Qantas Credit Cards in New Zealand - How to Earn Qantas Points on Everyday Spending

Our guide explains how Qantas Points work with New Zealand credit cards, what the points are worth and how to avoid losing them - then compares the cards that earn them, what each costs and who it doesn't suit.

Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Points Credit Cards NZ

Updated 1 September 2026

Important: This guide was relaunched in September 2026, but we are waiting on AMEX to confirm some details before we publish detailed card offerings. Issuers can change these at any time, so confirm the details on the issuer's site (linked under each card) before you apply. Report an error on this page - no name or email needed.

Summary

American Express cards earn the most Qantas Points: The Platinum Card ($850 p.a.), the Gold Rewards Card ($200 p.a.) and the Gold Rewards Business Card ($349 p.a.) all earn 2 Membership Rewards points per $1, which transfer to Qantas at 2:1 - so every $1 spent is 1 Qantas Point.
The welcome offers are where the big numbers are: The Platinum Card's 160,000-point offer is 80,000 Qantas Points; the Gold Rewards Business Card's 100,000 points is 50,000. The Gold Rewards Card offers a $200 statement credit instead. All are for new Amex Card Members only - anyone who has held an Amex card in the past 18 months is ineligible.
BNZ is the only bank alternative: The BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum ($90 p.a.) converts 225 BNZ Points to 50 Qantas Points - about 0.37 Qantas Points per $1, roughly a third of the Amex rate. The bank Qantas cards issued years ago are closed to new applicants.
Points don't go to Qantas automatically: They sit in your Amex account, where they don't expire, until you transfer them - free, usually within a business day. Qantas Points expire after 18 months without activity, so transfer when you're ready to book.
The Amex cards have drawbacks: They aren't accepted everywhere, charge 2.5% on foreign currency spending and 22.95% p.a. on any balance you carry. We set these out below.
Pay in full or skip it: If you aren't sure you can pay the balance in full every month, no rewards card is the right card.

Why is there so much Amex on this page?
Because only one issuer earns Qantas Points at a rate worth writing about. American Express pays MoneyHub a referral fee when a reader applies through the links on this page. The fee doesn't set the figures - they come from Amex's and BNZ's published terms - and it doesn't change who we say shouldn't get the cards.

Important: How Qantas Points work with a New Zealand credit card

No New Zealand card pays Qantas Points directly: The bank cards that once did are closed to new applicants. What you earn today is American Express Membership Rewards points or BNZ Points, which you transfer into your Qantas Frequent Flyer account yourself.
The Amex conversion: 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Qantas Point. Transfers are free, the minimum is 500 Membership Rewards points, and the points usually land within one business day. Welcome offer points arrive as Membership Rewards points 8-10 weeks after you meet the spend, and you transfer those the same way.
The BNZ conversion: 225 BNZ Points = 50 Qantas Points.
You need a Qantas Frequent Flyer account to receive the points. It's free to join for New Zealand residents.
Expiry works in your favour if you wait: Membership Rewards points don't expire while your account is open. Qantas Points expire after 18 months without any earning or redeeming activity. Leave points as Membership Rewards until you're ready to book, and transfer only what you need - transfers can't be reversed.
Status Credits can't be earned on a card: No New Zealand card earns Qantas Status Credits. Silver, Gold and Platinum status comes from flying Qantas and its partners.
Redeeming Qantas Points from New Zealand: Qantas doesn't fly domestic routes - Jetstar (Qantas-owned) does, and Jetstar flights can be booked with Qantas Points. Most New Zealand redemptions are trans-Tasman or long-haul, including Qantas's direct Auckland-New York service.

MoneyHub Founder Christopher Walsh shares his views about the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program and Choosing a Points-Earning Credit Card:

"New Zealand's banks have all but given up on Qantas credit cards, and American Express owns the space. Its Membership Rewards points transfer to Qantas at 2:1 for free, on demand, so every $1 spent is 1 Qantas Point, and the welcome offers are the biggest single boost a card can give you.

No card earns Qantas Status Credits; anyone chasing Silver, Gold or Platinum has to fly for it. Qantas keeps investing in New Zealand - direct Auckland to New York flights and an upgraded Auckland lounge - and its partner network means the points go a long way.

As with any rewards card, every benefit is lost if you don't pay the balance in full each month. Don't get a card 'for later': you'll overpay or end up with the wrong rewards. And if you're in any doubt about what you can afford, the best credit card is no credit card."

Christopher Walsh
MoneyHub Founder

Qantas Points-Earning Cards Compared

Card	Annual fee	Earn rate	Qantas Points per $1	Purchase rate	Welcome offer	Foreign currency fee
American Express Gold Rewards CardPersonal credit card	$200	2 Membership Rewards points per $1	1	22.95% p.a.	$200 statement credit - apply online, be approved and spend $1,500 in the first 3 months	2.5%
American Express Platinum CardPersonal credit card	$850	2 Membership Rewards points per $1	1	22.95% p.a.	160,000 Membership Rewards points (80,000 Qantas Points) - apply online by 30 November 2026, be approved and spend $2,500 in the first 3 months	2.5%
American Express Gold Rewards Business CardBusiness charge card - paid in full monthly	$349	2 Membership Rewards points per $1 (1 per $1 after 300,000 points in a calendar year)	1 (0.5 after 300,000 points)	None - charge card	100,000 Membership Rewards points (50,000 Qantas Points) - apply online by 14 December 2026, be approved and spend $1,500 in the first 3 months	2.5%
BNZ Advantage Visa PlatinumPersonal credit card	$90	1.67 BNZ Points per $1 (225 BNZ Points = 50 Qantas Points)	0.37	18.95% p.a.	None	2.25%

Important: Amex welcome offers are for new American Express Card Members only - anyone who has held an Amex card in the past 18 months is ineligible. Figures checked against American Express and BNZ published terms, 1 September 2026. Confirm on the issuer's site before applying.

Where BNZ and the other banks come out ahead

Earn rate is the only thing Amex wins on this page. BNZ's card earns a third as many Qantas Points, but it's cheaper than any of the Amex cards and accepted everywhere Visa is.
Overseas spending: Amex charges 2.5%, BNZ 2.25%, ANZ 0% on all its personal credit cards. On $10,000 of overseas spending, Amex's fee is $250 - more than 10,000 Qantas Points are likely to be worth to most people.
Acceptance: many independent retailers and cafes don't take Amex. You'll need a Visa or Mastercard as backup, and spending that moves to the backup earns no Qantas Points. See our guide to Where is Amex accepted?.

The Qantas Frequent Flyer Points-Earning Credit Cards

We summarise the AMEX and BNZ cards below:

Learn more or apply

Best Card for Diners and Travellers: The American Express Gold Rewards Card

Basics:
Annual Fee: $200
Airpoints or Membership Rewards? Membership Rewards
Annual percentage interest rate: 19.95% p.a.
Bonus offer: $200 statement credit when you apply online, are approved and spend $1,500 on your new Card within the first 3 months. New Card Members only.
Earn Membership Rewards: The Gold Card earns at a rate of 2 points for every $1 spent. You can use Membership Reward points to pay for travel with American Express directly, or you can convert them to other airline and hotel programmes.
Conversion Rate: 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Qantas Frequent Flyer Point.

Read more: AMEX Gold Rewards Card Review

Benefits include:

Two $100 dining credits every year - American Express has a number of dining partners throughout New Zealand. If you visit them and spend over $100 on one bill, you’ll get $100 credited to your statement. The dining credit resets every six months. The participating restaurants are located all over New Zealand, although Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown have the widest choices.
Comprehensive domestic and international travel insurance.
There is no supplementary card fee.

Learn more or apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Which credit cards earn Qantas Points in New Zealand?

American Express's Platinum Card, Gold Rewards Card and Gold Rewards Business Card, all at 1 Qantas Point per $1 through Membership Rewards, and the BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum at about 0.37 per $1. The bank Qantas cards issued years ago are closed to new applicants - if you hold one you keep earning, but you can't reapply if you cancel.

Which Amex card should I get?

It comes down to which fee you'll get value from, because all of them earn the same rate. The Gold Rewards Card is the lowest-cost way in; the Platinum Card only pays if you'll use the dining credit, lounges and hotel benefits every year; the Gold Rewards Business Card is for registered businesses putting supplier and operating spend on a card. Our reviews, linked above, go through each one.

Can I earn Qantas Status Credits with a credit card?

No. Status Credits come from flying Qantas and its partners.

Are Qantas Frequent Flyer credit cards worth the annual fee?

Qantas Frequent Flyer credit cards have value if you can redeem the points. However, it all depends on how much you spend per year - the more you do, it's likely the greater the rewards relative to the annual fee.

Credit Cards vs Charge Cards - What's the Difference?

Charge cards look and behave like a credit card, but it doesn’t charge interest if you pay the balance late. Instead, a late fee is charged, which for an American Express Charge Card is currently $20 or 3.25% of the balance, whichever is the greater.
This means if you spend $5,000 and don’t make the repayment by the due date, you’ll be charged a whopping $162.50, which will be added to the balance. You’ll continue to pay the late fee every month until the balance is cleared.

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