What is the best frequent flyer credit card in Australia in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Personal Finance Editor, ShopBack

The best frequent flyer credit card in Australia in 2026 is the one that earns points with the airline you fly most, at a rate that covers its annual fee. For example, the American Express Velocity Platinum Card lists a $440 annual fee and 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 with Virgin Australia, while the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card lists a $450 fee and 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible Qantas spend, according to American Express at the time of writing.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you cash back when you shop or book through it at partner stores, including Virgin Australia, Booking.com and Expedia. You tap through from the store's ShopBack page, book as normal with your frequent flyer card, and part of what you spent comes back to your ShopBack account as cash. Join ShopBack Australia for free before your next booking.

How we checked. We read the issuer pages for the American Express Velocity Platinum Card and the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, and Velocity Frequent Flyer's credit card and membership pages, on 8 October 2026. We use these two cards as worked examples because their fees, earn rates and perks are published side by side by one issuer. They are not the only frequent flyer cards in Australia, and card terms change, so compare any card you are considering on the same points below.

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How to pick the best frequent flyer credit card

The best frequent flyer credit card for you comes down to four questions, in this order:

1. Which airline do you fly most? Velocity Points suit Virgin Australia flyers; Qantas Points suit Qantas flyers. Points in a programme you rarely use tend to sit idle.
2. How much do you spend on the card each year? The earn rate only matters once you multiply it by your real spend.
3. Will you use the perks? Complimentary flights, travel credit and lounge access can be worth more than the points, but only if you would use them.
4. Do you pay the balance in full every month? Both Amex cards in this guide list a purchase rate of 23.99% p.a. at the time of writing. If you carry a balance, the interest usually outweighs the points.

Quick maths. At 1.25 points per $1, spending $30,000 a year on everyday purchases earns 37,500 points. Spending $15,000 earns 18,750 points. Put that next to the annual fee and the perks you would use, and you have a clearer picture than any headline bonus.

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Best frequent flyer credit cards in Australia (2026): two flagship examples compared

Here is how two flagship American Express frequent flyer cards compare, according to American Express at the time of writing:

Feature	American Express Velocity Platinum Card	Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
Annual fee	$440 p.a.	$450 p.a.
Purchase interest rate	23.99% p.a.	23.99% p.a.
Interest-free period	Up to 55 days	Up to 44 days
Points with the partner airline	2.25 Velocity Points per $1 on eligible Virgin Australia purchases	2.25 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible Qantas products and services
Points on everyday purchases	1.25 Velocity Points per $1 (0.5 at government bodies)	1.25 Qantas Points per $1 (0.5 at government bodies), dropping to 1 per $1 after 100,000 points in a calendar year
Flight perk	Complimentary Virgin Australia return economy domestic flight between selected cities each anniversary year	$450 Qantas Travel Credit each year for eligible Qantas flights booked through American Express Travel
Lounge perk	Virgin Australia lounge access at select domestic airports every time you fly Virgin Australia domestically	Two Qantas Club complimentary lounge invitations

Which suits whom:

• Regular Virgin Australia flyer: the Velocity card's annual return flight and domestic lounge access line up with how you already travel.
• Regular Qantas flyer: the Qantas card's annual travel credit can offset much of the fee if you book an eligible Qantas flight through American Express Travel.
• Heavy everyday spender: note the Qantas card's everyday rate steps down after 100,000 points in a calendar year.
• Light spender or occasional traveller: a lower-fee card may come out ahead, because the perks above only pay off if you use them.

Velocity also lists direct-earn credit cards from American Express, Virgin Money, Westpac and BOQ Specialist, so Velocity flyers have several issuers to compare.

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Best frequent flyer credit card deals in Australia (2026)

The best frequent flyer card deals in Australia usually come as sign-up bonus points tied to a minimum spend. Amex's offers on both cards above, at the time of writing, required a set spend on eligible purchases within the first 3 months, and both added more points for a further spend early in the second year. Velocity's own credit card page also promotes bonus point offers, subject to minimum spend, eligibility and fees.

Before you apply for a bonus:

• Check the minimum spend against your normal spending. Spending more just to hit a bonus usually cancels out the value.
• Check eligibility rules. Many offers are for new card members only.
• Count the annual fee in both years if the bonus is split across two years.
• Read the current terms on the issuer's site, because bonus offers change often.

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Virgin Australia vs Booking.com: where your frequent flyer card earns more (2026)

On an airline-linked card, you usually earn more points paying the airline directly than paying a booking site. On the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, eligible Virgin Australia purchases earn 2.25 Velocity Points per $1, while most other purchases, including a hotel booked on Booking.com, earn 1.25 points per $1, according to American Express at the time of writing.

Worked example (points only). A $500 Virgin Australia flight paid with that card earns 1,125 Velocity Points. A $500 hotel on Booking.com earns 625 Velocity Points. That does not make one cheaper than the other: the price you pay is set by each store, so compare the actual flight and hotel prices first, then think about points.

What Booking.com brings. Booking.com's free Genius programme lists 10% discounts at Level 1, 10 to 15% at Level 2 and 10 to 20% at Level 3 on select stays, applied before taxes and charges, according to Booking.com at the time of writing. A Genius discount lowers the room price itself, which is separate from the points your card earns.

What Virgin Australia brings. Booking direct with Virgin Australia earns the higher card rate on the Velocity card and, if you are a Velocity member, the flight itself can also earn Velocity Points depending on the fare. Velocity says membership is free.

For both, go through ShopBack Australia first: open the Virgin Australia page on ShopBack or the Booking.com page on ShopBack, check the rate shown, then tap through and pay with your card.

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Using a frequent flyer card on Virgin Australia, Booking.com and Expedia bookings

Booking a trip online: pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay with a travel card. That order works whichever store you book with.

Booking	Where	Card points on the Amex Velocity Platinum (at the time of writing)	Step before you pay
Domestic flight	Virgin Australia	2.25 per $1 on eligible purchases	Open the Virgin Australia ShopBack page
Hotel	Booking.com	1.25 per $1	Open the Booking.com ShopBack page
Flight and hotel together	Expedia	1.25 per $1	Open the Expedia ShopBack page

Expedia is useful when you want to compare several airlines in one search or bundle a flight with a hotel. Other booking sites Australians use for flights and hotels include Trip.com, Agoda and Hotels.com, and the main domestic airlines are Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar.

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How ShopBack fits in before you pay

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. That is why it belongs in the booking routine as a step before you pay, just like choosing the right card.

A worked example (illustrative only). Say you book a $400 hotel through the Booking.com page on ShopBack and pay with your frequent flyer card. At an illustrative rate of 5%, $20 comes back to your ShopBack account, so the effective price is $380, and your card still earns its points under its own terms. Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page, because rates vary by store and change over time.

The order that works:

1. Pick your dates and compare flights and hotels.
2. Open the store's page on ShopBack Australia and check the rate and terms shown.
3. Tap through to the booking site and book in that same visit.
4. Pay with your frequent flyer card.

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Can you earn ShopBack cashback and card points on the same booking?

You can usually earn cashback and your credit card's rewards or bank card promo on the same purchase, because they come from different places. Cashback usually also applies on sale prices. Some merchant promo codes or payment methods can void cashback, so check the merchant's terms on ShopBack before you book.

Keep in mind:

• Card points follow the issuer's terms. Some purchase types earn fewer points or none, so check your card's earn rules.
• ShopBack tracking follows the tap-through. Tap through from the store's ShopBack page and pay in that visit.
• Promo codes need care. Only use codes the store's ShopBack page says are allowed.

For more detail, see stacking ShopBack with credit cards in Australia, cashback vs card rewards and cashback vs loyalty points.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best frequent flyer credit card in Australia?

There is no single best card: the best one earns points in the programme you actually fly with, at a rate that covers its annual fee. Velocity flyers can pick from direct-earn cards issued by American Express, Virgin Money, Westpac and BOQ Specialist, according to Velocity. For example, the American Express Velocity Platinum Card lists a $440 annual fee and 1.25 Velocity Points per $1 on most purchases, and the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card lists a $450 annual fee and 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 on everyday purchases, at the time of writing.

Is a Velocity or Qantas Points credit card better?

Pick the programme of the airline you fly most. If you mostly fly Virgin Australia, Velocity Points are easier to use; if you mostly fly Qantas, Qantas Points are. The two Amex flagship cards earn at similar rates on everyday spending, so perks such as flights, travel credit and lounge access usually decide it.

Is a frequent flyer credit card worth the annual fee?

It is usually worth it only if you pay the balance in full each month and use the perks. Both Amex cards in this guide list a purchase rate of 23.99% p.a. at the time of writing, so carrying a balance can quickly cost more than the points are worth. Add up the perks you would genuinely use and compare them with the fee.

How many points does a frequent flyer credit card earn?

On the two Amex cards in this guide, 1.25 points per $1 on most everyday purchases and 2.25 points per $1 on eligible purchases with the partner airline, according to American Express at the time of writing. Government payments earn 0.5 points per $1. On the Qantas Ultimate card, the everyday rate drops to 1 point per $1 after 100,000 Qantas Points in a calendar year.

What perks come with the American Express Velocity Platinum Card?

According to American Express at the time of writing, the card includes a complimentary Virgin Australia return economy domestic flight between selected cities each anniversary year and access to Virgin Australia lounges at select domestic airports every time you fly Virgin Australia domestically, for a $440 annual fee.

What perks come with the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card?

According to American Express at the time of writing, the card includes a $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year for eligible Qantas flights booked through American Express Travel and two Qantas Club complimentary lounge invitations each year, for a $450 annual fee.

Are frequent flyer credit card sign-up bonuses worth chasing?

They can be, if the minimum spend fits what you would spend anyway. Amex's offers at the time of writing required a set spend within the first 3 months, and some added more points for further spend in the second year. Bonus offers change often and have eligibility rules, so read the current terms before you apply.

Do I earn more points booking Virgin Australia directly or through Booking.com?

On the American Express Velocity Platinum Card, eligible purchases with Virgin Australia earn 2.25 Velocity Points per $1, while most other purchases, including a hotel on Booking.com, earn 1.25 points per $1, according to American Express at the time of writing. Whichever you book, go through ShopBack Australia first.

Can I earn ShopBack cashback and credit card points on the same booking?

You can usually earn cashback and your credit card's rewards or bank card promo on the same purchase, because they come from different places. Cashback usually also applies on sale prices. Some merchant promo codes or payment methods can void cashback, so check the merchant's terms on ShopBack.

Is cashback better than frequent flyer points?

They do different jobs. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Frequent flyer points are a reward you redeem later, and their value depends on what you redeem them for.

Is Velocity Frequent Flyer membership free?

According to Velocity Frequent Flyer at the time of writing, membership is free and you start earning Points and Status Credits from the moment you join.

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Key takeaways

• The best frequent flyer credit card is the one tied to the airline you fly most, with perks you will actually use.
• Two Amex flagship cards list annual fees of $440 (Velocity Platinum) and $450 (Qantas Ultimate) and 1.25 points per $1 on everyday spend, at the time of writing.
• Paying the airline directly usually earns more card points than paying a booking site on an airline-linked card.
• Carrying a balance at 23.99% p.a. usually costs more than the points are worth.
• Pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack Australia to the booking site, then pay with your travel card.

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Card fees, interest rates, earn rates, perks and bonus offers are set by each card issuer and change over time; the figures above are as published by American Express and Velocity Frequent Flyer at the time of writing and are used as examples only. Applications for credit are subject to the issuer's approval criteria. Cashback rates and terms on ShopBack vary by store and campaign; check the current rate on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be considered professional or financial advice. Read the issuer's terms and product documents and seek advice if needed before applying for a credit card.