Grab up to 100,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points with Citibank
By Chris C., March 3 2014
Disclaimer
Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.
The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
Up to 100,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points are up for grabs under a new Citibank credit card promotion, providing a serious balance boost for well-heeled travellers.
Though only available to new Citibank credit card customers, there are two cards available as part of this deal: 80,000 points are on offer with the Citibank Signature Card, while the Citibank Select Card serves up a cool 100,000 – as long as you apply by March 31.
Even if you’re not looking for a new credit card, consider it an opportunity to score Qantas points on the cheap.
The Select Card comes at a premium with an annual fee of $700 for those 100,000 bonus points, while the Signature Card attracts a lesser $299 for 80,000 – however, you'll also need to fork out an extra $49/year to actually earn Qantas points, which includes the hefty sign-on bonuses.
Ultimately, you'll be looking at $749/year for the Select Card, and $348/year for the Signature – though with your impending points haul, it's surprisingly good value.
The deal is especially good for residents on the east coast.
Those 100,000 points could take you from Brisbane to Auckland and back with Emirates, flying first class on the A380 in one direction and business class in the other.
And you'd still have a spare 10,000 points in change to use on a return trip upgrade to business on a flexible Brisbane-Sydney-Brisbane journey.
Sydneysiders could use 80,000 points to upgrade a return Hong Kong economy trip to business class. (A Skybed for $174 each way? Yes please!)
After your tremendous haul, both cards deliver one point per A$1 spent (uncapped) and free travel insurance.
As an extra bonus, you'll also have access to the Citibank Dining program, which offers a free bottle of wine at hundreds of partner restaurants when you use your Citibank card to settle the bill.
However, you'll want to watch out for the interest rates: the Select Card charges 20.74% p.a., and the Signature Card slugs an even higher 20.99% p.a.
They're rather high if looking to carry a balance, although they're on par with other premium frequent flyer credit cards.
Priority Pass lounge access
Another nifty cardholder benefit is free Priority Pass airport lounge membership – with Signature cardholders treated to two complimentary lounge visits per year, and Select customers having unlimited use of over 600 lounges worldwide.
Top-level Priority Pass membership would ordinarily cost US$399 per year, with a fee of US$27 charged for each guest you may have per lounge visit.
Bonus points aside, if lounge membership is your deciding factor here, bear in mind that the program only has two participating lounges in Australia – the United Club in Melbourne and the Reef Lounge in Cairns, though coverage is much better in overseas ports.
The fine print
You’ll need to use the card at least once after activation to qualify for the bonus points, which likely won’t hit your account for 6-8 weeks – so don’t earmark those points for your Easter holiday.
Also, you’ll need to earn at least $75,000 per year to qualify for the Signature and $120,000 for the Select, with a minimum credit limit of $15,000 required on both cards.
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Disclaimer
Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.
The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
I don't think Perth residents will be flying QF business to Singapore
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
with the lack of QF own metal flying to many international destinations, I'm really standing down from QF points these days.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
The best value (IMO) are the oneworld awards where you to fly 2 other oneworld airlines anyway. Flying in Y on QF metal is generally not good points usage.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
I agree that doing Reward redemption is not worth it.
I tried SYD - LAX return on QF Y Reward seats and came up with about $800+ for tax and surcharges. Might as well pay extra few hundred dollars for a Y seat and use the points for upgrade. Considering there are flights to LAX on Y for at least $1000 return...
I did a Y Reward seat redemption from SYD - YUL via DFW with $455 on tax/surcharges with QF then AA metal onwards one way...
Return leg I used VA for Y Reward seats and paid $35 for tax from LAX to SYD... what a difference!!!
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
But you don't need to fly on QF metal using QF points... That's the best thing about the alliances these days is that you can use them for any OneWorld carrier. So I'm all for keeping QF points and using them on a whole variety of carriers that suit my needs... including EK since they are a partner. I wouldn't give up QF points just because QF don't fly there....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
true - until QF turns around and start to show improvements, i'm avoiding piling QF points for now and spend the miles as much as I can.
i'm starting to take my miles to other Oneworld carrier until such a time I may come back to QF.
Plus, why must QF force credit card providers to lock into their program compare to other airline programs. Also, they charge $49 on linking them. Besides, they don't really offer any bonuses once you've signed up to the cards.
VA still does it better with 15% bonus transfers every now and then.
03 Mar 2014
Total posts 1
*** CAUTION ***
1. Citibank has an on-going promotion for the same card, and if you click to apply that card from their website, you'd be directed to the 60,000 citibank points or 60,000 Qantas point offer. This offer period is the same as the one presented in the article above.
2. I've called Citibank and spoken with them regarding the confusion consumers may have regarding application for the same card but the difference of 60,000 vs 80,000 points. Citibank (name of officer, J) said that the annual card fee for the 80,000 points Signature card is $299 only for the first year and not as what the Citibank website presented of $299 for the life of the account.
There is clearly mis-commnication going on within what we consumers are told versus what is on the website, versus having 2 promotions for exactly the same card for exactly the same promotional period.
Consumers - please beware.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 204
I can only see the 60,000 points offer on the website, i rang and they knew nothing about 80,000 points offer.
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 36
*** CAUTION 2 ***
I have just spoken to Citibank only to find out that the definition of 'eligible spend' is $1,000 on retail purchases over three months.
Whilst for many people this won't be too difficult, it should be clearly stated before signing up that there is a minimum spend of $1,000.
What is most disturbing is the fact that I was told this information is only availble on the Citibank intranet - not on the public website. Seems like borderline deceptive conduct to me?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Oct 2014
Total posts 7
Applied to Citi, got approved, made initial purchase.
no 80,000 points came through...
rang Citi to ask why, they said I needed to do $1000 minimum spend in the first 3 months.!!?? This was NEVER mentioned anywhere before. As all of the details of the bonus where on-line, I have no proof. (the closest I have is your 'fine print" above.
any ideas/suggestions welcome?
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2424
Hi Tim,
When did you apply for the card?
The offer in this article expired at the end of March and has since been replaced by a number of others. The above mentions that the bonus points would hit your account within 6-8 weeks, which would have been around the end of May.
The current Citibank deal (at least, the one that has replaced the March offer at the same web address on the Citi website) gives 20,000 points on sign-up and a further 30,000 points after spending at least $10,000 within the first three months.
-Chris
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Oct 2014
Total posts 7
applied back in March, got approved and did first transactions straight away - April/May.
So yes, expected points to hit around July/August at the latest.
There was nothing at the time said about minimum spend of $1000 to qualify - it just said as per the article "use the card at least once after activation"...
Still waiting on Citi's response. It was escalated to a supervisor for review... I'm pretty mad/disappointed with CIti about it.
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