Earning Qantas Frequent Flyer points without a credit card

If you’ve sworn off credit cards or are finding it difficult to meet the minimum requirements, that's no reason to avoid earning Qantas Frequent Flyer points on your everyday transactions.

While airline rewards were once the domain of elite credit cards, Qantas Cash and Bankwest now make it possible to reel in points on debit card payments.

As you’re spending your own money, there are no credit limits, due dates or a credit history to worry about with a debit card.

Qantas Cash card

Most Qantas Frequent Flyers are already carrying a credit card alternative in their pocket in the shape of the Qantas Cash card.

This takes your regular frequent flyer membership card and adds a prepaid MasterCard facility with support for the convenient tap-and-go PayPass system.

It's mainly intended as a prepaid travel card which you load up with Australian dollars and then transfer that money into one of ten 'virtual wallets', each supporting a different foreign currency.

But you can also use the card in Australia simply be keeping a chunk of Aussie dollars loaded onto it. This will earn you one Qantas Point for every $2 spent on the card.

International transactions earn twice as many points, with one point per Australian dollar spent, whether you're actually overseas or sitting at home but shopping online at an international website.

Bankwest Qantas card

The new Bankwest Qantas Transaction Account provides Australia's only bank debit card that earns Qantas Points.

You'll pick up five Qantas Points every time you use it. This means the points-per-dollar ratio is highest when you spend the least, because a $4 coffee and a $10 take-away lunch both let you pocket five points.

That makes the Bankwest Qantas card best for frequently making very small purchases, especially of the tap-and-go variety.

Bankwest offers regular and Platinum cards, although both earn Qantas Points at the same rate.

The Platinum card provides access to the bank's 24/7 travel, lifestyle and medical concierge service, along with purchase security insurance and extended warranty protection.

To keep your account fee-free, you'll need to deposit at least $2,000 each month for the regular Debit MasterCard, or $4,000 monthly for the Platinum-grade card, otherwise a $6 monthly charge applies.

Qantas Cash vs Bankwest Qantas card

There's no reason you can't put both of these cards in your wallet or purse, especially with the great sign-up bonus Bankwest is now offering.

Use the Bankwest card for small frequent purchases to get the best value for those five Qantas Points, with the Qantas Cash card on hand for larger expenses and overseas travel.

As the Bankwest Qantas card earns five points per transaction and the Qantas Cash card earns half a point per dollar, the break point is at the $10 mark because this gets you the same five Qantas Points on both cards.

Spending less than $10? Whip out the Bankwest Qantas card. Over $10 and you should swipe the Qantas Cash card.

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.