Article: Best Credit Cards for Overseas Travel & Online Shopping

[SYD]

Anyone still using the ANZ Travel card?
I still have this but don't know if this is the best way forward. Annual fee just posted $120 + $55.
I used to hold this + the citibank but now it is this and Wise.
Should I get rid of the ANZ ?

Most “Travel cards” are poor value unless it’s international transaction fee free (beginning to end)? But since you’re paying an annual fee, does it earn points or cash back? If not, there are better CCs (and DCs) out there. eg 28° MC or equivalent.

I personally don’t get the fascination with Wise. Other than for international transfers, which I rarely if ever do, it’s actually no better than any International Fee free MC or VISA for purchases/ATM withdrawals.

 

[Ktan89]

It's the anz rewards travel adventures credit card. Old pointshack article says it provide points at 1.5 Reward Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to $2,000 per statement period,
then 0.5 Reward Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases above $2,000 per statement period
Used to be good with free virgin flights.

I did get Wise to do international transfer at first. Now it does my head in trying to plan ahead to get better exchange for future travels.

 

[SeaWolf]

Used to be good with free virgin flights.

Back when it had that flight the card was fantastic value, especially if you used it for something like SYD-PER. Once the free flight went though I got rid of it and switched to the Coles Rewards Mastercard. Gotten a few good years out of that one, but now it's getting devalued as well.

 

[Mattg]

The Bankwest Zero card is removing the complimentary travel insurance from 3 September.

The Bendigo Ready card could be a good replacement. No annual fee, no international transaction fees and complimentary travel insurance for trips up to 90 days.

Bendigo Ready Credit Card

Get added insurances, purchase protections, complimentary international travel insurance and no annual fees with Bendigo Ready Credit Card. Apply online today.

www.bendigobank.com.au

Thanks to @madrooster for pointing this out.

 

[RB]

Back when it had that flight the card was fantastic value, especially if you used it for something like SYD-PER. Once the free flight went though I got rid of it and switched to the Coles Rewards Mastercard. Gotten a few good years out of that one, but now it's getting devalued as well.

We are still finding the travel insurance of the ANZ travel card to be excellent

 

[karen blancfield]

We are still finding the travel insurance of the ANZ travel card to be excellent

We again claimed on it a couple of months ago for some car damage in UK, alloy wheels scratched and $1300 charged, fully refunded.

We are living proof of ANZ insurance…. Snapped Achilles in Peru, flown home, all costs met for us both. That was 15 years ago. I can only speak from our own experience and we rely on them.

This week, Mr 76 called them to confirm he’s covered for next week’s big trip as he takes statins… $75 charge, he’s completely covered.

 

[60spud]

I just closed my Coles Mastercard after 8 years due to fx fee changes. I asked the gentleman if there had been many others doing this to which he replied "we have had quite a large number of customers closing their account lately". I will use my citi prestige from now and cop the fee and receive 1.2 KF points and priority pass access, so NAB still get my money unfortunately

 

[Mattg]

I just closed my Coles Mastercard after 8 years due to fx fee changes. I asked the gentleman if there had been many others doing this to which he replied "we have had quite a large number of customers closing their account lately". I will use my citi prestige from now and cop the fee and receive 1.2 KF points and priority pass access, so NAB still get my money unfortunately

Considering NAB now owns the Coles Rewards Mastercard, and they've just removed international transaction fees on their $288/year Rewards Signature card, I suspect this may be the outcome NAB was hoping for.

 

[asterix]

The CBA Smart Awards card is actually up to 1.5 points per dollars. Supermarket, fuel, utilities are 1.5ppd, the rest of the spend up to $5000 per month are 1ppd. I signed up two months ago and thought it was 1.5ppd but that is only on the mentioned categories.

 

[spud60]

What is the conversion rate to Kris flyer from CBA smart as the Amex Platinum Edge equates to 1 full kf point per dollar for fuel and supermarket

 

[asterix]

What is the conversion rate to Kris flyer from CBA smart as the Amex Platinum Edge equates to 1 full kf point per dollar for fuel and supermarket

For my Smart Awards CBA card the conversion tool is broken when I attempted to look just now, but I'm pretty sure it is 0.5 KF for every dollar on fuel and supermarket. The earn rate for fuel and supermarket on my card is 1.5ppd and the redemption rate for Krisflyer is 3:1. Not sure what the Ultimate card rate converts to.

 

[spud60]

Thank you, the Amex Platinum Edge is very good for points on essential items and with a $200 travel credit for $195 annual fee I think its a bargain

 

[asterix]

Thank you, the Amex Platinum Edge is very good for points on essential items and with a $200 travel credit for $195 annual fee I think its a bargain

Yes, I used to have it but since I was using discounted fuel and supermarket gift cards switched to the Explorer card and then got rid of that and got the Platinum and the Platinum Reserve which after the Krisflyer devaluation earn 0.75ppd.

 

[spud60]

I buy my woolies gift cards with it and get the seniors discount of 5% as well, so $475 for a $500 card and 475 kf points to go with it.

 

[asterix]

I buy my woolies gift cards with it and get the seniors discount of 5% as well, so $475 for a $500 card and 475 kf points to go with it.

We do most of our shopping at Coles and Aldi and I can only get those gift cards discounted using Visa and Mastercard.

 

[bernardblack]

Considering NAB now owns the Coles Rewards Mastercard, and they've just removed international transaction fees on their $288/year Rewards Signature card, I suspect this may be the outcome NAB was hoping for.

Yes, but they wouldn't approve me for the Rewards Signature even when I was going to close the Coles Rewards at the same credit limit and have a salary way above their guidelines. When I went into a branch to ask for a reconsideration the agent seemed genuinely surprised it wasn't approved.

 

[theblank]

Anyone still using the ANZ Travel card?
I still have this but don't know if this is the best way forward. Annual fee just posted $120 + $55.
I used to hold this + the citibank but now it is this and Wise.
Should I get rid of the ANZ ?

It depends. Is there a better credit card that suits YOUR needs?

It all depends on what you need.

Commbank Smart is a better choice for me than ANZ travel adventures.

 

[burmans]

Most “Travel cards” are poor value unless it’s international transaction fee free (beginning to end)? But since you’re paying an annual fee, does it earn points or cash back? If not, there are better CCs (and DCs) out there. eg 28° MC or equivalent.

Yes, and yes. And the travel insurance (with only $250 prepaid to qualify) is a definite bonus.

 

[Ktan89]

I buy my woolies gift cards with it and get the seniors discount of 5% as well, so $475 for a $500 card and 475 kf points to go with

It depends. Is there a better credit card that suits YOUR needs?

It all depends on what you need.

Commbank Smart is a better choice for me than ANZ travel adventures.

Yeah, I need to re-evaluate

 

[EestiTiger]

Has anyone had any experience with that NAB card they rolled out when replacing the old Citibank Plus Account? I haven't had to use it in anger yet (Euro summer is close) so not sure how useful it really actually is.