QANTAS to launch their own credit card in tie-up with Citibank

[Standby]

Compared to what I've been putting up with from Citi with their recent 3k ,1pt for $1 earn cap,this is a no brainer

 

[crossbow]

There's really nothing in the offer to make this card a keeper. I suspect most of us points collectors will get this for the bonus and then churn.

 

[Pleb Status]

I think the biggest let down of this card is continuing to charge the ludicrous CC surcharge on QF bookings.

Sign up (later), get the bonus and then delete....

 

[PaulST]

I think the biggest let down of this card is continuing to charge the ludicrous CC surcharge on QF bookings.

Sign up (later), get the bonus and then delete....

You are familiar with the trick of buying a qantas voucher and then purchasing the flight straight afterwards (the voucher is usually active within 5-15 minutes) as to avoid the CC surcharge?

I suspect I'll keep this card for 10 months before swapping back to HSBC (I'm still 6 months within the 18 month sign up bonus exclusion period )

 

[EestiTiger]

Link seems to be active now.

 

[Jack_OC]

There's really nothing in the offer to make this card a keeper. I suspect most of us points collectors will get this for the bonus and then churn.

If there are still other attractive bonus points offers available to us, then yes. Otherwise, no. Leaving aside bonus points, this card has slightly better earn rates than ANZ Black, for a significantly lower annual fee, with a seemingly useful discounted flights offer, especially for those of us with families. And since I already have the ANZ Black, it's irrelevant how many bonus points or SCs they are offering. I'm cancelling my ANZ Black next week, but based on their current T&Cs I won't be eligible for any further bonus points from them until >12 months from now. So if I take out the new Qantas card, and I probably will, I will most likely keep and use it for at least a year.*

*To the extent that I want to earn QFF points, rather than KF etc.

 

[ajd]

From the T&Cs:

Companion Fare Benefit means a discount on the base fares(excluding taxes, fees and carrier charges) of the PrimaryCardholder and up to eight others, travelling on the samebooking number, day and flight(s). The benefit can only bebooked through the Qantas Premier Concierge and must be paidfor in full using the Card.

So the once-a-year 10-20% fare discount offer isn't even really 10 or 20% - it excludes taxes/surcharges. As someone who mostly travels alone, this benefit was close to meaningless even before I read this.

 

[PLANT]

This is as bad as a certain plane landing on nose in certain runway and a 380 engine blowing up in air. It's a pie in the face to the Aussie battler!!!

 

[ozflier]

From the T&Cs:

Companion Fare Benefit means a discount on the base fares(excluding taxes, fees and carrier charges) of the PrimaryCardholder and up to eight others, travelling on the samebooking number, day and flight(s). The benefit can only bebooked through the Qantas Premier Concierge and must be paidfor in full using the Card.

So the once-a-year 10-20% fare discount offer isn't even really 10 or 20% - it excludes taxes/surcharges. As someone who mostly travels alone, this benefit was close to meaningless even before I read this.

And of course, will the concierge be able to access the best available qantas fares??

 

[RichardMEL]

They call it "Premier" but it's a bit basic both at the price level (tho the $300 annual fee is a bit steep for the 2nd year) - but the $10k monthly cap ("statement period" of 30 days) before you drop to half a point per spend is MUCH MUCH MUCH nicer than what Qudos offers after their devaluation and annual fee increase.. so this is definitely a better offer than that card alone. Compared with others in a similar price bracket it's reasonable to be honest. In no way is it exciting or blow you away kind of offer and the most innovative thing is the alleged discount for companion (up to 8 pax) tickets once a year which sounds good for a family or couple trip to QLD or what have you as a nice little bonus for those folks who enjoy that.

I note the travel insurance also includes domestic, which is a nice little thing. Hardly important or probably used, but just nice.

Seems unclear to me if this has paypass on it or not given the lack of logos and AusBT says no tap and go CHECKIN is offered which makes me wonder.....

I find the ANZ Black earning to be worse and even though it's fee free for the first year for the churners it doesn't appeal to me tbh

these things are all subjective of course.

 

[ajd]

Seems unclear to me if this has paypass on it or not given the lack of logos and AusBT says no tap and go CHECKIN is offered which makes me wonder.....

It almost definitely will have PayPass. The lack of tap'n'go checkin sounds to me like it could be technical complexities in getting a secondary application on the chip - obviously QF has managed to combine that with a MasterCard with QF Cash, it might be a matter of time.

 

[ajd]

And of course, will the concierge be able to access the best available qantas fares??

There is apparently a discount for Red e-Deals, so one would hope so, but very disappointing that it must be via phone.

 

[burmans]

Just for the record I am one who is "old school" re earning status.. should be the hard way, bum in seat way.

You can be old school all you want but would suggest unless you are going to stop flying you are pretty much on a hiding to nowhere!

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

In summary, a collection of features and earn rate which you can broadly replicate for a lower annual fee with a fee-free Amex Discovery card and a companion MC/Visa that has travel insurance for places that don't accept Amex, but you pay a higher annual fee to provide QF with all the details of your purchasing data.

Ho hum, nothing to see here for me.

 

[RichardMEL]

You can be old school all you want but would suggest unless you are going to stop flying you are pretty much on a hiding to nowhere!

Don't really see the point to be honest.

If I'm flying then I'm earning status (which I currently have). A bonus 75SC (or whatever) isn't going to make much difference at all. And sure, I do DSC when they are around - I'd be a total fool not to... My point was only that all things being equal, if I was making program decisions(lucky for you lot I'm not ) I'd basis status earn on flying, like it used to be. That's all.

I know how the real world works with the changes and stuff, and I play the system with the best of them (well... most of them ) and my current P1 is on a fair amount of DSC. I don't hide from that at all... but that wasn't the point I was trying to make

And, as you note, if I stop flying then status is irrelevant

 

[Jack_OC]

So the once-a-year 10-20% fare discount offer isn't even really 10 or 20% - it excludes taxes/surcharges.

How much do the taxes/surcharges account for on a domestic flight? I was under the impression it was just GST and credit card charges, but I could be wrong - if so, happy to be enlightened.

If I'm correct, it's reasonable to expect that the discount could be worth say $40-80 per person. Not earth shattering, but hardly meaningless as credit card benefits go, especially for those of us with families, as I said above. I would envisage at least cancelling out the annual fee if I can get 10-20% off a fare for a family trip.

 

[RichardMEL]

In summary, a collection of features and earn rate which you can broadly replicate for a lower annual fee with a fee-free Amex Discovery card and a companion MC/Visa that has travel insurance for places that don't accept Amex, but you pay a higher annual fee to provide QF with all the details of your purchasing data.

Ho hum, nothing to see here for me.

The other problem with Amex is the much higher merchant fee of 3% or so which can have an impact on larger transactions.

Re spending details and so on. Yeah they get all that.. much like people signed up to EDR they know your shopping habits, what you buy most and don't buy (but you know what if I get a cat food discount vs an offer for baby food when I have one of the former and zero of the latter, then I'll take it).

So QF would know transaction info... meh. Given all the CC companies and banks alreaday have this as it is .. the only way to stay off that grid is have zero loyalty scheme accounts and only pay cash for everything

Our society is full of big data as it is. Me personally, who is pretty boring when it comes to spend and stuff (I expect) I don't really care if QF knows.. Everyone's different though on how they feel about this sort of thing

 

[Oxy]

I'm going to get one so Qantas Premier Concierge can help me with my party planning.

 

[ajd]

How much do the taxes/surcharges account for on a domestic flight? I was under the impression it was just GST and credit card charges, but I could be wrong - if so, happy to be enlightened.

If I'm correct, it's reasonable to expect that the discount could be worth say $40-80 per person. Not earth shattering, but hardly meaningless as credit card benefits go, especially for those of us with families, as I said above. I would envisage at least cancelling out the annual fee if I can get 10-20% off a fare for a family trip.

For a one-way flight from Canberra to Sydney in Economy:

GST - $9.91
Passenger Service Charge - Dom - $22.47
Passenger Service Charge - Dom - $7.64
Safety and Security Charge - $5.53

So a total of $45.55, for a flight which regularly retails for around $150 and is currently on sale for $109.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

The other problem with Amex is the much higher merchant fee of 3% or so which can have an impact on larger transactions.

Re spending details and so on. Yeah they get all that.. much like people signed up to EDR they know your shopping habits, what you buy most and don't buy (but you know what if I get a cat food discount vs an offer for baby food when I have one of the former and zero of the latter, then I'll take it).

So QF would know transaction info... meh. Given all the CC companies and banks alreaday have this as it is .. the only way to stay off that grid is have zero loyalty scheme accounts and only pay cash for everything

Our society is full of big data as it is. Me personally, who is pretty boring when it comes to spend and stuff (I expect) I don't really care if QF knows.. Everyone's different though on how they feel about this sort of thing

Fully aware of big data, I work in big data. It's not about staying off the grid, for me it's about minimising the amount of data QF have about me to drive dynamic pricing of the fares I book with them. They can work out how much I spend on other credit cards but not on what, or how much I spend at Woolworths but not on what (I don't believe Woolworths shares that data with QF).

Although mind you, QF pricing they serve up to me already means I generally don't book with them because it's usually leagues more expensive than other options.