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Does Travel Insurance Cover Award Flights?

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Table of Contents

Type 1: Insurance offered by the airline

Type 2: travel insurance provided by your card, type 3: comprehensive travel insurance, which travel insurance type should you choose for your award trip.

Purchasing travel insurance before going on a trip is a great way to protect yourself against unexpected medical bills or the loss of a nonrefundable deposit if an unplanned emergency derails your vacation plans.

But how much protection do you get if you booked your trip with miles or points? The short answer is yes, but with some caveats.

Award flight travel insurance coverage can be a bit murky, so its wise to read through the fine print of the travel insurance policies you're considering.

Here's our best advice on how to protect your award ticket so you can book your trip with confidence.

First, three things to note:

Airlines and hotels loosened change/cancellation fees in recent years.

Domestic and foreign airlines (that have U.S. websites and market to U.S. customers) are required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer a full refund as long as the trip is cancelled within 24 hours of booking . The information below is about canceled trips beyond this timeframe. Standard hotel award bookings come with varying, but far more flexible, cancellation policies that are usually in the range of one to three days before arrival (for a refund of points).

To be eligible for reimbursement, the cancellation must fall into the insurer’s list of covered reasons. Covered reasons generally include terrorist attacks, medical emergencies, death, inclement weather that results in a flight cancellation, natural disasters that make your home uninhabitable and other extenuating circumstances.

There are several different types of travel insurance options that provide coverage for trips booked with miles/points:

Insurance offered by the airline.

Travel insurance provided by your credit card.

Comprehensive travel insurance.

The coverage provided by each of these policies will vary, and it's important to know the difference.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Generally, standalone trip insurance plans won't reimburse you for any miles you used to book a flight because insurers don't assign a value to the miles. The only way to get your miles back is to purchase the travel insurance add-on that is offered by the airline on the checkout page when booking your flight with miles.

For example, United offers a travel insurance option for $27 with Travel Guard to cover your award trip.

If the trip is cancelled for a covered reason, the miles will be deposited back into your United MileagePlus account and you will receive a reimbursement for taxes and deposit fees.

Award redeposit fees and taxes vary by airline. Because taxes are also dependent on the country of origin and destination, we didn't include this information. However, here is an infographic showing several domestic and international airlines along with their redeposit fees:

Note: The award redeposit fee charged by Qantas is charged in points, not dollars (and was excluded from our chart). The airline's current redeposit fee is 12,700 points.

These fees reflect the maximum amount that you would pay to cancel and redeposit an award ticket. If you have elite status or cancel far enough in advance, you may be eligible for a reduced fee or no fee at all.

However, if you are a no-show, the airline may tack on additional fees to your award redeposit fee. If you need to cancel an award ticket, try to do it as soon as possible to avoid extra charges.

» Learn more: Booking flights with points or miles expands refund options

Premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer a variety of trip insurance benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Because these cards earn points that can be transferred to airlines or used to book trips on travel portals, you get specific protections for trips paid with points.

When transferred to an airline/hotel partner

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can be transferred to 14 partners (11 airlines, three hotels), while AmEx Membership Rewards includes 20 transfer partners (17 airlines, three hotels).

Once you transfer points to an airline or hotel, AmEx and Chase are removed from the equation. The miles or points are now with the airline or hotel and cannot be returned to AmEx or Chase in the event of a trip cancellation.

Similar to the United example, when you then book your award ticket, you can purchase the add-on travel insurance option at checkout so that you get your points back, directly from the airline, in the event of a cancellation.

If you don't purchase the add-on option and need to cancel your trip, Chase or AmEx will reimburse you for nonrefundable expenses and redeposit fees associated with the award ticket.

» Learn more: 9 credit cards that provide travel insurance

Chase trip cancellation and interruption coverage

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® , Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , United Club℠ Infinite Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card provide trip cancellation, interruption and delay coverage for eligible travel expenses, which include nonrefundable prepaid amounts charged by a travel supplier (i.e., airline, hotel, car rental company, etc.).

Any trips booked using points through Chase's travel portal are also included.

» Learn more: What to know about Chase trip delay insurance

Trips booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards®

If you paid for your trip using Chase Ultimate Rewards® points , you will be reimbursed in an amount that is equal to the monetary value of the points as long as the dollar amount is listed on your Chase booking confirmation. You won't get the points back.

Because holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® receive 1.5 cents per point when booking travel through Chase's travel portal, verify that your booking confirmation includes the dollar equivalent of the 1.5-cent-per-point redemption. For example, if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and you book a $750 United flight using 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that you later need to cancel, you will be reimbursed $750 by Chase as long as the dollar and point values are shown on your booking confirmation.

The refund cashes out your points at 1.5 cents each, so if you value Chase points at more than that, you’re out of luck. If the dollar equivalent of the points isn't listed on your booking confirmation, you will be reimbursed 1 cent per point.

» Learn more: Your guide to Chase Sapphire Reserve's trip cancellation and travel insurance

AmEx trip cancellation and interruption coverage

Many premium American Express cards offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which also cover trips booked with Membership Rewards points. The following cards offer these protections:

The Platinum Card® from American Express .

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express .

Centurion® Card from American Express.

Business Centurion® Card from American Express.

The Corporate Centurion® Card from American Express.

The Platinum Card® from American Express for Ameriprise Financial.

The American Express Platinum Card® for Schwab.

The Platinum Card® from American Express for Goldman Sachs.

The Platinum Card® from American Express for Morgan Stanley.

Corporate Platinum Card®.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card .

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card.

Terms apply.

Trips booked through American Express Membership Rewards

Similar to Chase, American Express has the Membership Rewards travel booking site. With the exception of the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express , which has a redemption rate of 1.35 cents per point, the redemption rate on all other cards is 1 cent per point.

If you cancel travel booked through the Membership Rewards site, you will be reimbursed in cash (regardless of whether you paid with cash or points). To be eligible for coverage, the trip must include round-trip travel to a city that isn't the cardmember’s city of residence and cannot exceed 365 days away from home at the time of departure.

If you book a nonrefundable flight through the AmEx Travel portal , you can purchase Trip Cancel Guard as an add-on. Trip Cancel Guard will get you a reimbursement up to 75% on nonrefundable airfare costs — regardless of your reasons for canceling your trip — so long as you do so at least two days before departure.

» Learn more: Your guide to AmEx trip cancellation and travel insurance

If you don't have travel insurance through a premium travel credit card and/or you did not insure your award ticket on the airline’s website, consider a standalone travel insurance policy.

Although comprehensive travel insurance plans don't reimburse miles directly, they will reimburse you for any taxes you paid for the award ticket, mileage redeposit fees you pay to get your miles back, checked bag fees and upgrade fees.

In addition, these plans offer other protections including emergency medical coverage , emergency repatriation and evacuation, baggage loss, car rental coverage and much more.

Each travel insurance policy is different and the reimbursement limits vary by state, so review the fine print to find out what coverage is provided for canceled award tickets. If you’re not finding the information you need in the policy, call the insurer.

The answer depends on how you booked the trip.

If you have one of the premium travel credit cards mentioned above and cancel a trip booked with points through the American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal, you will receive a cash reimbursement for the points.

If you use airline points to book your award travel and want to get your points back in the event of a cancellation, it makes sense to purchase the add-on travel insurance option that is offered by the airline on the checkout page. Those who would like to get a refund of airline miles (in addition to any taxes/redeposit fees) should strongly consider this add-on when booking the award ticket.

If you don’t have credit card-offered protection (or the coverage amounts aren't sufficient) and you don’t purchase the airline-offered add-on, your remaining option is a comprehensive travel insurance policy, which will often reimburse you for fees associated with getting your miles back (but always read the fine print). If you want additional protections as well, a comprehensive travel insurance policy is the way to go.

Using your hard-earned miles and points to travel can be a great experience. If you want to protect your award ticket in the event that a covered reason derails your vacation plans, consider purchasing travel insurance.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Which travel insurance policies covers miles and points bookings?

Most travel insurance policies explicitly exclude bookings made with frequent flyer miles and points, but there are a few exceptions.

KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes recently made their return after a two-year hiatus, with 30% off last-minute Singapore Airlines awards for travel in April and May 2022. 

Spontaneous Escapes are a great way of stretching your miles, but there’s one important catch: they’re strictly non-changeable and non-refundable. Singapore Airlines’ complimentary rebooking policy does not apply to Spontaneous Escapes awards, so once you book, you’re committing to fly. 

So what happens if you get hit by an untimely COVID infection or a health-risk notice that prevents you from taking the trip?

Normally, you’d turn to travel insurance for exigencies like this, but the vast majority of travel insurance policies do not cover bookings made with airline miles or hotel points. For example, here’s what AXA’s policy wording says: 

In addition to the General Exclusions (page 20) and “Exclusions applicable to all benefits under this Endorsement”, We will not pay any claims in respect of: … (b) loss of vouchers, reward points or holiday points that You have used, in part or full, to pay for Your trip;

This normally isn’t an issue, because airline and hotel awards are usually cancellable. But there are certain scenarios, like with Spontaneous Escapes, where you may not be able to get your miles or points back.

To guard against this, it’s highly advisable that you purchase a travel insurance policy covering frequent flyer miles/points, and that’s what we’ll look at in this post. 

Which travel insurance policies cover miles and points?

Here’s a few general pointers to note before we look at individual policies. 

First, it’s important to state that compensation can only be claimed if your miles/points are not recoverable . If it’s possible to pay a cancellation fee and get your miles back (e.g. regular Saver or Advantage awards on KrisFlyer), you cannot make a claim under your travel insurance policy. 

Second, your trip must have been cancelled/disrupted for a covered reason . Changing your mind is not valid grounds for a claim, unless you purchase Singlife’s travel insurance policy and make a claim under the “cancel for any reason” clause (which pays you 50% of the expenses incurred, capped at S$5,000 and once per period of insurance). 

Third, the general approach that insurers take when valuing miles and points is to look at the  retail value  of the flight ticket or hotel booking. That actually works out in your favour- I’d rather be reimbursed for the cash value of a Business Class ticket than at 1-2 cents per mile! 

Fourth, coverage for COVID-19 related trip cancellation may be lower than general trip cancellation. For example, Singlife’s policy offers up to S$20,000 of coverage for trip cancellation, but if COVID-19 is the reason, the coverage drops to S$2,000. 

I’ve found five policies that cover miles and points bookings, but three of them offer so little coverage that they’re practically irrelevant. For all intents and purposes, you’ll want to go with either Singlife or Chubb’s plans (though the latter doesn’t cover miles and points in the event of trip cancellation due to COVID-19). 

Singlife 

Special note about Singlife: Since trip cancellation coverage for COVID-19 is only 10% of general trip cancellation, you may prefer to invoke the “cancel for any reason” clause (available on the Plus and Prestige plans) which allows you to recoup 50% of the non-recoverable expenses, capped at S$5,000. 

Chubb Insurance

Tokio marine.

If you’re planning to book a KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escape award, you’ll definitely want to purchase travel insurance that provides coverage for miles and points. Your miles are as good as money, but not every travel insurer sees it the same way!

Award tickets aside, such policies can also be useful when making award night bookings at hotels with strict cancellation policies. For example, it’s not uncommon for resorts in the Maldives to impose three week cancellation policies on points bookings, and should you cancel within this window, your points will be forfeited. 

Do you know of any other travel insurance policies with miles and points coverage?

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New krisflyer experience: “points plane” to okinawa and resort stay, upsized: earn 150 krisflyer miles per quandoo reservation, 42 comments.

That’s very informative.. I would have missed that coverage out if I did not see your article. Thanks

I second @Leo… Another fantastic topic to cover, Aaron! ??

It certainly made me dig up my AIG Policy wordings right away as I didn’t think of it either… Chubb’s (your example) wording are more favorable for the policy holder, but AIG’s does cover too (a good thing!)… but with AIG, I find the wording a bit not-so-clear… I’ll email a screenshot to you… can you be a champ and see if you can figure out what it mean, in the few scenarios you came up with?

Thanks in advance!

when i researched this post AIG, Aviva and Chubb were the only 3 policies that covered miles and points. let me know if you see anything else.

I hold Sompo travel insurance and all its plan categories cover miles and points. The exact wording is as below: Frequent Flyer Points: We will pay for loss of frequent flyer or similar travel points used by the Insured Person as a registered member to purchase an airline ticket following the Trip Cancellation or Postponement if the Insured Person is unable to recover the lost points from any other source. The payment for lost points will be calculated based on the following, whichever is the lower: 1. Cost of an equivalent class airline tickets based on the quoted retail price …  Read more »

Thanks for that, my insurance broker specifically recommended Sompo as well

I used to get Chubb for its higher coverage, then switched over to Sompo as it was generally cheaper with the promotions. However, I just did a comparison between Sompo and Chubb for an upcoming trip to Japan and found Chubb is slightly cheaper. Probably wise to check the price difference before buying – just my 1 cent worth of opinion 🙂

Annoyingly, Sompo doesn’t offer annual travel insurance when I was shopping around for one

So it seems lately that Chubb no longer covers miles and points. Not sure if you would be making an update to this blog post, but if you do, then it might be worth noting

Thanks for the heads up, Eugene!

I bought my Chubb insurance on 15 Feb and the wording policy still covers Loss of Frequent Flyer points. Is this a recent change?

@M.. Mine, from last Apr, is still ‘in force’ .. but had renewed ‘in advance’ for the laggauge giveaway.. but will not not go ahead with it..

From a quick check, Just Sompo and Aviva still cover award redemptions, with wording and benefits slightly different.. I’ll look into both and then decide..

I looked at AIG and they (as of today’s wordings) still exclude miles..

Quite sad.. but oh well…

quick question: where are you seeing this? i’m seeing them as still covered on the site

https://www.chubbtravelinsurance.com.sg/aceStatic/Doc/SG/Cti/PolicyWording.pdf https://amex.chubbtravelinsurance.com.sg/aceStatic/ACETravel/AMEXSGR/files/PolicyWording.pdf

https://www.chubbtravelinsurance.com.sg/aceStatic/Doc/SG/Cti/PolicyWording.pdf

Hey Aaron..

First link.. the greenish document..

Page 23 of 40.. What’s not covered.. Point #4..

ah, i see. it’s under lifestyle cover. but in any case i was talking about amex chubb travel insurance, not chubb per se. amex chubb still covers right?

Hmmm….. now THAT’S interesting… and gosh, I don’t know… odd tho, no..? that Chubb would word the two differently? Now I’m confused.. 😰

Was out and about earlier… Now that I’ve looked at both a bit more, it certainly looks like Chubb has two different products instead of what I though was ‘one-product-replacing-another’… It certainly looks like the Travel Insurance product that is marketed by Amex is as per what you were referring to in this post, and the one I’ve got.. 😊

So Aaron and team – you are getting closer on the travel insurance topic but I have yet to see you doing a comprehensive comparison of travel insurance that are either part of the credit card or independent 3 party options and it is thoroughly needed for us here in SG

Gosh you’re an idiot.. do you seriously believe you walk on water and the world owes you something?

Whau – did not think people would write like that on this forum.

“A little jab” is something between you and a friend.. maybe even you amongst other friends… I assume you have these… but not on a public forum where people are (mostly) sincerely trying to help… for the greater good… your “little jab” was like crispy chicken rendang.. and not just by me.. or are you also so thick you don’t see it… own it.. for being an idiot.. then move on..

Sune, your sense of entitlement is overwhelmingly astonishing. 🙂

Thank you, Aaron and team. You guys are doing an excellent job!

Sune, perhaps you can do up the comprehensive comparison that is thoroughly needed and then Aaron and team can comment on your work. Afterall, didn’t he start the community pages for people that have valuable insights to share but don’t have the ability to commit to be a regular writer?

actually, I did do something on this once upon a time but it’s quite outdated. https://milelion.com/2016/01/10/credit-card-travel-insurance-compared/ the problem with articles like this is that there are many different facets to compare and very subtle differences. eg one provider may cover $1,000 per 6 hours for a delayed flight, but define delay as >6 hours. another may cover $500 per 4 hours, but define delay as >4 hours. there’s no real standardized metric for some of these which makes a nice snappy comparison table difficult to put together. others may have different definitions of key terms. how do you factor that …  Read more »

Hi Aaron Thank you for reposting this one. Seems my little jab above got a lot of people rubbed the wrong way though which was unintended as you and the team always keep a joking tone and I had jabbed you a while back on same topic incl for suggested item for the big event you had recently. But water under the bridge and so on. This link is good in shedding light on the conondrum that getting right insurance and right coverage is not easy and that programs offered by credit cards are eye wash at best and guess …  Read more »

Hi, if i don’t have any of the above AMEX cards, then which card should I use for the purchase. If I recall correctly, a number of banks have explicit excluded insurance as an eligible transaction. I have DBSWWC (max out), UOB PPV, CITI Rewards, CITI Premiermiles etc. Please advise.

Ok, i got the answer to my own question, so i thought i will share. Can’t charge insurance to DBS/UOB cards – won’t get a single mile. Only way is to charge to Citibank where you will get 1.2miles/dollar or HSBC revolution card at 2 miles/dollar. Please correct me if I am wrong. I learn it the hard way. sigh!!

Hey Aaron thanks for doing this — I hadn’t realised that most policies don’t cover the loss of miles! On a related topic, if you have the time and inclination to do so, could you also research and write an article on coverage for missing connections on separate tickets? So far I’ve found only World Nomads would cover missed flights under separate PNRs, but there’s a hefty US$100 deductible.

Nice topic to post about. As with most policies in Singapore, does the insurance issued only cover bookings originating in Singapore? Will the insurance apply if I book a one-way return award and I encounter any of the covered conditions?

I have checked and confirmed with my agent that with AIG, the maximum they would compensate, if miles-redemption tickets, would be $500.. ?

So guess who’s going to drop AIG and will sign up Chubb??

Thanks, Aaron!! ??

When there’s a delay and the airline gives us a voucher for accommodation, can one still claim for the delay? Another point is that when they divert because of weather and one misses the connecting flight, they don’t give out written statements – so how does one prove the delay/missed connection? I was caught at Atlanta once and all the flights to SFO had left. We were all told to use the banks of phones they had set up and the staff on hand were surly and not helpful – as far as the airline was concerned it was a …  Read more »

Technically speaking, your insurance policy is suppose to cover you “in event..” and regardless of what said airline does/acts to compensate/mitigate the event… so you should be able to successfully claim, should you be able to prove “the event”… The one that I still don’t get.. given the number of nasty incidents in the past… is that airlines do not prepare better for “when the s**t hits the fan”.. I would imagine that this would not be too difficult to do/train/role-play..? I mean, it’s happened countless number of times, right? Videos are all over social media all over the world, …  Read more »

I can’t thank Aaron enough for the write up… Fortunately, I didn’t wind up holding on the the short end of a stick, but that’s what Insurance policies are for, right? and “the bad” could very well have happened and it could happen in the future… well… thanks for Aaron, it won’t be happening to me! ? Just to show that it could well have happened just last month, I made a trip to NZ on redemption SQ F with my elderly mum… and being elderly, of course, at any time, her health could’ve taken a turn for the less-than-good …  Read more »

[…] A reminder that tickets issued under the Spontaneous Escapes promotion are non-changeable and cannot be cancelled as well. This is unlike regular award tickets which at least allow you to refund your booking for a fee. Thus, your travel plans have to be very firm before taking advantage of this promotion (or you should buy a travel insurance policy that covers miles and points bookings). […]

[…] A reminder that tickets issued under the Spontaneous Escapes promotion are non-changeable and cannot be canceled as well. This is unlike regular award tickets which at least allow you to refund your booking and miles for a fee. Thus, your travel plans have to be very firm before taking advantage of this promotion (or you should buy a travel insurance policy that covers miles and points bookings). […]

Will you be reviewing the current complimentary travel insurance by AMEX Platinum card in current times?

Does Amex Platinum card insurance cover this?

What card to use for travel insurance?

Sompo was reviewed in the 2018 review but omitted in this review. Have they stopped providing cover for air miles?

https://milelion.com/2018/10/12/3-travel-insurance-options-that-cover-airline-miles-and-points/

Looks like it’s no longer covered. https://www.sompo.com.sg/docs/default-source/products-downloads/products/travelcovid19/travelcovid19.pdf

Chubb no longer covers $20k max for miles and points.. I think now just $500 max.. cheeky buggers!

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I’ve Booked My Flights Using Miles, How Does This Affect My Travel Insurance?

Last Updated: September 20, 2013 April 23, 2024

When purchasing Trip Cancellation travel insurance, determining which trip costs to include and which to exclude can often cause confusion for travelers. If travelers are using frequent flyer miles or rewards points to fund a portion of their trip, it can even further complicate the process.

Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth , explains frequent flyer mile travel insurance, including what is covered and what is not.

What is Not Covered by Travel Insurance?

Unfortunately, frequent flyer miles or reward points are not insurable under travel insurance. This means travelers who use miles or points are not able to be reimburse for the face value of their tickets or rooms booked using points. Therefore, to make their travel insurance policy less expensive, Squaremouth recommends travelers do not include the face value of their miles or points.

Travel insurance is designed to reimburse the prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses that travelers incur before their trip departure. Since the traveler does not pay the cash value out of pocket for the reward points or frequent flyer miles, they are not considered a reimbursable expense.

What Can Be Covered by Travel Insurance?

Travelers can insure all taxes and fees that have paid and are associated with air miles or reward points. Some companies also provide coverage to rebank or redeposit the air miles. It is important to read the policy certificate or contact the insurance provider to confirm if they will provide coverage for rebanking fees.

What Should I Use As My Deposit Date? 

Even though the value of reward points or miles can not be insured, if travelers use points or miles to make their first travel arrangement, this date will be considered the original booking or deposit date. The initial booking date is considered the first time the traveler shows intent to travel. This includes any purchase or reservation made toward their trip.

June 1, 2020

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Do Frequent Flyer Points Expire?

Updated: Apr 30, 2024, 1:15pm

Table of Contents

Frequent flyer expiry dates explained, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Frequent flyer program members earn points from doing exactly that: flying frequently. Keen point earners may also invest in a frequent flyer credit card to increase their points balance with every purchase, or earn points via other means specified by their frequent flyer program.

Each program is different, and that includes whether or not your frequent flyer points have an expiration date.

This guide runs through the two primary frequent flyer memberships in Australia, Qantas and Virgin, followed by an overview of international airline programs and their frequent flyer expiry dates.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas Frequent Flyer is Australia’s largest frequent flyer membership, boasting 14.7 million members as of 2023. To join directly, you’ll be charged a joining fee of $99.50. However, there are many ways to avoid this fee, including by signing up to a Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Card .

To keep your Qantas Frequent Flyer points active, you’ll need to earn or use your points at least once every 18 months. This 18-month period starts from the date of your last activity on your membership: for example, if the last time you had earned Qantas Points was from an eligible flight, your last date of activity would be when the flight was taken.

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Other eligible activity includes earning or using Qantas Points with Qantas’ program partners; redeeming Qantas Points for flights; and shopping at the Qantas Points store.It does not include transferring points to or from a family member’s account, or the transfer of points from Qantas Business Rewards.

Related: What The Qantas Frequent Flyer Program Changes Mean For You

Virgin Velocity

The loyalty program of Virgin Australia is known as Velocity Frequent Flyer, with a membership base of 11 million members as of 2022. Unlike the Qantas program, membership to Velocity is free, and you can begin earning points immediately.

Virgin Velocity points expire after 24 months of account inactivity; as is the case with Qantas, this means not spending or earning any points within this period. However, you can see, Virgin Velocity gives its members an extra six months before expiry compared to Qantas Frequent Flyer.

“Essentially, every time you earn, redeem or buy points, you’re renewing your points for another two years,” the website states.

This means if you had a Velocity Rewards Credit Card that you used regularly, you’d never have to worry about your balance expiring even if you weren’t flying—as every transaction on your credit card would earn you points.

Note that receiving points via family pool transfers won’t count as account activity.

Related: Our Pick Of The Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards

American Airlines AAdvantage

Looking at overseas frequent flyer programs with major airlines that serve Australia, we’ll start alphabetically: American Airlines. This membership program is known as AAdvantage, with points known as ‘AAdvantage miles’. It’s free to join, and can be worthwhile for Australians considering AAdvantage miles can be redeemed on Qantas flights.

American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of inactivity; any type of qualifying activity on your account will restart this period.

It’s worth noting that customers under the age of 21 are not subject to this expiration period; however, as soon as the customer turns 21 years old, the 24-month policy will begin—even if the AAdvantage miles were earned prior.

British Airways Executive Club

For a frequent flyer membership with British Airways, you’ll need to join their Executive Club—which is free.

The loyalty currency is known as ‘Avios’, and is the same across partner airlines Qatar, Iberia and Aer Lingus. This means you can combine Avios from an Iberia Plus, AerClub or Qatar Airways Privilege Club account and choose how (or where) you spend them.

Unused Avios will expire after 36 months of inactivity; so, as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios every 36 months, your frequent flyer points will remain.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

In August 2022, Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles combined into one rewards program: Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles. Pre-existing members were automatically enrolled in the new program, while new members can sign up via Cathay Pacific for free.

Asia Miles will remain active as long as you earn or redeem on your account at least once every 18 months.

Like other frequent flyer programs, it’s not only flying that can earn you points. Cathay Pacific’s website states it has more than 800 partners worldwide that you can spend with to earn Asia Miles, across shopping, credit cards, dining, hotels and more.

SkyMiles is Delta’s loyalty program, which is free to join and, unusually for a frequent flyer program, does not have an expiry date. Your miles will remain in your account as long as it is open.

As Delta is US-based, it may not be as enticing to join as membership programs closer to home are. Yet, with more than 20 airline partners across the globe—including the nearby China Airlines and Vietnam Airlines—it can still serve Australians looking to gain miles without the fuss of regularly earning or spending points.

Australians can also earn SkyMiles on Airbnb stays worldwide (when booking through the dedicated Delta-Airbnb site ) and choose SkyMiles as the reward of choice when staying in global hotel chains such as Marriott Bonvoy or World of Hyatt.

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards is yet another free membership program, allowing frequent travelers to earn points—Skywards—through travel and more.

The expiry date for Emirates Skywards isn’t as clear-cut as other programs, however. Instead, Skywards expire at the end of your birthday month, three years after they were earned.

For example, if your last flight was in January 2023 and your birthday is September 10, your Skywards would expire on September 30, 2026.

You can’t extend the validity of your Skywards through account activity, either. Instead, you have the option to pay to extend them an additional 12 months from the aforementioned expiry date.

Etihad Guest

Being a member of the Etihad Guest loyalty program is free, and allows you to earn Etihad Airways Guest Miles.

Activities that allow you to earn these miles include earning, spending or buying them. Inactivity in your account will see your Etihad Guest Miles expire after 18 months.

To avoid this, you need to make a transaction; the first qualifying activity in a month resets the expiry date again.

For Etihad Platinum Guests, there is no expiration of miles as long as they maintain their Platinum status.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is another global membership that allows Australian travellers to earn points both locally and abroad, and is also free to join.

After earning KrisFlyer Miles, members have three years to use them—regardless of whether or not there is activity within the account..

You can extend this expiration date for six months for a fee; however, Singapore Airlines notes there is no way to get KrisFlyer Miles back if they have expired.

Members of Singapore Airline’s PPS Club are exempt from the expiration rules.

United Airlines MileagePlus

Like Delta’s SkyMiles, United Airlines’ MileagePlus is a program whose miles never expire.

It’s free to join, and United is part of Star Alliance, the biggest airline alliance in the world, which includes our nearby carriers of Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

Outside of Star Alliance, MileagePlus members can also earn (and redeem) miles when flying with Virgin Australia.

As you can see from our guide, all frequent flyer programs vary with their conditions on whether or not your frequent flyer points will expire. This includes how you can extend your expiration date, and how long the validity period lasts for.

Remember to read the terms and conditions of your frequent flyer membership carefully so you understand how long you have to spend your points.

Will my frequent flyer points expire if I don’t fly?

Not necessarily While the expiration of frequent flyer points is dependent on the individual frequent flyer program, it is common that points will remain valid as long as there’s activity oni your account. This doesn’t just mean flying: you can also earn, spend, and buy points through other means.

Are frequent flyer points and airline miles the same?

In short, yes. ‘Frequent flyer points’ is commonly used in Australia, whereas many overseas programs will use the term ‘miles’ as their reward currency. Some have their own names entirely, like British Airways, who use ‘Avios’.

How can I earn frequent flyer points?

Frequent flyer points can be earned through a range of means. This includes flying with the airline that your program is associated with (or an airline partner), having a credit card that earns frequent flyer points , spending points at a frequent flyer rewards store, and even buying points to top up your balance.

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Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally.

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FAQ: Does travel insurance cover bookings with frequent flyer points?

If you paid for air transportation with frequent flyer miles and cancel your trip, you may be reimbursed for the cost to reinstate the frequent flyer miles to your account. This is only available for Trip Cancellation coverage , not Trip Interruption or other coverages. If frequent flyer miles were used to arrange anything other than air transportation, such as lodging accommodations, our plans do not provide coverage for those situations.

More About Travel Insurance Coverage for Frequent Flyer Miles

Before booking travel expenses with points, knowing what is and isn't covered is important. These loyalty program rewards can help reduce the overall expenses associated with traveling. However, some don't come with the same level of coverage as cash bookings. That's why you should always strive to know what is and isn't included in an insurance plan for a stress-free and financially safe trip. 

Loyalty Program Terms and Conditions

In many cases, you may need extra coverage offered by a travel protection plan to help protect your investment. Always read the fine print concerning cancellations with any loyalty program rewards.

Travel Insurance Benefits

Not all travel insurance plans offer coverage for frequent flyer points. Carefully review your plan to know what's covered, when the coverage starts and ends, what's excluded and whether they offer benefits when using frequent flyer miles. With Generali Global Assistance, we offer frequent flyer benefits for flights only.

Types of Frequent Flyer Points

There are many flyer programs, each with a unique set of rules and regulations. Some airlines constantly update their programs, but knowing the different models available can help travelers know what they're getting for their money. 

Region-Based Programs

Most domestic airlines use region-based programs. Unlike other frequent flyer programs, region-based models don't rely on the distance an airplane will cover or the flight ticket cost. Instead, it relies on the location from where the flight is coming to where it's heading. 

Distance-Based Programs

As the name implies, distance-based programs rely on the actual distance a flight covers during a specific period. While this is an easy-to-use and understandable program, it comes with many other rules and regulations that one should consider, including class of travel and type of fare purchased. 

Revenue-Based Programs

Frequent flyer miles in revenue-based programs help travelers earn rewards based on ticket cost. Most domestic U.S. airlines currently use this program. 

Hybrid Frequent Flyer Programs

As the name suggests, hybrid frequent flyer programs mix elements from other models, creating a hybrid program that suits various users and needs. 

When Are Frequent Flyer Points Not Covered?

Frequent flyer points are separate from overall traveling costs and are viewed as loyalty rewards instead of normal traveling expenses under travel insurance plans. 

These points aren't eligible for coverage in the following scenarios:

Cancel for Any Reason Coverage

Our travel insurance plans include CFAR coverage as an optional upgrade to allow you to cancel your trip without restrictions and receive a certain percentage of the overall non-refundable trip expenses back. If you cancel your trip using this benefit, however, you are not eligible for any financial reimbursement for frequent flyer points.

Voluntary Cancellations

If you voluntarily cancel your trip due to personal reasons, including a change in travel plans or scheduling conflict, you won’t be compensated for your lost points. This is because the cancellation wasn't prompted by a covered reason. 

Trip Interruptions

While Trip Cancellation coverage can help if you have to cancel your trip altogether, Trip Interruption coverage can help if you’re still taking your trip but aren’t able to use all of your pre-paid arrangements. Frequent flyer points cannot be reimbursed under this coverage.

What Can Your Travel Insurance Cover?

With your travel protection plan, you’re eligible for benefits when you use points to book flights. If you use loyalty points for things like hotels, rental cars, or other expenses, we do not offer reimbursement.

Here is what can be covered: If you book your airline tickets using your frequent flyer points, and you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason, you can be reimbursed any fees you might incur to redeposit your points back into your account.

In addition, if you only partially paid for your flight using points and paid the remaining balance out of pocket, then you may also be reimbursed for the portion you paid for yourself, so long as the reason you canceled is covered under your plan.

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As part of the worldwide Generali Group we have rebranded our travel protection plans to Generali Global Assistance, offering the same quality travel insurance, emergency assistance and outstanding customer service as you've come to rely on for the last 25 years. Welcome to our new website!

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Are my categories applied to past transactions?

Notifications

What are notifications?

What kind of notifications can I set up?

How do I receive notifications?

Is there a cost for receiving notifications?

How do I set up notifications?

Can I delete or change my notifications?

Will I receive notifications if I’m not connected to the internet (e.g. Wi-Fi, 4G, etc)?

Can I view notifications I’ve previously received?

Why do I need to turn on my App Notifications settings?

Why can I see a notification in my notification history that I didn’t receive?

I’ve received a notification, but can’t see it in my history?

Can I set my own Travel Money low balance alert amount?

Why can’t I find notifications in the app?

How can I make sure that I get access to all available notifications?

What happens when new types of notifications become available?

Contact details

How do I update my contact details?

What if I notice a suspicious transaction?

Qantas Points

Missing Qantas Points?

How can I use my Qantas Points?

How do I view my Qantas Points balance?

Card Offers

Card Linking

Can I link an additional card to Card Offers?

Can I use any card that I have added to my Qantas Money App for Card offers?

Can I link another card in addition to my Qantas Premier Card?

Can I link and earn points with a debit Mastercard® or Visa® card?

Why can't I see my Card Offers on the Qantas Money website?

Why am I not receiving any/many offers?

How long will my offers be valid for?

What are the terms and conditions of the offers?

Why am I receiving offers that don't seem well matched to me?

Can I share an offer with my partner/friend etc?

Why did my friend get an offer for a specific store and I did not?

Are offers applicable to both purchases in-store and online?

What retailers are included in the program?

Earning bonus Qantas Points

Why does it take up to 15 days to receive my points?

How can I check if I have successfully earned points on an offer?

Missing Points

How do I follow up on missing points from Card Offers?

What if I forget to use my linked card, can I still earn the points?

How can I opt out of Card Offers?

All Categories ​>​ ​Qantas Premier Credit Card ​ > ​ ​Complimentary Travel Insurance

The FAQs are a summary only; they are not an exhaustive list of the coverage, terms, conditions or exclusions in the policy. Limits apply and vary with each plan. Please refer to the Terms and Condit…

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Travel Insurance You Can Trust.

Earn Velocity Points with Cover-More travel insurance

Earn Velocity Points when you cover your next trip with Cover-More travel insurance. As a member at every level of the Velocity Status program you can earn Bonus Points in addition to base Points earned 1 .

Earn double Points with Cover-More*

Purchase any Cover-More travel insurance policy through Virgin Australia by 31 May 2024 and earn 6 Velocity Points per $1 spent.

*T&Cs apply. 

**  Cover-More Travel Insurance - Australia

Limits, exclusions and conditions apply. This is general advice only. Velocity Frequent Flyer Pty Ltd (ACN 601 408 824, AR 1239355) is an Authorised Representative of Cover-More Insurance Services Pty Ltd (ABN 95 003 114 145, AFSL 241713) who arranges the insurance on behalf of the insurer, Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ABN 13 000 296 640, AFSL 232507). Please consider your own needs, financial situation and objectives and read the Combined FSG/PDS before deciding to buy this insurance. For information on the Target Market and Target Market Determination for these products, contact us on 1300 135 769 Money back guarantee available when you cancel your policy within 21 days of purchase provided you have not made a claim or departed on your journey. Please allow up to 14 days from travel start date for Points to appear in your Velocity account. Points may not be allocated where the policy is cancelled or refunded.

Cover-More Travel Insurance - New Zealand

Limits, sub-limits, conditions and exclusions apply. Insurance administered by Cover-More (NZ) Ltd, underwritten and issued by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ZAIL) incorporated in Australia, ABN 13 000 296 640, trading as Zurich New Zealand. Consider the Policy Brochure and wording therein before deciding to buy this product. For further information see Zurich New Zealand’s financial strength rating. Money back guarantee available when you cancel your policy within 14 days of purchase provided you have not made a claim or departed on your journey. Please allow up to 14 days from travel start date for Points to appear in your Velocity account. Points may not be allocated where the policy is cancelled or refunded.

Your guide to Amex's travel insurance coverage

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

American Express premium credit cards offer some of the best perks in the credit card space. While lounge access and travel credits are typically the highlights of these cards, some of the lesser-known benefits, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation and interruption insurance, are becoming hot topics as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the travel industry.

Want more credit card news and advice from TPG? Sign up for our daily newsletter!

As a result, many TPG readers have sent in questions about Amex's travel insurance protections. As travel restrictions change, policies and best practices will likely change as well. But this guide will walk you through which Amex credit cards have these benefits, what's currently covered and how you can file a successful claim.

Related: Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

Amex cards offering trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance

Here is an overview of the Amex cards that offer trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance or both:

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card and American Express Corporate Platinum Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The best credit cards with travel insurance

What is covered by trip cancellation and interruption insurance?

You can find the full terms and conditions of what is generally covered on your respective card in your Guide to Benefits, which can be found through your online account. I'll use the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve as an example.

Here is a rundown of the "covered losses" provided by Amex's trip cancellation and interruption insurance:

• Accidental bodily injury or loss of life or sickness of either the eligible traveler, traveling companion or a family member of the eligible traveler or traveling companion
• Inclement weather, which prevents a reasonable and prudent person from traveling or continuing on a covered trip
• The eligible traveler or his or her spouse's change in military orders
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Call to jury duty or subpoena by the courts, either of which cannot be postponed or waived
• The eligible traveler or traveling companion's dwelling made uninhabitable
• Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons

Related: Book carefully if you have multiple Amex cards that offer travel protections

Amex also provides an extensive list of things that are not covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance:

• Pre-existing conditions
• The eligible traveler's suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury
• A declared or undeclared war
• Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized
• The eligible traveler's participation in a sporting activity for which he or she receives a salary or prize money
• The eligible traveler's being intoxicated at the time of an accident. Intoxication is defined by the laws of the jurisdiction where such accident occurs
• The eligible traveler being under the influence of any narcotic or other controlled substance at the time of an accident, unless the narcotic or other controlled substance is taken and used as prescribed by a Physician
• The eligible traveler's commission or attempted commission of any illegal or criminal act, including but not limited to any felony
• The eligible traveler parachuting from an aircraft
• The eligible traveler engaging or participating in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
• Dental treatment except as a result of accidental bodily injury to sound, natural teeth
• Any non-emergency treatment or surgery, routine physical examinations
• Hearing aids, eyeglasses or contact lenses
• One-way travel that does not have a return destination
• A counterfeit scheduled airline or train ticket; or a scheduled airline or train ticket which is charged to a fraudulently issued or fraudulently used eligible card.
• Any occurrence while the eligible traveler is incarcerated
• Loss due to intentional acts by the eligible traveler
• Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• Any expenses that are not authorized and reimbursable by the eligible traveler's employer if the eligible traveler makes the purchases with a commercial card

If you do find yourself canceling or cutting a covered trip short, here are the basic guidelines provided by Amex on what types of expenses are covered for trip cancellation/interruption:

"If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler's Trip Interruption, we will reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card for the following: 1. The forfeited, non-refundable, pre-paid land, air and sea transportation arrangements that were missed; and 2. Additional transportation expenses that the Eligible Traveler incurs less any available refunds, not to exceed the cost of an economy-class air ticket by the most direct route for the Eligible Traveler to rejoin his or her places of origin.

If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler to temporarily postpone transportation by Common Carrier for a Covered Trip and a new departure date is set, we will reimburse you for the following: 1. The additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for the new departure (not to exceed the difference between the original fare and the economy fare for the rescheduled Covered Trip by the most direct route); and 2. The unused, non-refundable land, air, and sea arrangements paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card."

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for reasonable additional expenses incurred when your trip is delayed due to a covered hazard for more than six hours.

Coverage is limited to $500 per trip and cardmembers are only eligible for two claims each 12 consecutive month period.

Amex outlines what is not covered, which includes the following:

• Covered losses that are made public or known to the eligible traveler prior to the departure for the covered trip
• An eligible traveler's expenses paid prior to the covered trip

Filing a claim

When you have a delay or trip cancellation/interruption that you think qualifies for coverage, you can file a claim by calling Amex at 1-844-933-0648 within 60 days of the covered loss.

Trip delay reimbursement requires the following documentation:

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss
• Receipts - Acceptable documentation includes the following:
• A statement from the common carrier that the covered trip was delayed
• Charge receipt
• Copies of common carrier ticket(s)
• Receipts for travel expenses

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance requires slightly different documentation.

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss. Acceptable documentation includes:
• Court subpoenas, orders to report for active duty, physician orders, etc.
• Copies of your common carrier tickets and travel supplier receipt
• Your eligible card billing statement showing the charges for the covered trip
• Copy of travel supplier's cancelation policy

After Amex receives notice of your claim, instructions will be sent on how to send the proof. Typically, you have up to 180 days to file a claim after a delay or cancellation.

Proof of flight delay or cancellation

One of the documents required to file for trip delay reimbursement is a verification form that outlines the reason for the delay or cancellation by the carrier. You can typically get this at the airport when the delay or cancellation is announced, but keep in mind that it may require a supervisor. Each U.S. major airline also has a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Here is an overview of the process that major U.S. airlines require for you to receive a delay or cancellation verification form:

Amex cards that offer car rental insurance

Unfortunately, no American Express credit cards offer primary car rental coverage, although most offer secondary coverage. You can see the entire list of cards that offer secondary car rental protection on the American Express website . However, all American Express credit cards offer an optional "Premium Car Rental Protection policy" that can be added to rentals made using the card for a small fee.

Read our guide on when to use American Express' Premium Car Rental Protection for more details on this coverage option.

You can add Premium Car Rental Protection to any American Express card . TPG has a guide of the best American Express cards , but here are some of the best cards in terms of the return you could receive when renting a car. Note, the estimated return rate for these cards is based on TPG's latest valuations:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $450 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4.2% return on car rentals booked directly from car rental companies; no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: $0 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4% return on general spending on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and 1x thereafter; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees)
• The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: $95 annual fee; 3% return on general spending in billing cycles where you make 30+ purchases; 2.7% foreign transaction fee

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer baggage insurance

If you're a frequent traveler, you've likely run into this situation at some point (it's the worst). Over the years, airlines have been working on improving the baggage system by introducing live bag tracking. Regardless, it's still a smart idea to have some protections in place, like baggage insurance.

Related: Everything you need to know about Amex's baggage insurance plan

This is why you need to pay attention to the benefits each of your travel rewards cards offers. Nearly all of Amex's premium rewards cards offer baggage insurance. You can check out the full list of cards and details on American Express's website.

The types of losses it covers: You're covered for losses resulting from damaged, stolen or lost baggage, including both carry-on and checked bags.

When you're covered: To be eligible for coverage, you have to travel on a common carrier, which Amex defines as any air, land or water vehicle (other than a personal or rental vehicle) that is licensed to carry passengers for hire and available to the public. Your rental car, as well as taxis and ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft, would be excluded from this protection.

To receive coverage, you also need to pay for the entire fare with an eligible American Express card or by using Membership Rewards points to book tickets through Amex Travel . Trips booked with miles from other sources — even the cobranded Delta SkyMiles cards from Amex — are excluded. Your trip also isn't covered if you used a combination of miles and dollars unless the miles came from a Membership Rewards transfer. This is a welcome change. A few years ago, a TPG staffer found out the hard way that Amex's policy didn't cover frequent flyer mile awards.

Who's covered: This policy covers both primary and additional cardholders, as well as cardmembers' spouses or domestic partners and any dependent children under 23 years old. In addition, travelers must be permanent residents of one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How much it covers: Most American Express credit cards will cover replacement costs for checked bags and their contents up to $500 per person, although so-called "high-risk items" are only covered for a maximum of $250. These items include jewelry, sporting equipment, photographic or electronic equipment, computers and audio/visual equipment. Carry-on bags are covered for up to $1,250, which is good to know since your belongings could be stolen from the overhead bins.

You'll enjoy additional coverage if you use The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, the Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley-branded Platinum Card (but not the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card).

The information for the Amex Platinum Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer medical assistance

One of the lesser known benefits of some of Amex's most premium cards is its Premium Global Assistance. This benefit can quite literally be a lifesaver if you or an immediate family member run into any unexpected issues or accident on your trip. For example, this service can help you arrange emergency medical referrals.

All Amex cards have access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, but the Premium Global Assist Hotline and higher level of coverage are reserved exclusively for the Amex's premium cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express
• American Express Corporate Platinum Card
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• American Express Centurion Card
• American Express Business Centurion Card

The information for the Amex Centurion and Amex Business Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Having a card with trip insurance can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups happen in your travel plans. Still, it can be confusing to know what is covered and the right documentation you need to file a claim.

Nothing is worse than getting through an entire claims process only to be denied or have to start over because you don't have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you start filing a claim, make sure you have the documents listed above. Keep in mind that a provider may ask for additional documentation related to the incident, so you may have to collect receipts and other forms to help your case.

If you're starting to travel again, it's also a good idea to consider booking refundable travel . Some airlines and hotels even waive cancelation fees and/or change fees for certain fares, which can make last-minute adjustments in the case of emergencies.

Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Madison Blancaflor.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.

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How to use Qantas Frequent Flyer Points

Whether you want to redeem free flights, upgrades or gift cards, discover all the ways you can cash in your qantas frequent flyer points..

In this guide

Qantas Club

Qantas marketplace, qantas wine, qantas insurance, auto rewards, earn more points with qantas frequent flyer credit cards.

Frequent Flyer Guides

Frequent Flyer Programs

Frequent flyer credit cards

Supermarket Rewards

Frequent Flyer Alliances

Frequent flyer news

As a Qantas Frequent Flyers you aren’t short of ways to use your points. From flights and holiday packages to car hire and products from the Qantas Marketplace, this guide takes you through all of the different ways you can spend your Qantas Points and how you can get the most from your rewards.

As a frequent flyer program, flights are the most obvious way to spend your Qantas Points. Read on to find out how you can use your points to redeem flights, upgrade existing flight bookings or use a combination of points and cash for your next trip.

Classic Flight Rewards

You can use your Qantas Points to fly almost anywhere with Qantas and its network of more than 50 partner airlines and affiliates. While there are many one-way, return and multi-destination Classic Flight Reward destinations available, these are subject to availability and you may need to be a little flexible with travel dates and flight times.

The number of points required will also depend on the fare class (for example, economy or business), destination, route and retail cost of the flight.

When browsing flights on the Qantas website, you can opt to search Classic Flight Rewards to compare available routes and the number of points you’ll need. But to give you an idea of how far your points could take you, we’ve provided a few examples below. Please note that we’ve given a few different domestic and international options, and we’ve varied the routes and fare classes to show you how the points cost can vary depending on these details.

Details sourced from the Qantas website and correct at the time of writing in July 2021.

It’s also important to note that additional taxes, fees and carrier charges may apply in addition to the points required.

Partnered airlines

While you can’t exchange your Qantas Points for frequent flyer points with another loyalty program, you can use your points to redeem flights with partnered airlines. You can redeem your points with airlines within the oneworld Alliance, including Jetstar, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. Other partnered airlines include Emirates and Alaska Airlines.

Points plus pay

If you don’t have enough points to redeem your chosen Classic Flight Reward, you can opt to pay with a combination of points and cash using “points plus pay”. You need a minimum of 5,000 points for Qantas flights or 3,500 for Jetstar flights to use points plus pay.

Classic Upgrade Rewards

If you’ve already booked your flights but would prefer to fly in luxury, you can also use your points to upgrade an existing flight to a higher fare class. The number of points you’ll need for a Classic Upgrade Reward will depend on the fare class you’re upgrading to and the route of the flight. However, you can log into your frequent flyer account and manage your flights to request an upgrade and compare your options.

The Qantas Club offers frequent flyer members unlimited access to the largest airline lounge network in Australia and overseas as well as exclusive check-in services and complimentary guest visits. The perks you can expect from your Qantas Club membership include:

• Lounge access. Members receive unlimited access to the Qantas Club, Qantas International Business as well as selected lounges when travelling with partnered airlines
• Guest visits. Members can invite one complimentary guest each time they travel.
• On Departure Upgrade Rewards. You can use your Qantas Points to upgrade domestic Classic Flight Rewards on departure.
• Additional checked baggage and priority check-in. You can take advantage of additional checked baggage when flying Economy and Premium Economy, plus you’ll receive priority check-in on Qantas flights.
• Qantas meeting rooms. You can save with discounts on Qantas meeting rooms in Australia.

These perks don’t come for free, but you could save on the costs if you use your Qantas Points to cover your membership fees. Compare your options below:

Individual membership - New members

As a new member, there's also a one-off 16,000 Qantas Points joining fee. This is valued at $99.

Individual membership - Existing members

Partner membership - new members.

As long as you both reside at the same address, your spouse or partner can also take advantage of Qantas Club perks at a reduced rate.

Partner membership - Existing members

If you don’t have enough points to redeem a flight or don’t have any travel plans coming up, you can also use your Qantas Points to redeem products from the Qantas Marketplace. When you visit the online store, you can browse rewards by categories such as electronics, travel, homewares, fashion and beauty, food and wine as well as gift cards.

The number of points you’ll require will vary depending on the retail price of the product, but we’ve provided a few examples to show you the potential of your points.

Details sourced from the Qantas Marketplace and correct at the time of writing in July 2021.

As well as flights, you can help save on travel costs by using your points to redeem accommodation. If you redeem your points for Classic Hotel Rewards, you’ll have over 200,000 choices to compare. Whether you want to cover the cost with points or points plus pay, you can compare options ranging from budget hotels to five-star luxury resorts in Australia and overseas. Some of the popular partnered hotels include Hyatt, Shangri-La and Rydges. When comparing your options, look out for the “Classic Reward” symbol and choose to view the prices in points.

Luxury Escapes

You can also redeem your Qantas Points for lavish hotel stays with Luxury Escapes . If you haven't already, join Luxury Escapes and follow the prompts to link your Frequent Flyer and Luxury Escapes accounts. You'll then have the option of using Qantas Points for all or part of your eligible holiday booking. You'll even earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent, even if you're opting to pay with points.

Whether you’re going on a road trip for the weekend or need a car for your overseas holiday, you can also use Qantas Points to cover the cost of car hire with Qantas’ car hire partners.

The number of points you’ll need will depend on the retail cost, but you can redeem your points to pay for vehicle rentals from Avis , Budget, Hertz or Thrifty in over 600 locations worldwide.

Use our guide on Qantas car rentals for more tips on earning and spending Qantas Points on car rentals .

If you prefer the finer things in life, you can turn your points into pinot by redeeming your Qantas Points for wine, spirits and gourmet food from the Qantas Wine online store.

If you want to use your Qantas Points to buy wine, look out for the “Classic Wine Rewards” logo when you’re browsing the online store. This is because you’ll receive exclusive discounts of up to 55% off when you buy a Classic Wine Reward using your points. Then when you’re checking out, you can select to pay with Qantas Points.

See our guide to Qantas Wine for more information on how to earn and redeem points on your next wine purchase as well as the latest bonus points offers to check out.

While insurance is a grudge purchase for most of us, Qantas Insurance helps reward frequent flyers for protecting themselves. Whether you’re looking for health insurance or travel insurance, you can use your points to cover the cost.

The number of points will vary depending on your quote. If you have enough points to cover the cost of your premium, you’ll be offered the choice of paying with points at the checkout. Visit the Qantas website to get a quote and see if you have enough points to cover your insurance policy.

If you want to make redeeming your points even more convenient, you can opt to automatically convert your Qantas Points to WISH eGift cards up to four times a year. Once it’s landed in your inbox, you can either print the eGift card or download it onto your phone to present at any participating Woolworths, Big W, BWS or Dan Murphy's stores or when shopping online to save at the checkout.

On 1 February, 1 May, 1 August and 1 November each year, Qantas total up your points and emails you an eGift card depending on your points balance. You can compare the potential savings below:

If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’re not strapped for choices when deciding how to spend your hard-earned points. Some rewards will offer better value for your money though, so make sure to compare your options before you start spending!

Pictures: Qantas/Shutterstock

Sally McMullen

Sally McMullen was a creative content producer at Finder. Sally wrote about credit cards for almost 5 years, authoring almost 900 articles on Finder alone. She has also been published in Yahoo Finance, Dynamic Business, Financy and Mamamia, as well as Music Feeds and Rolling Stone. Sally has a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies majoring in Journalism (Hons) from the University of Wollongong.

More guides on Finder

Coming up slightly short for a Qantas Reward Flight or upgrade? Here's how to purchase Qantas Points, and whether it's worth it.

This guide sums up the five Qantas Frequent Flyer tiers and the increasing number of benefits you receive as you move up a notch to the next status level.

A step-by-step guide to how to book a flight using your Qantas Points. Here are four ways you can use your Qantas Points to book your flights.

From fuel to supermarkets to hotels to insurance and credit cards, discover all of the different ways you can earn more Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.

Earn more Qantas Points by booking your next car rental through Qantas.

How to earn Qantas Points on corporate flights and purchases with the Qantas Business Rewards program.

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51 Responses

Which is better, to buy an economy fare from say Syd to LAX and use points to upgrade to business, or buy a business fare with points + pay and pay what the economy fare would’ve cost and the rest in points? If you take option A you may or may not get the upgrade and if you take option B you will, but which will cost the most points, assuming the cash payment is the same? Thanks.

Thank you for reaching out to Finder.

We have no means on our end to provide you an accurate answer on which would cost more points as well as how the upgrade would be done. It would be best to contact Qantas directly for a customer service representative to provide you with the answers you seek. Hope this helps.

Cheers, Reggie

HI, how many frequent flyer points would i need for one adult to fly Adelaide- Perth and Perth – Melbourne

Thank you for leaving a question.

For 1 adult from Adelaide to Perth is 18000 points and from Perth to Melbourne it would be 18000 points as well. This would be an economy flight. In total for the trip it would be 36000 points. Additional taxes, fees and carrier charges are payable in addition to the points required, which will be disclosed to you at the time of booking. Hope this helps!

I want to bring my daughter and her family for a visit and was hoping to use my accumulated points for the flights. Do I need to be traveling with them to use my point to book there flights?

Hi Darrell,

Thanks for your inquiry.

No, you don’t have to be traveling with them for you to use your points. You can redeem your points by booking their tickets for one-way, return, or a complex set of flights) with Qantas or any of the participating airlines. The number of points required would vary based on the flight destination and other details. Under the parlance of the Qantas Frequent Flyer membership program, this is referred to as the ‘Classic Award’ option.

Hope this information helped.

Cheers, Arnold

How many Frequent Flyer points will I need for two adults to fly return from Melbourne to Gold Coast?

Thanks for the inquiry.

For one adult, one return from Melbourne – Gold Coast and Gold Coast – Melbourne is 24,000 for economy. Therefore, you would need a total of 48,000.

Cheers, Jonathan

How many points do I need for a hotel room in Melbourne

You can book a one-night stay in a Melbourne boutique hotel for $275 or 43,919 points. Click this link for more information on how to use your frequent flyer points.

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7 Unexpected Benefits of Maintaining Your Frequent Flyer Status

D elta Airlines caused a bit of a kerfuffle recently when it announced changes to its SkyMiles® frequent flyer program. Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Delta is cutting back on lounge access for all but the biggest-spending customers, and Delta passengers no longer earn actual "miles" for being frequent flyers. Instead, Delta Airlines' elite status can only be earned by spending cold, hard cash.

Although other airlines still offer frequent flyer miles for actual, well, flights, the Delta changes were widely seen as an ominous sign. Will airlines start driving a harder bargain with their most loyal customers? As the air travel landscape shifts, airport lounges get more crowded and rules to gain airline status get more confusing. Some industry watchers are starting to question if it's worth it for your personal finances to maintain frequent flyer status.

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There's no easy way to decide whether to keep or cancel your frequent flyer membership. Breaking up is hard to do, especially if it's with a major airline you've been flying for many years. It all depends on how much you fly and which airline has the biggest presence at your home airport or has the most flights to your favorite destinations. The decision of whether to keep or ditch your frequent flyer status can also depend on how much you spend on airline credit cards and partner travel rewards cards, and how much value (financial, emotional, and otherwise) you feel you're getting from the airline.

But even though airline rule changes can be unclear and frustrating, don't be too hasty to cut up your frequent flyer membership card. Having elite status with airlines is still one of the best ways to elevate your travel experience.

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Let's look at a few unexpected benefits of having frequent flyer elite status.

1. Elite status with partner airlines

Being an elite status frequent flyer doesn't just give you extra benefits with your primary airline; it can also unlock a larger world of possibilities to get deals and privileges on other airlines in an airline alliance.

For example, AAdvantage Gold® status also gives you oneworld® RubySM status. You can use your American Airlines elite status to get priority service and other experiences with oneworld's international partner airlines like British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, and more.

2. Bonus miles

Once you get elite airline status, you can earn frequent flyer miles even faster than before. That's because airlines often give bonus miles to their elite status customers. Think of it like compound interest for your miles.

For example, United Airlines gives Premier Silver members bonus miles equivalent to 7x the miles they would ordinarily earn from booking a fare. Premier Gold members get 8x the miles, and Premier Platinum flyers get 9x the miles. Once you earn enough miles to get elite status, it gets even easier to keep earning frequent flyer miles and to keep your elite status. It's circular logic, but in a good way! Isn't that a perk worth keeping?

3. Bonus points to start the new year

When you get elite status with an airline, it doesn't last forever. You have to keep earning enough loyalty points or credits to keep your status for the following year. Some airlines make this easier by giving you an advance payment of status-earning bonus points to start the new year.

For example, at the start of the new program year, United offers a "PQP deposit" of bonus Premier Qualification Points (PQPs) for existing Premier members. This is a nice head start on reaching your elite status goals for the new year.

4. Same-day flight changes

Some levels of elite airline status make it easier to change your flight in case your plans change. American Airlines AAdvantage® Platinum offers same-day standby priority, and Platinum Pro® gives you free same-day flight changes.

5. Lots of free checked bags

Tired of trying to pack light? Elite airline status lets you be extravagant and pack all your extra socks, power tools, or perhaps the actual kitchen sink. American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status provides two complimentary checked bags, and higher status levels let you check three bags for free. Never worry about baggage fees again!

6. Free upgrades for companions

Getting elite airline status is not only a good thing for you; it can help your family and friends have a better flight experience, too. That's because many airlines offer free upgrades for your companions, even if they're not elite status members.

For example, United Airlines lets your companion get the same upgrade you qualify for at every level of your Premier® status. But keep in mind there are some restrictions -- if your companion is traveling on an award ticket, they cannot upgrade for free.

7. Priority customer service

People love to complain about airlines' customer service, especially in extreme situations like weather delays and mass cancellations. If you dread getting trapped at the airport or having to stand in line for hours at understaffed ticketing counters, getting elite airline status could be the right move.

American Airlines AAdvantage® offers priority service and reservation assistance for all levels of elite status, from Gold to Executive Platinum. As an elite status customer, airlines are more likely to pamper you and take the extra step to make sure your trip goes smoothly. In case of delays and cancellations, elite status can be like backup travel insurance to get you in the air as soon as possible.

Gaining elite status with airlines is not easy, inexpensive, or uncomplicated. You'll have to fly and buy a lot, navigate complex frequent flyer program rules, and be strategic about how you spend money on airline credit cards . But getting elite airline status -- and keeping it -- is often worth the effort. These unexpected benefits of frequent flyer status make it hard to walk away.

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10 Travel Credit Cards With The Best Perks For 2024

Unlock travel rewards with every purchase; the top travel credit cards for 2024 offer generous rewards on travel spending, flights, hotels, and more.

• Different travel credit cards cater to various needs and preferences, so prioritize the benefits that matter most to you.
• Some travel credit cards offer valuable perks like travel insurance coverage that regular credit cards do not provide.
• Some of 2024's best credit cards with travel rewards include Bilt Mastercard, Amex Green, and Capital One Venture.

There are many excellent travel credit cards that offer specific benefits to travelers , frequent flyers, and explorers that go beyond those of regular credit cards. With new card options and updates constantly emerging, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but considering key features is a great first step.

Whether you're a travel newbie or a seasoned collector, you'll need to prioritize your needs when researching which credit cards are best for travelers. For instance, do you value premium perks like airport lounges, or are you more focused on a low annual fee?

What about unforeseen, sudden circumstances? For example, imagine if you had to cancel your Barcelona trip due to an unexpected medical emergency; travel credit cards with insurance coverage could help recoup some of those lost flight and hotel costs. You'd likely be stuck with those costs with a regular credit card.

Whatever the case, deciding which benefits matter most will help you navigate the crowded market and find the perfect travel credit card for your adventures. To help travelers choose, here's a roundup of some of the best travel credit cards with the best perks in 2024.

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10 bilt mastercard, best for: transfer partners.

While not typically classified as a travel credit card, the Bilt Mastercard offers rewards points transferable to travel partners. This card has no annual fee and earns 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points on everything else.

Cardholders also benefit from trip cancelation and interruption insurance, auto rental collision and damage waiver, and cell phone protection, along with no foreign transaction fees and a Lyft credit after three rides in a month.

Renters should definitely consider this card because it accumulates rewards and waives transaction fees when used to pay rent. The points are highly valuable whether used on the Bilt travel portal or any of the numerous airline and hotel transfer partners.

In the context of travel rewards credit cards, "transfer partners" refer to loyalty programs of airlines and hotels that your credit card points can be transferred to. This essentially allows you to convert your credit card rewards into miles or points usable with those specific travel programs.

No welcome bonus. Earns points transferable to travel partners

9 Capital One Venture Card

Best for: mid-tier travelers.

The Capital One Venture Card, with its annual fee, is perfect for individuals seeking to maximize their spending without the hassle of tracking bonus categories and spending limits. It earns 5x points on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One travel portal and 2x points on all other purchases.

Compared to other travel credit cards in 2024, this one has a larger base reward of 75,000 points, which may be redeemed for travel at one cent per point. You can transfer your points to one of Capital One's 18 travel partners , including international airlines such as Singapore Airlines (voted the best airline in 2023) and British Airways, a feature uncommon among travel credit cards with no annual fee.

75,000 bonus points

8 Capital One Venture X

Best for: frequent travelers.

The Capital One Venture X is an excellent travel credit card with a $359 annual fee and a welcome bonus of 75,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

This card earns 10x points on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One travel portal, 5x points on flights booked through the Capital One travel portal, and 2x points on everything else.

Cardholders receive a $300 travel credit, a 10,000-point anniversary bonus, global entry or TSA pre-check credit, Capital One lounge access, Plaza Premium lounge access, Priority Pass lounge access, travel insurance, and protection.

7 Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best for: travel beginners.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and a current welcome offer of 60,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points. These points are worth 1.25 cents each, making the welcome offer worth $750. The card earns 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal, 3x points on dining and online groceries, 2x points on all other travel, and 1x points on everything else.

Cardholders receive a $50 hotel credit for hotels booked through the Chase travel portal, travel insurance and protection, and no foreign transaction fees. One of the more interesting benefits of this card is the ability to transfer points to travel partners.

For individuals who are unfamiliar with travel rewards credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a good place to start as it gives a good mix of benefits that are clear and affordable.

60,000 bonus points

6 Chase Sapphire Reserve

Best for: advanced travelers.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is the more expensive option from Chase, with a $550 annual fee. This card earns 10x points on hotels and rental cars booked through the Chase travel portal, 5x points on flights booked through the travel portal, and 3x points on dining and all other travel.

It is among the best options for travelers seeking worldwide airport lounge access, a high reward rate on their trip, and full travel insurance. The points are worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through the Chase Travel portal, and each point holds a value of 1.5 cents, surpassing the standard 1.0-cent valuation of most travel cards.

This card also offers a $300 travel credit, making it a more attractive option despite the higher annual fee.

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5 wells fargo autograph card, best for: no-fee travelers.

The Wells Fargo Autograph card is ideal for those who travel occasionally and want to earn rewards without an annual fee or reduced cash redemption value. With high bonus rewards for gas, dining, transit, and other travel essentials, it stands out among entry-level travel cards.

Plus, you can swiftly accumulate rewards for travel expenses and transfer points to airline and hotel partners like British Airways Executive Club and Air France/KLM Flying Blue program.

20,000 bonus points

4 Bank Of America Premium Rewards Elite Card

Best for: travel & dining.

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite Card offers a generous 75,000 online bonus points, equivalent to a $750 value, along with up to $550 in combined Airline Incidental, TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry, and Lifestyle Statement Credits. Additionally, cardholders can save 20% on domestic or international airfare for any class when paying with points.

Travel planning is effortless with free access to airport lounges and experiences across the globe via up to four Priority PassTM Select Memberships and a round-the-clock Full-Service Concierge. The card also earns unlimited 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining, 1.5 points per dollar on all other purchases, and offers flexible redemption options, including travel, cash back, experiences, and more.

3 American Express Green Card

Best for: moderate traveler & points transfer.

This card boasts a $150 annual fee and a welcome bonus of 40,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months . It earns 3x points on travel, dining, and select streaming services, and 1x points on everything else.

Cardholders receive airport lounge access through Priority Pass Select membership, baggage credits, and travel insurance. The Amex Green Card offers trip delay insurance (up to $300 per trip), no foreign transaction fees, car rental insurance, and lets you use points for travel on AmexTravel.com.

30,000 bonus points

2 American Express Gold Card

Best for: foodies & grocers.

This card has a $250 annual fee and a welcome bonus of 90,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months. It earns points at a rate of 4x points on restaurants and groceries (up to $25,000 per year in combined spending), and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amex Travel.

Cardholders receive a hefty list of benefits, including airport lounge access through Priority Pass Select membership and Amex Centurion Lounges (subject to space availability), Uber credits, travel insurance, and hotel elite status Marriott Bonvoy, and Hilton Honors, perfect for making the most of the best Hilton hotels around the world .

The Amex Gold Card gets you hotel upgrades (when available) and a $100 credit for spa/dining experiences at over 700 hotels, including major hotel chains Hyatt (which has excellent hotels in the US) and Kempinski.

90,000 bonus points

Frequent Flier: Airlines With The Best Points System

1 american express platinum card, best for: frequent flyers & luxury travelers.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers unparalleled luxury benefits, albeit with a steep $695 annual fee. However, if you prioritize VIP treatment while traveling, the rewards can be substantial. Cardholders gain access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance, and exclusive hotel amenities such as daily breakfast and complimentary internet access.

There are credits available for baggage fees, in-flight refreshments, and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® enrollment. When booking via American Express Travel, guests staying at Fine Hotels + Resorts® locations for two nights or longer can enjoy benefits valued at almost $600. The card also gives complimentary premium status in Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, and/or National Car Rental® Emerald Club.

This card is highly coveted due to the extensive benefits that can potentially outweigh the high annual fee for frequent travelers.

100,000 bonus points

American Airlines changes its frequent flyer rules—again

Looking to achieve frequent-flyer status with American Airlines? Book direct.

The carrier has announced another round of changes to its loyalty program, saying passengers will only receive Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles if they book directly with American, one of its partners, or a “preferred” travel agency. Flights booked elsewhere won’t earn miles.

The new rules go into effect in July.

At present, there’s no word on which agencies qualify as “preferred”—and it could be early June before that’s cleared up. The Wall Street Journal says that classification will depend “on whether they have adopted modern booking technology.”

“Booking with us provides a better travel experience,” the carrier argued in its announcement. “You can manage your trip online, receive travel credit for canceled trips and more. Plus, you’ll continue to earn miles and Loyalty Points through our non-airline partners and on eligible purchases with an AAdvantage credit card.”

Direct booking also lowers costs for the carrier.

For passengers who opt for basic economy fares, booking direct is the only way they’ll earn AAdvantage Miles or Loyalty Points. Preferred travel agency bookings will not be eligible.

American last announced a major overhaul of its frequent-flyer program in 2021, doing away with using how far or often someone flew to calculate status. That’s when Loyalty Points were introduced, which could be earned via travel or spending on branded credit cards.

Other airlines have followed its lead, with Delta announcing a big overhaul on its SkyMiles rewards program last year, which resulted in a bit of a rebellion among that company’s customers, forcing Delta to walk back some of its changes .

American noted that any existing reservations booked with third parties or non-preferred travel agencies will earn miles or Loyalty Points.

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Qantas hoses down scam fears after frequent flyer bungle

Qantas is hosing down scam fears after thousands of users of its mobile phone app were shown sensitive information about its frequent flyer program members.

The airline has claimed no “personal or financial information” was shared on Tuesday morning when Qantas app users were wrongly shown the name, upcoming flight details, points balance and frequent flyer status of other passengers.

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