Our verdict

Offers up to 90,000 bonus CommBank Awards Points or up to 50,000 bonus Qantas Points, with a yearly rewards fee if you choose the Qantas Points option.

The CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card earns up to 1.5 CommBank Awards Points or up to 0.6 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible spending. It also offers a Points Boost for your highest eligible purchase made in each statement period. The current introductory offer gives you a way to get even more value when you first get the card, with 22,500 bonus CommBank Awards points or 12,500 Qantas Points each month you spend $1,500 for the first 4 months of card activation (up to 90,000 Awards points or up to 50,000 Qantas Points).

If you’re planning travel, this card offers the valuable combination of rewards, airport lounge access and no foreign transaction fees. Unlike most credit cards in Australia, the CommBank Smart Awards has a $19 monthly account fee instead of an annual fee. But it will be waived for a statement period if you spend at least $2,000 in that period.

Pros

Up to 90,000 bonus CommBank Awards Points or up to 50,000 bonus Qantas Points
Points Boost for highest eligible purchase in each statement period
Included international travel insurance
No foreign transaction fees
Airport lounge access with Mastercard Travel Pass provided by Dragon Pass

Cons

Choosing to earn Qantas Points attracts a $60 yearly fee
After the first $5,000 spent in a statement period, there is a relatively low earn rate of 0.5 CommBank Awards Points or 0.2 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible spending
$19 monthly fee unless you spend at least $2,000 in a statement period
Mastercard Travel Pass airport lounge access attracts a fee for each lounge visit
Offers up to 44 days interest-free on purchases, compared to other cards that offer up to 55 days

Launched in June 2023, the CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card earns points per $1 on all your eligible spending, with other perks including international travel insurance, airport lounge access and no foreign transaction fees.

This card also has a $19 monthly account fee that’s waived if you spend $2,000 in each statement period. But if you don’t meet that requirement, you could pay up to $228 over a year. If you choose to opt-in to earn Qantas Points, a $60 yearly fee will apply.

Details

Product details

Product Name	CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card
Purchase rate p.a.	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%
Interest-free period	Up to 44 days on purchases
Cash advance rate p.a.	21.99%
Min credit limit	$3,000
Card type	Mastercard

Eligibility

Joint application

Rewards

Rewards program	CommBank Awards Program
Bonus points	90,000
Rewards points per $ spent	1.5

Fees

Annual fee	Annual fee $228
Minimum monthly repayment	2% of the closing balance or $25, whichever is greater
Late payment fee	$20
Foreign currency conversion fee	Foreign currency conversion fee 0%
Cash advance fee	3% or $4, whichever is greater
Overseas cash advance fee	$3 or 3% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater
Additional cardholder fee	$0
Number of additional cardholders	1

How to apply

You can apply for the CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card online by filling in a secure application form. To get started, make sure you meet the following eligibility requirements and have all the information you need to complete the application.

Eligibility criteria

New cardholders. The bonus points offer is only available to new cardholders. This means you cannot hold or have held any Awards card types in the last 12 months.
Residency. This card is available to permanent and temporary residents as long as you have the legal right to work in Australia. You may be asked to provide your visa details if you're not a permanent resident.

Credit history. You must have a good credit score with no current bankruptcies to receive approval. You can get your credit score and copy of your comprehensive credit report for free through Finder.
Age. You must be at least 18 years old.

Required documents

Personal information. This includes your full name, residential address and contact details.
Proof of identification. You'll need to provide proof of identification such as your Australian driver's licence or passport.
Income and employment. This includes your annual income and current place of employment. You may also need to provide your employer's contact information.
Finances. This includes your regular expenses as well as information about any savings, investments, assets or liabilities like existing debts or loans.

Card benefits

Up to 90,000 bonus Awards points or up to 50,000 Qantas Points. When you apply as a new customer, you will get 22,500 bonus CommBank Awards Points or 12,500 bonus Qantas Points each month you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 4 months of activation. A $60 yearly fee applies if you choose to opt-in to earn Qantas Points. The bonus points will appear on your statement within 90 days of meeting the spend requirement.
0% foreign transaction fees. You won't be charged an international transaction fee when you use your card to shop overseas or online with a foreign merchant.

CommBank Yello Cashback Offers. This customer recognition program gives you access to cashback offers through the CommBank app. Right now, new customers who are in a CommBank Yello tier (Everyday, Everyday Plus or Homeowner) will earn 30,000 CommBank Awards points or 15,000 Qantas Points each month when you apply for the CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card and spend at least $1,500 per month for the first 3 months from card approval (up to a maximum total of 90,000 Awards points or 45,000 Qantas Points).
CommBank Awards Points per $1 spent. If you choose the CommBank Awards program, you'll earn points at the following rates:
- 1.5 points per $1 on eligible spending up to $5,000 in a statement period at major super markets, department stores and petrol stations, as well as for dining and utilities.
- 1 point per $1 on all other eligible spending up to $5,000 in a statement period.
- 0.5 points per $1 for all eligible spending above $5,000 in a statement period.
Qantas Points per $1 spent. This card offers 0.6 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible spending up to $5,000 in a statement period, then 0.2 Qantas Points per $1 on eligible spending for the rest of that period. To earn Qantas Points with this card, you'll need to opt-in for a $60 yearly rewards fee and provide your Qantas Frequent Flyer number.
Monthly Points Boost: You'll get up to CommBank Awards Points per $1 or up to 0.8 Qantas Points per $1 on your highest eligible purchase made in a statement period, capped at 1,000 CommBank Awards Points or 400 Qantas Points.
Included international travel insurance. This card gives you access to comprehensive international travel insurance that you can activate through NetBank or the CommBank app before your trip. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, this cover protects you, your spouse and dependent children travelling with you.
Airport lounge access via Mastercard Travel Pass. The CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card gives you access to over 1,300 airport lounges through Mastercard Travel Pass, a service provided by DragonPass. You need to register your credit card through the app or online, then show your membership QR code and valid boarding pass at the lounge. Each visit will attract a fee from the lounge, which is charged to your credit card.
Mobile wallets. You can add a CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card to Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay accounts to make payments straight from your phone or other smart devices. You can also use your fitness tracker to make contactless payments with Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay.
Security. You can set transaction limits, lock international transactions and block cash advances through NetBank or the CommBank app. Your account is also monitored by 24-hour fraud protection to detect any abnormal transactions and you'll be protected against fraud with Mastercard Zero Liability.

Rates & fees

Monthly fee. The $19 monthly fee on this card is waived if you spend at least $2,000 during the statement period.
Purchase interest rate. This card charges a 20.99% p.a. interest rate for purchases

Interest-free days. You'll get up to 44 days interest-free on purchases when you pay your total statement balance by the due date.
Cash advances. If you use your card to make a cash advance, you'll be charged the 21.99% p.a. cash advance interest rate and the cash advance fee of $4 or 3% of the transaction amount, whichever is greater.
Additional cardholders. There is no additional cardholder fee if you want to share your account with a family member or someone else. Just keep in mind that you will still be the person responsible for managing the account (including repayments).

Sources

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Douglas

December 09, 2024

Hi. Are we sure that the bonus points are available to people who are NOT in the CommBank Yello program? When I go to their website it only makes mention of bonus points for those in the Yello program. (And it takes a while to qualify for that.)

Sarah Megginson Finder

December 09, 2024

Hi Douglas,

According to the T&Cs, the bonus points offer is available to customers in CommBank Yello Everyday, Everyday Plus or Homeowner benefit sets, when they apply for a new Smart Awards credit card. Offer is not available to customers who currently hold, or have held, any activated Awards card types in the 18 months prior as a primary cardholder or customers who switch from other card types.

Hope this helps!

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Rory

November 20, 2024

FYI – browsing today the Qantas official site which has this card (along with others) and it said the annual $60 opt-in fee for Qpoints will increase to $90 from February 2025.

I was considering this card but given the fee increase, the Qantas Premier Everyday card maybe better suited as it currently only have one annual fee $99 and I don’t make the min. $2k spend to waive the monthly $19 fee ($228 annually).

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Geoffrey

November 18, 2024

I previoulsy had a CBA Visa credit card which I cancelled in May 2024.

Can I reapply for a CBA Smart Awards CC now and still receive all of the listed benefits?

Richard Whitten Finder

November 19, 2024

Hi Geoffrey,

I think the answer is no here. Reading the terms and conditions for the current offer it says: ” Offer not available to customers who currently hold, or have held, any activated Awards card types in the 12 months prior as a primary cardholder or customers who switch from other card types.”

You could still get the card but not the bonus points etc.

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Marieclaire

October 04, 2024

With ref. To the travel insurance for over 80 question. It is just the medical cover you don’t get, you are still covered for everything else. We had a quote for an extra $700 for my husband who has no existing conditions! We got one from Southern Cross for just over $300 to cover the medical side of it.

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Richard Whitten Finder

October 07, 2024

Hi MarieClaire,

I suggest contacting Commbank directly about this one. Sorry I can’t offer much help.

Loz

August 27, 2024

“Up to 75,000 bonus Awards points or up to 30,000 Qantas Points. When you apply as a new customer, you will get 25,000 bonus CommBank Awards Points or 10,000 bonus Qantas Points each month you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of activation.” Is an existing CommBank customer, who has never had an Awards card, considered as a new customer?

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Angus Kidman Finder

September 15, 2024

Hi Loz, CommBank’s T&Cs specify that you can’t have held an Awards card in the previous 12 months – so if that’s the case, you should qualify if you just have other CommBank products. If that’s an important feature for you, it would be worth confirming directly with the bank – you can contact CommBank on 13 22 21.

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CommBank Smart Awards Credit Card

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