The complete guide to Flybuys rewards and earning points

The Flybuys rewards program lets you earn points when shopping at participating stores, and transform them into frequent flyer points, Flybuys Dollars at the checkout, or a huge range of merchandise and other retail rewards.

Much like how rival Everyday Rewards is partnered with Qantas Frequent Flyer, the Flybuys rewards program is linked with Velocity Frequent Flyer, unlocking opportunities to use your Flybuys points on Virgin Australia and partner airline flights.

What is Flybuys rewards?

Flybuys is one of Australia's biggest loyalty program that isn't run by an airline. Instead, it allows you to earn points for purchases at participating stores and retail partners.

For every 2,000 Flybuys points earned, you'll get at least $10 worth of rewards – most commonly a discount to use at the checkout, but Velocity Frequent Flyer points are possible too.

You don't have to spend those points straight away: you can save them up for a bigger haul, or use your balance for merchandise in the rewards store.

New to the program? You can join Flybuys for free here.

Where can I earn Flybuys points?

The primary Flybuys partners are Coles, Liquorland, First Choice Liquor, Coles Express, Kmart, Target and MyCar (formerly Kmart Tyre & Auto).

However, Flybuys has many other retail partners that will offer points on purchases, ranging from car hire at Budget to health insurance with HCF. Often these partners will have lucrative points deals when you become a new customer.

You can also earn Flybuys points with a Coles Rewards Mastercard, which is one of the fastest ways to earn Flybuys points on general day-to-day spending.

How many Flybuys points can I earn?

At the primary Flybuys retail partners, you will usually earn 1 Flybuys point per dollar spent, except for Coles Express which is 1 Flybuys point per $2 spent.

The Flybuys points earned at other retail partners will depend on the offers available. While most are also points-per-dollar, some offer a one-off bonus.

Coles Rewards Mastercard holders will pocket an easy 2 Flybuys points per dollar spent on most transactions, up to $3,000 per month – then one Flybuys point per dollar spent thereafter.

What are Flybuys offers?

The trick to adding thousands of Flybuys points to your balance is by taking advantage of special offers which are sent out to members.

Most members will be familiar with the periodical Coles 10,000 bonus Flybuys points offer, which is awarded after four consecutive weeks of shopping to meet a spending target. That bounty is worth $50 at the checkout, or 5,000 Velocity Points.

However, Flybuys also runs offers with other retailers such as Kmart, Target, Liquorland, HCF and more. These can be found under the 'Offers' tab in your Flybuys account.

Be sure to read all the terms and conditions carefully and to activate the offers before shopping.

Do Flybuys points expire?

Flybuys points do not expire, provided you earn or redeem a single point within 12 consecutive months.

As long as you scan your Flybuys card at the checkout or make a redemption, your Flybuys points will be safe.

How do I spend and redeem Flybuys points?

There are three main ways to use Flybuys points for a reward: convert them to Flybuys Dollars to spend at the checkout, convert them to Velocity Points, or use the Flybuys points to buy merchandise from the rewards store.

Each option has its pros and cons, and the best choice depends on what reward will be most useful to you. Here are the steps to redeem these rewards.

How to transfer Flybuys Points to Velocity Frequent Flyer

2,000 Flybuys points equal 1,000 Velocity Points, either when converted manually, or via auto-transfer.

• Sign in to your Flybuys account here
• From the main menu choose “Rewards”, then “Travel & Fun”, then under 'Travel", select "Velocity".
• Select how many Flybuys points you want to exchange for Velocity Points
• Choose “Redeem now” and your Velocity Points will instantly be deposited

How to redeem Flybuys Points for Flybuys Dollars

Every chunk of 2,000 FlyBuys points is worth $10 at the checkout, so a balance of 72,000 Flybuys points would be worth $360.

• Sign in to your Flybuys account here
• From the main menu choose “Rewards”, then “Money off shop”, then select “Flybuys Dollars” and “Get it Now”
• Complete the required information, and set up a 4-digit PIN
• Select how many points you want to exchange for Flybuys Dollars
• Choose “Redeem now” and the Flybuys Dollars you requested will be loaded onto your Flybuys card
• Make sure to bring your physical Flybuys card with you to swipe at the EFTPOS terminal and redeem Flybuys Dollars

Which Flybuys reward should I choose?

This choice falls entirely up to you and your current goals. Not travelling much in the future and buying groceries a lot? Flybuys Dollars isn't a shabby option if you want a simple and fixed-rate reward.

But for those with some patience and flexibility, going for Velocity Points can definitely be the more interesting and rewarding option. It's another top strategy for those in the know – swapping your Velocity Points for great-value reward seats or upgrades.

How much is a Flybuys point worth?

The value of one Flybuys point is at least 0.5 cents or $5 per 1,000 Flybuys points. This is the fixed rate you'll get when you use your Flybuys points at Flybuys Travel, or convert them to Flybuys Dollars.

However, you can get less than that in value when buying retail merchandise. For instance, using the 4-piece cookware example from above, you would only be getting around 0.4 cents per Flybuys point.

Conversely, it's easy to get much better value out of your Flybuys points when using them for flights via Velocity Frequent Flyer. When it comes time to book that flight, here's an insight into the usually busy Sydney-Perth domestic route:

Just 17,800 Velocity Points nets you an Economy Classic Reward worth at least $198 – that's a typical $229 ticket price, minus the $31 in charges and taxes that you'd still have to pay when using points.

For reference, that's transferred from 36,000 Flybuys points, which would alternatively give you $180 off at the checkout.

Splurging 35,500 Velocity Points (plus $31 in fees and taxes) would land you a business class ticket which would otherwise cost from $1,249, when paying only in cash. This is equivalent to 72,000 Flybuys points, or be worth just $360 at the checkout.

Without getting too technical into the numbers, this graph shows the relative value per Flybuys point when you use them for retail merchandise, Flybuys Dollars, or the two Virgin Australia examples mentioned above.

Graph comparing the approximate value of a Flybuys point for different uses.

Other flight examples might yield much more or less value per Flybuys point, depending on the usual cost of that route and the number of Velocity Points required.

Does Flybuys have an app?

Yes, the standalone Flybuys app is a useful way to keep track of current offers when you shop.

You can download the app at the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android.

Do I need a Flybuys card?

You will receive a physical Flybuys membership card after signing up. Once you've signed into the Flybuys app on your phone, you can display a barcode to scan at the checkout, and will no longer need your card. 

Coles Rewards Mastercard holders also have a dedicated Flybuys barcode at the back of the credit card.

The only situation where you need to keep have your physical Flybuys card on hand is when you want to redeem Flybuys Dollars at the checkout. The physical card needs to be swiped through the EFTPOS terminal to facilitate this.

Frequently asked questions

Can you join two Flybuys accounts?

You ask Flybuys to merge two accounts together, if you are the same registered user of both accounts. It's also possible to add additional cardholders to your account, so their points earn contributes to your overall balance.

To do this, log in using your membership number and password. Click 'My Account' from the main menu and then the big blue and white cross on the Account Overview page.

How do I get a new Flybuys card in Australia?

If you're new to Flybuys or have been using a temporary card in-store, then join up for a proper membership here. As part of the sign-up process, you will be prompted to enter a postal address for a new card to be sent to.

Need to get a new replacement card for an existing account? Simply visit this link and sign-in to request a new Flybuys card.

Can you convert Flybuys points to Qantas Points?

No, Qantas does not have any partnerships with Flybuys. In terms of frequent flyer programs, your Flybuys points can only transfer to Velocity Frequent Flyer for use on Virgin Australia and partner airlines.

Flybuys previously had a partnership with the Etihad Guest program of Etihad Airways, but this was phased out some time ago.

Brandon Loo

Based in Perth, Brandon enjoys tucking into local delicacies, discovering new cocktails, and making aeroplane food look good on camera.