashback deals by giving you 10% back on purchases (up to $400 total).

🧡 The interest rate on purchases is very low at 13.99% p.a.

🧡 The annual fee is a small $55 per year.

Pros and cons

• Up to $400 cashback on your account
• Low annual fee of $55
• Low interest rate of 13.99%
• 55 days interest-free
• One free additional cardholder
• $500 minimum credit limit

⨻ This card is a no-frills card that doesn’t have ongoing perks or a balance transfer offer.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Get 10% cashback (up to $400 total cashback) if you successfully apply by 30 April 2024 and pay using your new card within 180 days from card approval at selected supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Harris Farm, and Aldi, and selected petrol outlets.

How do you use a rewards credit card?

Credit cards with reward points earn them in two ways:

• Bonus points. Bonus points are awarded when you meet certain criteria. Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount on your new card within the first 2 or 3 months of being approved.
• Points per dollar. You’ll earn points when you use your card to buy everyday items. You might earn anywhere between 0.5 and 2 points per $1, depending on the rewards program.

When you’re comparing credit cards, think about what you want to use the points for. You might want to get free flights or seat upgrades, redeem points for merchandise or even subscriptions, or get money off your grocery shopping.

Then, look at the annual fee. You’ll need to calculate if the points you’ll earn will outweigh the cost of the annual fee. It’s a balancing act. Rewards cards come in a range of annual fees which makes it easier to find one that suits you. Just know that the higher the annual fee, the greater the perks and points potential.

To make the decision a little easier, here’s how to weigh up the cost of the card against the points value.

Estimating points value

1. Work out how much you’re likely to spend on the card each year. You can do that by using a current credit card statement, or estimating the expenses you’ll pay on the card each month.
2. Calculate the value by looking at the reward program’s website to see what you can redeem your points for.
3. Figure out the value of the items or services you could redeem your points for. That will give you an idea of a monetary value of the points.
4. Compare the dollar value to the card’s annual fee.

Looking for other features

You can get other features on a rewards card besides earning points. Most are aimed at travelling, but you can find other extras that include discounts, cashback and exclusive event invitations.

What purchases won’t earn points?

Generally, most rewards programs won’t give you points for cash advances, balance transfers, BPAY payments and paying card fees. Some cards will give you points for government payments and others won’t. Check our review and the PDS to see if you can earn on government payments.

Let’s take a closer look at the best rewards credit cards for December 2023.

Our pick for 🏆

Bonus Points

Qantas Premier Platinum

Earning a whopping 80,000 Qantas Points over a year, up to 20% off flights and $50 off the annual fee the first year.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas Premier Platinum

🧡 This card earns 80,000 bonus Qantas Points plus bonus points on overseas spending and certain Qantas products.

🧡 The 50% discount brings the first year’s annual fee to $349.

🧡 As well as great travel extras, it also comes with a surprising 12-month interest-free balance transfer offer.

Pros and cons

• 80,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• Earns up to 1.5 Qantas Points per $1
• Up to 20% off domestic flights for you and 8 travel buddies
• Travel insurance + 2 lounge visits per year
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Points are uncapped but will drop to 0.5 once you’ve spent more than $10,000 in a statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 60k when you spend $3k or more on eligible purchases within 3 months of card approval, and another 20k if you haven’t earned Qantas Points with a credit card in the last 12 months. Offer ends 01 May 2024.*

Our pick for 🏆

Low Cost Rewards

Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

A basic but brilliant Flybuys-earner with no annual fee, ever.

Go to site

Why we chose the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard

🧡 The 20,000 Flybuys points are worth $100 and you’ll keep earning points when you spend in partnering stores (and scan your Flybuys for extra points)

🧡 There is no annual fee at all, making this card an easy way to earn points that turn into freebies.

🧡 The 6-month 0% p.a. offer on purchases, coupled with the savings on annual fees and the bonus points, could fast-track your savings and financial goals.

Pros and cons

• 30,000 bonus Flybuy points
• Earn 1 Flybuy per $2 on eligible purchases
• 6-month 0% p.a. purchase offer
• Add up to 4 additional cardholders
• 55 days interest-free

⨻ You won’t get any interest-free days while you have a balance transfer. Once your balance transfer period is over you’ll pay 19.99% p.a. on the remaining amount.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

To get the 30,000 bonus Flybuys points (worth $150 Flybuys dollars) you need to spend $3000 on eligible purchases within 90 days from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards Extras

Qantas Amex Ultimate

This is a globetrotter friend with extras that make travel cheaper and more fun.

Go to site

Why we chose the Qantas American Express Ultimate

🧡 It comes with $450 Travel Credit per year plus 4 lounge invitations

🧡 Fun extras like complimentary Qantas Wine membership and free shipping

🧡 60,000 bonus points and a huge 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 make this one of the top Qantas-points earning cards.

Pros and cons

• 60,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $450 Qantas Travel Credit every year
• Earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1, uncapped
• Earn 0.5 points on government spending
• 2 Qantas Lounge visits + 2 invitations to The Centurian Lounge
• Overseas and domestic travel insurance

⨻ The Qantas Club lounge invitations are only available after spending directly with Qantas. And, the interest rate on purchases is very high at 23.99% p.a.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Earn 75,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months (new Qantas Amex Ultimate cardholders only)

Our pick for 🏆

Best All-Rounder

ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

A top-class rewards card with big Qantas Points, travel extras and cashback. A good card for frequent travellers.

Why we chose the ANZ Frequent Flyer Black

🧡 Up to 130,000 points is one of the biggest Qantas Points bonuses we’ve seen. It’ll cover a number of return flights around the world.

🧡 The first year’s annual fee is offset by the $250 cashback, making your points even more valuable.

🧡 It includes rental vehicle excess cover in Australia, which is an uncommon and very helpful insurance.

Pros and cons

• Up to 130,000 Bonus Qantas Points
• $250 cashback on your account
• 2 lounge visits + a Qantas Club discount
• Travel insurance including rental vehicle excess in Australia
• Cashback on everyday brands with ANZ Cashrewards
• Uncapped Qantas Points

⨻ Note that the annual fee is in the premium range at $425, and points earned per $1 are reduced after $15,000 spent in each statement period.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

You can earn 110,000 bonus Qantas Points and $100 back on your card when you spend $5000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from approval.

Our pick for 🏆

Rewards + Cashback

St.George Vertigo Cashback

Make money by earning up to $400 back and paying a tiny annual fee.

Go to site

Why we chose the St.George Vertigo – Cashback Offer

🧡 This card offers one of the biggest cashback deals by giving you 10% back on purchases (up to $400 total).

🧡 The interest rate on purchases is very low at 13.99% p.a.

🧡 The annual fee is a small $55 per year.

Pros and cons

• Up to $400 cashback on your account
• Low annual fee of $55
• Low interest rate of 13.99%
• 55 days interest-free
• One free additional cardholder
• $500 minimum credit limit

⨻ This card is a no-frills card that doesn’t have ongoing perks or a balance transfer offer.

▼ Terms and conditions apply. Click for details.

 

Get 10% cashback (up to $400 total cashback) if you successfully apply by 30 April 2024 and pay using your new card within 180 days from card approval at selected supermarkets including Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Harris Farm, and Aldi, and selected petrol outlets.

How do you use a rewards credit card?

Credit cards with reward points earn them in two ways:

• Bonus points. Bonus points are awarded when you meet certain criteria. Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount on your new card within the first 2 or 3 months of being approved.
• Points per dollar. You’ll earn points when you use your card to buy everyday items. You might earn anywhere between 0.5 and 2 points per $1, depending on the rewards program.

When you’re comparing credit cards, think about what you want to use the points for. You might want to get free flights or seat upgrades, redeem points for merchandise or even subscriptions, or get money off your grocery shopping.

Then, look at the annual fee. You’ll need to calculate if the points you’ll earn will outweigh the cost of the annual fee. It’s a balancing act. Rewards cards come in a range of annual fees which makes it easier to find one that suits you. Just know that the higher the annual fee, the greater the perks and points potential.

To make the decision a little easier, here’s how to weigh up the cost of the card against the points value.

Estimating points value

1. Work out how much you’re likely to spend on the card each year. You can do that by using a current credit card statement, or estimating the expenses you’ll pay on the card each month.
2. Calculate the value by looking at the reward program’s website to see what you can redeem your points for.
3. Figure out the value of the items or services you could redeem your points for. That will give you an idea of a monetary value of the points.
4. Compare the dollar value to the card’s annual fee.

Looking for other features

You can get other features on a rewards card besides earning points. Most are aimed at travelling, but you can find other extras that include discounts, cashback and exclusive event invitations.

What purchases won’t earn points?

Generally, most rewards programs won’t give you points for cash advances, balance transfers, BPAY payments and paying card fees. Some cards will give you points for government payments and others won’t. Check our review and the PDS to see if you can earn on government payments.