Westpac vs CBA vs ANZ vs NAB Credit Cards in Australia 2026: Which Big 4 Card for Cashback, Rewards, or Travel

The verdict

For Australian shoppers in 2026, the four Big 4 banks' flagship credit cards solve different problems and the right pick depends on what you actually do with the points. CBA Awards and ANZ Rewards Black lead on flexible points-to-Velocity transfers and broad partner ecosystems. NAB Rewards Platinum has the strongest fee-to-points ratio for everyday spenders with moderate annual spend, at a flat $195 annual fee (NAB). Westpac Altitude Black wins for Qantas-aligned travellers and complimentary Qantas Club access. None of the Big 4 issues a true high-cashback card competitive with Bankwest Easy, Coles No Annual Fee, or the dedicated cashback challenger cards. The biggest mistake is collecting points you never redeem; a rewards card you do not actively use is a $96 to $420 annual fee handed to the bank for nothing.

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Key reasoning

The four Australian Big 4 credit card portfolios span a wide price band (from under $100 a year on the entry rewards tier to around $420 a year on the top premium tier) and offer roughly comparable headline earn rates (around 1 to 2 points per dollar on eligible spend before the per-statement threshold). The differences are at the edges: transfer partners, cap structures, complementary travel insurance, lounge access, and sign-up bonuses. All four flagship cards carry a 20.99% p.a. purchase interest rate (Westpac, CommBank, ANZ, NAB) — rates can change, so confirm the current rate before applying.

CBA Awards is the most flexible Big 4 points currency. Awards points transfer to Velocity Frequent Flyer, Cathay Asia Miles, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (at varying ratios), with periodic transfer bonus promotions. The entry CommBank Awards card charges $8 per month and earns 1 Awards point per $1 up to $2,000 per statement period, then 0.5 points; the premium Ultimate Awards card charges $35 per month (waived if you spend at least $4,000 in a statement period) and earns up to 3 Awards points per $1 up to $10,000 per statement period (CommBank). CBA's volume scale also means CBA Awards is the easiest Big 4 program to combine with everyday banking discounts (CommBank Yello tier benefits, fee waivers on linked transaction accounts). The catch is that the redemption value via the Awards store is mediocre; the points are most valuable transferred to Velocity.

ANZ Rewards Black runs on ANZ Reward Points and transfers to Velocity, Asia Miles, and KrisFlyer at competitive ratios. It earns 2 ANZ Reward Points per $1 up to and including $5,000 per statement period, then 1 point per $1 thereafter (ANZ). ANZ Rewards Black includes complementary international travel insurance and overseas medical cover (subject to policy terms — read the PDS). ANZ also runs frequent sign-up bonuses, up to 180,000 ANZ Reward Points across staged spend and tenure conditions in promotional periods (ANZ); offers change, so check the current promotion. The annual fee is $375 (a $320 annual fee plus a $55 Rewards Program Service Fee) (ANZ), with eligibility and minimum income criteria applying — confirm the current threshold with ANZ.

NAB Rewards Platinum is the best fee-to-points ratio in the Big 4 for spenders in the $30,000 to $60,000 annual spend range. The annual fee is a flat $195, lower than the premium tier (NAB), the earn rate is competitive (1 NAB Rewards Point per $1 on everyday purchases, 1.5 points in eligible grocery stores, 2 points online with Webjet, with no monthly points cap), and NAB issues the dedicated Qantas Premier Titanium card on a separate Qantas-aligned rail. NAB Rewards transfer to Velocity at a 2-to-1 ratio (2 NAB Rewards Points per 1 Velocity Point) (NAB).

Westpac Altitude Black is the strongest Big 4 card for Qantas-aligned travellers. The Altitude Black card has a $295 annual card fee; the standard Altitude Rewards option carries a $0 Rewards Program fee, while choosing the Qantas option adds a $75 annual Rewards Program fee (Westpac, Westpac). The Qantas option earns Qantas Points directly (0.5 points per $1 on most purchases, 0.8 on the everyday spend category, and 1.2 internationally, dropping to 0.25 points per $1 once you spend $10,000 in a statement cycle), plus complimentary international travel insurance and Qantas Club invitations (Westpac). The standard Altitude Rewards option earns up to 3 points per $1 internationally and 2 on the everyday category, dropping to 0.5 points per $1 after $10,000 in a statement cycle (Westpac). The catch is the multi-tier earn cap that requires careful management, and a stated minimum income of $75,000 p.a. (Westpac).

For pure cashback, none of the Big 4 currently issues a card competitive with the dedicated cashback challengers (Bankwest Easy 1%, Coles No Annual Fee, ANZ Low Rate at 0% on selected promos). The Big 4 rewards programs are points-first; the cashback is what comes from spending on partner merchants via ShopBack, not from the card itself.

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Supporting facts / breakdown

Feature	CBA Awards	ANZ Rewards Black	NAB Rewards Platinum	Westpac Altitude Black
Annual fee (2026)	$8/mo ($96/yr) entry; $35/mo Ultimate (waived at $4k/stmt spend)	$375 ($320 + $55 program fee)	$195 flat	$295 card fee (+$75 program fee on Qantas option)
Earn rate per $ (domestic)	1 point to $2k/stmt, then 0.5 (entry); up to 3 to $10k/stmt (Ultimate)	2 points to $5k/stmt, then 1	1 point (1.5 groceries)	2 points everyday, 1 other (Altitude) / 0.5 to 0.8 (Qantas option)
Earn rate per $ (international)	Up to 3 points (Ultimate)	2 points	1 point	Up to 3 points (Altitude) / 1.2 (Qantas option)
Points cap	$2k/stmt (entry), $10k/stmt (Ultimate) threshold	$5k/stmt threshold	No monthly cap	$10k/stmt threshold, multi-tier
Velocity transfer	Yes, varies	Yes, competitive	Yes (2 pts to 1 Velocity)	Indirect (Altitude option)
Qantas earn	Opt-in (Ultimate, $90/yr)	Indirect (transfer partners)	Yes via Qantas Premier (separate card)	Yes (Qantas option, direct earn)
Sign-up bonus (typical 2026; changes)	Promotional, varies	Up to 180,000 points	Up to 100,000 points	Up to 150,000 Qantas points (staged)
Purchase interest rate	20.99% p.a.	20.99% p.a.	20.99% p.a.	20.99% p.a.
Interest-free days	Up to 44	Up to 44	Up to 44	Up to 45
Complementary travel insurance	Yes, conditions apply	Yes, conditions apply	Yes (Platinum tier)	Yes, more comprehensive
Lounge access	Limited via partners	Limited	Limited	Qantas Club invitations (Qantas option)
Concierge service	Tier-dependent	Yes (Black tier)	Limited	Yes (Black tier)
Foreign transaction fee	~3% (verify with bank)	~3% (verify with bank)	~3% (verify with bank)	~3% (verify with bank)
Best for	Flexible points, banking bundle	Points + travel insurance	Low fee + decent earn	Qantas alignment + lounge
Worst for	Cashback seekers	Low-spend customers	Premium travel perks	Velocity-aligned travellers
Minimum income	Not published (min credit limit $500, entry)	Not published; criteria apply	Min credit limit $6,000	$75,000 p.a.

(Fees, earn rates, sign-up bonuses, and interest rates are indicative and change frequently — verify directly with each bank: Westpac, CommBank, ANZ, NAB.)

The numbers show that no single Big 4 card dominates the others on every dimension. CBA Awards wins on banking bundle flexibility. ANZ Rewards Black wins on sign-up bonuses and travel insurance bundle. NAB Rewards Platinum wins on annual fee for moderate spenders. Westpac Altitude Black wins for Qantas direct earn and Qantas Club access.

A practical durability note: complementary travel insurance terms on all four cards exclude pre-existing conditions, require activation, and cap medical claims. The "free insurance" is a starting point, not a replacement for a standalone travel insurance policy on a longer or higher-risk trip. Read the PDS before relying on it.

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How to apply this

Use the Card Match Map before signing up. Decide what you do with points first, then pick the card that maximises value for that goal.

Your situation	Best Big 4 card	Why
Frequent Qantas flyer (4+ flights/year)	Westpac Altitude Black (Qantas option)	Direct Qantas earn, Qantas Club invitations
Frequent Virgin Australia flyer	CBA Awards or ANZ Rewards Black	Velocity transfers competitive on both
Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines focus	ANZ Rewards Black	Asia Miles and KrisFlyer competitive ratios
$30,000 to $60,000 annual spend	NAB Rewards Platinum	Lowest fee-to-earn ratio in the Big 4
$80,000+ annual spend	ANZ Rewards Black or Westpac Altitude Black	Higher earn rates pay back the fee
Already with CommBank for everything	CBA Awards	Yello tier and banking bundle benefits
Already with NAB for everything	NAB Rewards Platinum	Banking package fee waivers possible
Sign-up bonus hunter (one-off)	ANZ Rewards Black	Largest typical 2026 bonuses (up to 180k)
Backup card for international travel	ANZ Rewards Black	Insurance plus reasonable foreign fee handling
Pure cashback seeker	None of the Big 4	Try Bankwest Easy or Coles No Annual Fee instead
Low credit utilisation, value purity of cashback	ShopBack via debit + reward elsewhere	Cashback at point of purchase beats points
Self-employed, ABN, business spend	ANZ Business Black or Amex Business Explorer	Big 4 personal cards leave business value on the table
Annual fee allergic	NAB Low Fee or no Big 4 card	Big 4 entry-tier no-fee cards earn no meaningful points

The biggest mistake is signing up for the card with the biggest billboard sign-up bonus, paying the annual fee, and never redeeming the points. A Westpac Altitude Black sitting unused costs $295 a year ($370 on the Qantas option). The card has to be worked.

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What this actually means

In practice, the points-vs-cashback equation in Australia in 2026 is more nuanced than the marketing suggests. A typical Big 4 rewards card returns roughly 0.5 to 1.5 cents per dollar spent in net redemption value (after annual fee, after transfer ratios, after expiry). A well-used ShopBack cashback strategy on the same spend can return 2 to 8 cents per dollar at the participating merchants, and stack with whatever credit card you use.

Concrete example one: a couple in Melbourne with $50,000 annual credit card spend, half on everyday and half on travel. Westpac Altitude Black on the Qantas option ($295 card fee plus $75 Qantas program fee = $370 a year) (Westpac). At roughly 0.5 to 1.2 Qantas points per dollar, they earn somewhere around 30,000 to 45,000 Qantas points per year, which contributes toward a domestic reward seat net of the fee. (Choosing the standard Altitude Rewards option instead drops the fee to $295 and earns Altitude points at a higher rate, for transfer to Velocity.) Add ShopBack cashback on every booking they make through Booking.com, Agoda, or any participating retailer: another $300 to $600 a year on top.

Concrete example two: a single Sydney shopper with $35,000 annual spend, mostly groceries, fuel, and online retail. NAB Rewards Platinum ($195 annual fee) (NAB). At 1 to 1.5 points per dollar on eligible spend, they earn around 40,000 to 50,000 points per year, transferred to Velocity at 2-to-1 for roughly 20,000 to 25,000 Velocity Points (~$250 to $450 in flight value). ShopBack cashback on the online retail portion ($12,000 annually): roughly $300 to $700 back. Net: $350 to $950 per year on combined credit card rewards plus ShopBack, against the $195 fee.

Concrete example three: a low-spend shopper, $15,000 annual spend, mostly small-ticket basics. No Big 4 rewards card is worth the annual fee at this spend level. Use a no-fee card (or debit card), and concentrate the value on ShopBack cashback at participating merchants. Net cashback return: $200 to $500, with no annual fee.

Across all three, the common pattern is: credit card rewards reward concentrated, high-frequency, predictable spend on travel and dining. ShopBack rewards retailer-by-retailer cashback regardless of card. The two stack.

💡 Earn cashback through ShopBack on top of any credit card rewards No promo codes, no extra steps.

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When this does NOT apply

• You carry a balance: any rewards earned are wiped out by the interest rate (20.99% p.a. on all four Big 4 flagship rewards cards — Westpac, NAB). Interest-free days only apply if you pay the full closing balance by the due date (ASIC MoneySmart). Pay in full or use a low-rate card.
• Your annual spend is under $20,000: the annual fee on every Big 4 rewards card exceeds the point value at this spend level. Stick to a no-fee card.
• You travel only domestically and on the cheapest fare: Velocity and Qantas points transfer best to long-haul business and international economy. Short-haul cash fares are usually better.
• You hold an existing high-value home loan or transaction account package with a Big 4 bank: package benefits often include free credit cards. Run the maths inclusive of the package discount.
• You want a card with no foreign transaction fee: All Big 4 charge a foreign transaction fee (around 3% — confirm the current rate with each bank). Use a dedicated travel card (Wise debit, ING Orange Everyday, Bankwest Breeze with offer) for overseas spend.
• You hold an Amex parallel card (Explorer, Platinum): Amex frequently beats the Big 4 on earn rate and partner ecosystem for international travel. Hold the Big 4 card as a Mastercard or Visa backup for non-Amex merchants.
• Self-employed or ABN holder: a business card can deduct the annual fee against business income; a personal card cannot. Run the maths against your tax situation.

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Frequently asked questions

Which Big 4 Australian bank has the best credit card for Qantas points in 2026?

Westpac Altitude Black with the Qantas option is the strongest Big 4 Qantas-aligned card in 2026, earning Qantas Points directly on the program option (0.5 points per $1 on most purchases, up to 1.2 internationally) and offering complimentary Qantas Club invitations (Westpac). Note the Qantas option carries a $75 annual Rewards Program fee on top of the $295 card fee. ANZ Rewards Black via transfer partners and CBA Awards via the Qantas Points opt-in are alternatives. For maximum Qantas earn outside the Big 4, the dedicated Qantas Premier Titanium (issued by NAB) sits on a separate Qantas-branded rail. Earn rates and fees change; see Westpac.

Are the Big 4 banks the best place to get a rewards credit card in Australia?

Not always. The Big 4 own the largest share of Australian credit card customers and offer mature points programs, but Macquarie Black, American Express Explorer, and Citi Premier frequently beat the Big 4 on raw earn rate per dollar. The Big 4 still win on bundle discounts, local lounge access partnerships, and travel insurance inclusions.

Can I earn cashback on credit card spend through ShopBack in Australia?

Yes, through the merchant channel. ShopBack pays cashback on purchases at participating Australian retailers regardless of which credit card you use. The cashback stacks with your credit card's reward points, so paying with a CBA Awards or Westpac Altitude card via a ShopBack-eligible retailer earns both. ShopBack also offers sign-up bonuses on selected credit card applications.

What is the best low-fee credit card in Australia in 2026?

Among the Big 4, NAB Rewards Platinum has one of the lowest annual fees in the rewards tier at a flat $195 (NAB) (the entry CommBank Awards card is lower at $8/month). For pure low fee with no rewards, Coles No Annual Fee and Bankwest Breeze sit at $0 to $99 annual fee. The right choice depends on whether you want to earn points or simply minimise card cost.

When should I cancel a rewards credit card to avoid the annual fee?

Most Australian credit card annual fees are charged in the same month each year as the card anniversary, not at January 1. Check the fee date on your latest statement and cancel before the fee posts if you have not been using the card. Be aware that closing a card affects credit history.

Does a Big 4 card sign-up bonus actually pay back the fee?

A 100,000-point sign-up bonus is worth roughly $400 to $1,000 net depending on redemption choice. If the annual fee is $195 to $375, the bonus alone covers year one comfortably. The honest question is year two: if you are not actively using the card, the year two fee buys little.

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Key takeaways

• CBA Awards wins on flexible points and banking bundle benefits
• ANZ Rewards Black wins on sign-up bonuses (up to 180k points) and travel insurance bundle
• NAB Rewards Platinum is the best fee-to-points ratio for moderate spenders, at a flat $195 annual fee
• Westpac Altitude Black is the strongest Big 4 Qantas-aligned card with Qantas Club access ($295 card fee, +$75 on the Qantas option)
• None of the Big 4 issues a true cashback card competitive with challenger cards
• ShopBack cashback on participating merchants stacks with any credit card rewards
• A rewards card you do not actively use is a $96 to $420 annual fee gifted to the bank
• Cap structures matter as much as the headline earn rate; read the PDS
• Carrying a balance wipes out all rewards value (20.99% p.a. purchase rate); pay in full or skip the rewards card
• Earn cashback on top of credit card rewards through ShopBack

💡 Earn cashback through ShopBack on top of any credit card rewards Takes 2 minutes to sign up. No promo codes needed.

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Sources

• Westpac — Altitude Rewards Black card fee ($295), $0 program fee, earn rates, $10k/statement threshold, 20.99% p.a. purchase rate, up to 45 interest-free days, $75,000 minimum income
• Westpac — Altitude Qantas Black $75 Rewards Program fee, Qantas Points earn rates (0.5/0.8/1.2 per $1), $10k threshold drop to 0.25
• CommBank — Awards card $8/month fee, 1 point per $1 to $2,000/statement then 0.5, 20.99% p.a. purchase rate, up to 44 interest-free days
• CommBank — Ultimate Awards $35/month fee (waived at $4,000/statement spend), up to 3 points per $1 to $10,000/statement, $90 Qantas opt-in
• ANZ — Rewards Black $375 annual fee ($320 + $55 program fee), 2 points per $1 to $5,000/statement then 1, sign-up up to 180,000 points, up to 44 interest-free days
• NAB — Rewards Platinum $195 flat annual fee, 1 point per $1 (1.5 groceries, 2 Webjet), 2-to-1 Velocity transfer, 20.99% p.a. purchase rate, up to 44 interest-free days, sign-up up to 100,000 points
• ASIC MoneySmart — interest-free days only apply if you pay the full balance by the due date; how interest is charged on a carried balance

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author.

Credit card fees, points earn rates, sign-up bonuses, insurance terms, and program partner ratios are subject to change. Eligibility criteria, minimum income requirements, and complementary insurance terms vary by issuer and product disclosure statement (PDS). Please verify current pricing, terms, and eligibility directly with the relevant bank or issuer before applying.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered financial product advice. Consider whether any product is appropriate for your personal financial situation, and consult a licensed financial adviser if needed.