Pollyana

Ah, but I live with an Air Con addict - 24 hours a day most days for the last 2 months, and with no temp control, so it just gets colder and colder and colder.........!!

GinaUK

O.k. I may be dense, but where on the www.anz.com web site does it say the Quantas FF credit card is free with a non Oz address? It says you need to be a permanent or non-permanent Australian resident.

If someone could point me in right direction, I'd be grateful.

Gina

Pollyana

Sorry, we have got wires crossed somewhere - its the actual FF card that is free with an Aussie address, NOT the credit card. Apologiesfor the misunderstanding.

CreditCardKing

The Woolworths Ezy mastercard i find is the best annual fee $39 and you earn 1 Qantas frequent flyer point for ever dollar. also Citibank is similar with $69 annual fee.

Have a look at http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/

ShozInOz

Mate, these cards are a total false economy. It takes you on average 2.7 million years to earn enough for a one way trip to London.

Seriously, if you DON'T pay your balance EVERY MONTH ON TIME - forget these cards. New studies have now shown that these cards are not worthwhile for most people who have them. Qantas is overhauling its FF program, so that all of your miles will be worth less (in May I think). So even FF programs (that you have to pay for) are dubious.

My suggestion - go for a ANZ Low Rate card. Save on interest, put that saving into a BankWest savings account (www.abetterdeal.com.au). Then buy the best value flight.

MrsDagboy

We use our credit card the way it was designed to be used - pay for absolutely everything on it & then pay it off in full at the end of the month. With the points we accumulate, we get around $2000-$2500 back every year in *rewards*. Given that we spend so much on it, I wonder if we may be better off with a FF program?

ShozInOz

Credit Card companies hate people like you.

MrsDagboy

Probably, but they still keep offering us more money!

bondipom

If Dagboy flies on business then you would be. If not then I doubt it.

wortho

I have ANZ Visa but only use it where they don't take Amex credit cards due to the points capping. Amex still give 1 point for every dollar but Amex is not as widely accepted as Visa but getting better.

MrsDagboy

BP, I thought that it would go on the number of $ you spent on your CC, not only on how often you fly? Or is that not the case?

He does fly with business, but not that often (usually only 3 or 4 times a year) & we are hoping that will be cut down to practically nothing this year as hes started working part time now. Having said that, we are off to the US in 2 weeks time, can you add everyone in the families flights on?

bondipom

It depends on the FF program. With an FF program your flights accumulate way more points than your purchases and will get you free flights. If those are 3 or 4 returns to the UK or the US then you would have free internal flights by now. If it is 3 or 4 Sydney Brisbane flights then I doubt it would be worth it. The longer the flight the more points and the higher the class the more points.

Personally I am a cheap arse and do not pay for my CCs so go for the best deals rather than points. In my case I doubt a rewards program is worth it. Spending $55,000 for a frying pan sounds daft to me but I think the media was being a bit picky in its examples.

I believe my virgin flight to the UK in economy will get me 12-15000 miles. This would earn me a short European trip in one go.

bondipom

I'll add a big disclaimer. The transparency of these schemes is not great and the critiscism of the Qantas claims is that there are few seats available. I guess if you want to travel in school holidays then claiming the FF points maybe tricky.

MrsDagboy

Thanx BP, he does mainy AsiaPac when he does travel, although adding the trip back to the UK last year (including flights to Italy) & the US trip may have racked up a decent number of points for us. I looked at the ANZ site, seems that you can only get points up to $5000/month anyway & its reduced points after $1500, you'd take forever to get a flight to Sydney at that rate

I think I will stick to the one we have now, with the FlightCentre vouchers you can then chose whatever you want at a time thats suitable to you. As you said, not much use having FF points if you can only fly when its unsuitable! I laughed at the $55,000 for a fryingpan , I like to think that I get more than just a frying pan & I have to spend the money somehow anyway. May as well be on a CC that I then pay off (so no interest), so they end up paying me $X worth of goods for the privledge .

anya4oz

Hevs

take a look at this comparison site - there may be some useful info (or good alternatives):

http://www.infochoice.com.au/banking...s/selector.asp

Cheers
Anya.