Credit cards with free flights or travel credits

Several credit cards offer a free flight or travel credit. And plenty more offer enough bonus points to cover several reward flights. But there's always an annual fee!

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Amy Bradney-George

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Richard Whitten

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Name Bonus points Points per $ spent Purchase rate p.a. Annual fee
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Balance Transfer Offer
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Balance Transfer Offer image
Finder Award
Velocity Frequent Flyer
Bonus points
N/A
Points per $ spent
0.66
Purchase rate p.a.
20.74%
Annual fee
$149
Go to siteMore Info
 Get 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 24 months (with 1% BT fee) and $129 Virgin Australia Gift Voucher.
Latitude 28° Global Platinum Mastercard - Rewards Offer
Latitude 28° Global Platinum Mastercard - Rewards Offer image
Latitude Rewards
Bonus points
N/A
Points per $ spent
N/A
Purchase rate p.a.
27.99%
Annual fee
$96
Go to siteMore Info
 Get $200 bonus Latitude Rewards when you spend $2,000 or more on eligible transactions every statement period in the first 3 months from approval. Offer ends 31 December 2024.
American Express Explorer Credit Card
American Express Explorer Credit Card image
Membership Rewards
Bonus points
50,000
Points per $ spent
2
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$395
Go to siteMore Info
 Get 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card image
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Bonus points
50,000
Points per $ spent
1.25
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$450
Go to siteMore Info
 Get a yearly $450 Travel Credit and 50,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Velocity Platinum Card
American Express Velocity Platinum Card image
Velocity Frequent Flyer
Bonus points
60,000
Points per $ spent
1.25
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$440
Go to siteMore Info
 Enjoy 60,000 bonus Velocity Points, up to 100 bonus Status Credits and up to 2.25 Velocity Points per $1 spent. Plus, a return domestic flight each year.
American Express Platinum Card
American Express Platinum Card image
Membership Rewards
Bonus points
150,000
Points per $ spent
2.25
Purchase rate p.a.
0%
Annual fee
$1,450
Go to siteMore Info
 Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
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Credit cards with free flights or travel credits

How can I get a credit card with a free flight?

If you want to get a free flight with your credit card then you have 2 options:

  1. Get a credit card that offers a free flight or travel credit. We've listed some above. Note that cards with travel credit also have an annual fee, so it's not 100% free.
  2. Get a credit card that comes with bonus frequent flyer points. You can get a frequent flyer card and use the bonus Qantas or Velocity Points to get a reward flight.

How can I get a free flight with a credit card?

A free flight or travel credit offer always comes with conditions you have to meet.

  • Spending requirement. Many credit card offers require you to spend a certain amount in the first few months. .
  • Annual benefit. Complimentary flights or travel credit are usually offered once a year and can't be rolled over for future use. So you'll typically have 12 months to use the credit before it expires.
  • Voucher request. Some credit cards that offer complimentary flight vouchers require you to request the voucher before you can use it. Make sure you're aware of this requirement and give yourself enough time to request and use the voucher before it expires.
  • Eligible airline or travel partners. The complimentary flight or travel credit can only be used with an eligible airline or travel partner. For example, you may get a $129 flight voucher that you can only use with Virgin Australia, or $450 travel credit that you can use for bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
  • Booking conditions. You usually need to book in advance through a specific airline or travel booking service to redeem the flight or travel credit.

You can check your credit card terms and conditions for details of the flight or travel voucher requirements.

Example: How to get a free flight with a Qantas American Express Ultimate Card

To give you an idea of how redeeming flight or travel credit works, let's look at the steps we'd take with the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, which offers a $450 Qantas Travel Credit.

  1. Log in to your American Express account and check your eligibility. This includes paying your most recent annual fee and at least the minimum amount listed on your most recent statement.
  2. Go to the American Express Travel Online website. If you need help, you can also chat online or call the Amex Travel team on 1300 303 877 (but can't make the booking over the phone).
  3. Search for Qantas flights. Make sure it is a Qantas flight with a QF number (e.g. Qantas Flight 410 or QF410).
  4. Pay for the booking with your Qantas American Express Ultimate Card. The booking needs to be worth $450 or more and the travel credit will be added back on your card account within 3 business days (but it could take up to 30 days in some cases).

Keep in mind that your Qantas Travel Credit can only be used once and has to be used for one booking. If your flight is worth more than $450, you can use the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card to pay the difference.

Remember: With other cards, the process could be slightly different, but this gives you a general idea of how it works.

Other travel benefits you can get with a credit card that offers a free flight

  • Reward or frequent flyer points. Most credit cards that offer complimentary flights or travel vouchers also earn points per $1 spent on eligible purchases, which you could then redeem for rewards such as flights, shopping or gift cards.
  • Airport lounge access. Premium credit cards that offer complimentary flights or travel vouchers could also offer you airport lounge access so you can start your trip in style.
  • Travel insurance. This perk helps you save on buying travel insurance for your trip. Usually you’ll have to pay for a certain amount of your trip with the card to activate the travel insurance, and the complimentary flight or travel credit may not count towards this spend requirement. So check your credit card’s insurance booklet for full details of how to activate the cover.
  • Purchase insurance. Many of these credit cards offer complimentary insurance for items you buy with the card. Cover can range from protection against accidental damage, theft or loss to extended warranties and price guarantees.
  • Status credits. Some frequent flyer credit cards also offer bonus status credits for Qantas Frequent Flyer or Velocity Frequent Flyer. This can help you reach a higher status tier that unlocks more travel benefits.

"The Amex Velocity Platinum Card feels like your VIP ticket to the airport. This card comes with a complimentary domestic flight, which my partner and I love to use to visit family interstate. It's come in handy at times when flights tend to surge in price, like Christmas or Easter. Not only do you get a free flight, but this card also comes with lounge access. I love that when I use this card to travel, I feel like I'm flying business or first, even if I'm sitting in economy."

Madeleine G
Finder crew member

How much does a free flight credit card cost?

When you're trying to work out what a credit card costs the main thing is the annual fee. But there's a bit more to it:

  • The annual fee. Most credit cards that offer a free flight, travel credit or a bonus points offer also charge an annual fee. Most of the time the fee costs about as much as the flight or travel credit. That's how they get you! But if you use the credit card to earn lots of points and redeem the travel credit, it can pay for itself. Some cards do offer a discounted or $0 annual fee in the first year.
  • The purchase rate. If you don't pay off your credit card in full, you get charged interest on the unpaid balance. Cards that offer free flights or other travel perks have high purchase rates. The trick is to pay off your spending before interest charges kick in.
  • Foreign transaction fees. If you pay with your credit card overseas or online with an international retailer, you’ll typically pay a fee of between 2% and 3% of the total transaction amount.

If you’re interested in getting a credit card that offers free flights or a travel credit each year, start by comparing different options based on your spending habits and goals. Remember to check the eligibility requirements and the travel credit conditions to help you apply for a card that suits you.

Amy Bradney-George's headshot
Editor

Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald. See full bio

Amy's expertise
Amy has written 565 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Credit cards
  • Frequent flyer
  • Credit score
  • BNPL
  • Money management
  • Sustainability
Richard Whitten's headshot
Co-written by

Editor

Richard Whitten is a money editor at Finder, and has been covering home loans, property and personal finance for 6+ years. He has written for Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Homely; and has appeared on various radio shows nationwide. He holds a Certificate IV in mortgage broking and finance (RG 206), a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification and a Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products (RG 146) certification. See full bio

Richard's expertise
Richard has written 562 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Home loans
  • Property
  • Personal finance
  • Money-saving tips
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