Loyalty program statistics in Australia

Get insights on how many people are part of supermarket and airline programs, how they redeem points and more.

Amy Bradney-George's headshot

By

Amy Bradney-George

Edited by

Richard Whitten

Updated

Fact checked

Loyalty programs are a part of everyday life for most Australians, with Finder research showing 91% of people are part of at least 1 rewards program.

Supermarket loyalty programs are the most popular option, followed by the Qantas and Velocity frequent flyer programs. Reward programs also give Aussies another reason to get a credit card.

Biggest loyalty programs in Australia by membership

Based on company data and investor relations reports for 2023, Australia's major supermarket and airline loyalty programs take out the top 4 spots.

  • Qantas Frequent Flyer: 16.4 million members
  • Everyday Rewards (Woolworths Group): 9.8 million active members
  • Velocity Frequent Flyer: 12 million members
  • Flybuys (Coles/Wesfarmers): 9.5 million members

How many Australians collect rewards or frequent flyer points?

Finder research shows that supermarket loyalty programs are by far the most popular. 71% of Australians are Woolworths Everyday Rewards members. 70% are Coles Flybuys members.

Below that are the 2 frequent flyer programs. 31% of Australians are Qantas Frequent Flyer members and 17% are with Velocity.

Supermarket rewards by gender

Finder research in 2022 found women (72%) are more likely than men (62%) to use their points to get cashback off groceries.

Men (18%) are also twice as likely as women (9%) to convert their supermarket rewards points to Qantas or Velocity points.

Australian frequent flyer membership statistics

Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer are the two major airline loyalty programs in Australia, with a combined membership base of over 26.2 million people.

Membership is also increasing. In fact, Finder analysis of Qantas annual reports reveals the airline's loyalty program grew by just over 10 million people between 2004 and 2022.

How much are points worth?

Qantas and Velocity points typically offer between 0.3 and 0.8 cents value per point, according to Finder analysis.

The value of these points is typically highest when redeemed for reward flights or upgrades, with some Qantas Frequent Flyer redemptions offering almost $100 value for every 1,000 points redeemed.

But Finder research has found that reward flights can be difficult to redeem.

Have you tried to book a flight in the past 6 months using frequent flyer points?

AnswerResponse %
Yes, but I had a bad experience and was not able to use my points5%
Yes, I was able to use my points as expected8%
Yes, I was able to use my points but it was more expensive or more difficult than I expected12%
I don't travel16%
No, I haven't tried to book travel with points in the past 6 months60%

Other ways to redeem Qantas or Velocity points include:

  • Hotel bookings
  • Car hire
  • Gift cards
  • Retail items

What are airline loyalty programs worth?

Frequent flyer programs offer value to airlines, with marketing and the sale of points to partners – including credit card companies and supermarket reward programs – two key drivers of revenue.

According to independent analysis from Asia-based consulting firm On Point Loyalty, Qantas Frequent Flyer is the 13th most valuable airline loyalty program in the world in 2023.

Source: On Point Loyalty Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs January 2023

Credit cards and rewards programs

More than 1 in 3 Australians got their last credit card to earn reward or frequent flyer points, making it the second-most common reason people got a card.

What are the top reasons you got your most recent credit card?

In 2023, Qantas reported that "approximately 35% of all consumer spend [occurred] on credit cards earning Qantas Points."

Most bank and credit card-branded rewards programs in Australia allow people to transfer points to frequent flyer programs, as well as offering gift cards, cashback, retail items and other rewards.

Finder estimates the average value of points in these loyalty programs is between 0.002 and 0.005 cents per point, based on gift card or cashback rewards.

But some introductory bonus point offers can give people over $800 value when they first get a card.

Points-to-dollars calculator 💵

Compare the latest credit card reward offers available on Finder.

Want more details on this data or other research? Contact Finder's PR team.

Richard Whitten's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Richard Whitten as part of our fact-checking process.
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
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