Qantas Titanium card: first class lounge access, extra status credits
By David Flynn, February 12 2019
Disclaimer
Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.
The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
- 20% bonus Status Credits
- 150,000 Qantas Points sign-up bonus
- Base earning rate of 1.25 Qantas Points per dollar on domestic spend
Qantas is taking aim at high-spending high flyers with its new Premier Titanium credit card, which trumps its Premier Platinum sibling with more than just super-shiny looks and metal-cut heft.
Headlining the ultra-premium package is a 20% bonus serve of Status Credits when you take a Qantas flight booked with the card, although the fine print flags that this extra haul doesn’t count towards Platinum One status, your lifetime status tally or any loyalty bonus boosters.
The earning proposition on the Citibank-backed Mastercard begins with 1.25 Qantas Points per dollar on domestic spend – one of the highest Qantas Points earning rates in Australia – although once you exceed A$12,500 per month it’s wound back to 0.5 points per dollar.
There’s an additional 2 points per dollar issued for ‘Qantas Spend’ – most commonly flights but also covering the likes of Qantas Wine and Qantas Insurance – while international spending also rakes in 2 points per Aussie dollar.
One downside: you won’t earn points on any government-related payments, which scales all the way down from your tax bill to council rates, car registration and parking meter, unlike some other cards which apply a reduced rate to those transactions.
Annual perks include two complimentary invitations to the Qantas First Lounge (valid in Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles and from late 2019, Singapore) along with a pair of Qantas Club lounge passes for domestic Qantas Clubs and most international business class lounges.
There’s also an 10% discount on two domestic or international Qantas flights per year for two people, free membership to the Qantas Wine Premium club plus the obligatory overseas travel insurance and one year extended warranty on eligible purchases.
Kickstarting the Qantas Premier Titanium card is a meaty 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $5,000 in your first 90 days (offer ends on 30 April 2019).
However, Qantas is balancing all that against a deliberately exclusive cost of entry: with a lofty income requirement of at least $200,000 and an annual fee of $1,200 (plus $100 for an additional cardholders), this is certainly not a card for everyone.
Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth makes no apologies over the card’s positioning. “It comes with a significant annual fee, but has significant benefits,” she reasons
And those judged Titanium-worthy are more likely to be Olympic-grade shoppers than super-frequent flyers.
“It’s actually frequent buyers who are now earning the most points,” Wirth observes.
“We’re seeing more and more of our members with points balances in the millions through strategic credit card use and leveraging program partners,” she says, citing one member who in the past 12 months “has earned more than 30 million Qantas Points on credit card spend” – equivalent to over 100 round the world trips in business class.
Also read: Qantas Premier Titanium credit card review
Disclaimer
Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.
The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circumstances before applying for any financial product.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
13 Apr 2018
Total posts 14
Wonder if you own a premier credit card, will it stop you picking up the bonus points for signing up on this card... Would be extremely annoyed (and not apply) if this was the case.
02 Nov 2017
Total posts 34
Definitely an interesting product. On first inspection it seems to be amex platinum competitor
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Jan 2018
Total posts 128
I would say if you’re getting this card then you either have the Amex Platinum or even Centurion card already. The value prop on this one isn’t as good tho. Hotel memberships (chase one with stays and get a different one free) airline memberships, amex lounges, multi airline discounts in preferred partners program, points transfer options, as well as points earn, etc. the upside that amex doesn’t have is that this gives you a wider range of QF product discounts, but that might not be your driver.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2017
Total posts 76
You are bet of with AMEX Platinum. A lot more benefits. Compare before you apply
20 Jan 2017
Total posts 45
I'm surprised for the $1,200 annual fee that there wasn't at least some form of QF flight vouchers similar to that of the Amex Ultimate, which offsets the $450 fee with equivalent amount of vouchers.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Apr 2017
Total posts 5
With more travel benefits coming from the AMEX Platinum and Centurion cards, the only thing I see valuable about this card is the 20% bonus status credits. Other than that, you can get up to 20% off flights with Amex, hotel status, various memberships (incl. AccorPlus, Marriott, AFR), a $450 flight voucher and more.
Other than that, I do think that the Qantas Premier Platinum card is the pick of the bunch here, amongst non-Amex cards.
With an incredible number of new places accepting Amex, my monthly spend on my MasterCard has literally dwindled the purpose of paying for my insurance premium with NRMA hahaha.
The first class lounge invitations do not lure me...being a Platinum QFF. The sad thing with this benefit, is that they are non-transferable, unless you travelling with the second person.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Apr 2017
Total posts 5
Also... $100 per additional cardholder - an absolute rort, compared to AMEX who do not charge for up to 4 additional.
28 Dec 2016
Total posts 74
The benefits are worth at best $300 to someone who already has plat
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 991
Looks good at first but so many flaws including the $12,500.00 cap, why bother. My current set up is a lot better.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 14
Agreed.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2011
Total posts 359
Agree the card is not useful if you are already Platinum, however Qantas have stated its aimed at the high spender, not the high flyer. So high flyers are not the target market. So when you look more closely at the benefits, that starts to make more sense.
That annual fee is right up there though...
02 Nov 2017
Total posts 34
I question how they intend on luring high spenders from their amex centurions with a $12.5k cap on the favourable earnings rate though.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 991
Aimed at high spenders, capped at $12,500.00? If they were aiming at high spenders it wouldn't be capped.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
You beat me to it. The whole thing seems pointless. It's just another aspirational card to rope in some higher earners who aren't that educated about CC and FF programs (there's a few of them out there).
03 Oct 2014
Total posts 15
@ David is it possible to find out if existing Premier Platinum members are eligible for the bonus? I checked the T&Cs which just says “New to Qantas Premier” which could mean any Premier Card.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Jan 2018
Total posts 2
They say high spender then cap at $12,500 or is that only on regular spend. Does the bouns 2 points on international and Qantas spend keep going above the cap.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 382
That 20% status bonus sounds great at first but corporate travellers typically can’t use their own credit cards for air spend through TMC & online booking tool. Even as an SME who may use this card for air spend, points top out (top earn) at $12,500 so a few airfares, hotels, other T&I and you’re hit that limit fairly quickly.
03 Nov 2014
Total posts 90
As others have pointed out the Amex Platinum seems to offer significantly better value. It is frustrating to be getting 0.5 a point or something with my free CBA Diamond card, but paying $1,200 to get 0.75 extra points (& none on my rates & water charges), access to the first class lounge in Syd/Mel (based in BNE) doesn’t make any sense to me - Amex acceptance is growing & you can transfer to QFF anyway so don’t see the appeal.
04 May 2015
Total posts 261
Geez, $1200 for a Mastercard? I don't mind cards with big annual fees, but if I'm paying big money I expect big benefits, and this card really falls short.
Two F Lounge invites are nice but hardly worth $600 a pop: and if you take your partner in there, you'd presumably need to use both invites (?) and thus you're paying $1200 for one visit. Beyond that, two visits to the Qantas Club per year? Laughable: my Amex Platinum gives me unlimited Virgin lounge access, Priority Pass, Centurion lounge, Delta Sky Club, Plaza Premium and more for $1450, and I can fly with any airline: and with that, there's also free hotel status with five global chains, a free hotel night, Amex Offers, shortcut to Star Alliance Gold, travel credits ($850 p.a. if you take out the free Reserve too), and points can be transferred to 10 partner airlines so you're not stuck with QFF.
While the earn rate on the Titanium is marginally higher (or the same as the Amex Ultimate), I really don't spend that much in places where Amex isn't accepted to justify paying four figures for a few extra points, and with no mention of an overseas transaction fee waiver, I presume you'll be paying 3% more than the sticker price to earn the higher rate of points overseas, when you've already coughed up for an expensive annual fee.
I think people will really only get this card for the sign-up bonus and then bin it, or if they spend a lot on Qantas flights themselves to earn the extra status credits, especially those who can book and pay for their own work flights and be reimbursed by the company.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 14
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 389
Yeah, I think I will stick to my Amex.
Air China - Phoenix Miles
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 105
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard in U.S. charges only USD 450 for annual fee, and offers more benefits than this QFF card, except it's a plastic card not metal.
Don't understand how Citi retail team set up the pricing in Australia.
I might consider this card only if the annual fee is lower than AUD 400, otherwise bye-bye.
12 Feb 2014
Total posts 228
How is it even possible to earn 30 million points in one year? Perhaps another story, David.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 389
My wife would give it a bloody good go if we had that kind of cash available to pay the card off each month.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 14
30M points @ 1.25 Amex earn rate = $2M per month in spend (30M / 1.25 = 24M / 12months = $2M per month) not that hard for SME in the right industry.
11 Apr 2018
Total posts 12
has anyone ever had an issue with FBT on the earned QFF points? I've read various articles about it but nothing ever factual..
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 14
I’ve only heard that Qantas has an exemption in place covering everyone.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 May 2017
Total posts 2
Agree with the majority on this one.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 153
If I'm going for a high earn rate card, I'll just get the AMEX Qantas Ultimate which has the same 1.25 points per dollar earn rate with 2 points extra for Qantas spend.
11 Jul 2016
Total posts 8
The only way to recoup the cost of this card is from the 10% discount. And if you're buying one or two longhaul flights a year in business or First class, you probably could make it work (and even come out ahead).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
26 Apr 2016
Total posts 21
Am I the only one who choked at the $200k income requirement?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 382
I think most people are choking at most of the points on this card.
01 Sep 2018
Total posts 25
Based on the amount of J/F class travel that is taking place, I would expect that a reasonable chunk of the AusBT readership to meet such a requirement.
27 May 2017
Total posts 21
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 260
I’m going against the grain and will say this looks like a great deal to me. I’m about to drop off platinum with no prospects for a return and, being in Melbourne, am not looking forward to the business lounge. I also travel internationally for a holiday once a year (twice if I can) and try to fly business. I’ll easily get the $1200 back on the flight discounts alone (worth way more than $450) and will get to kick off the holiday in the lounge I’ve become accustomed to.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 14
You are correct, the only way to get value on this card is leveraging the 10% discount. But 2 x $6,000 tickets will probably be in F/J class and give you lounge access anyway.
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 260
Will definitely be in J, not F. Given how good A330/787 J is these days, I’m happy flying it with first lounge access.
12 Sep 2014
Total posts 6
Is the 10% discount available on all fares or just for full priced fares? The companion sale at the moment is better than 10% off the full price.
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 260
Good question! I have no idea. Totally agree that if it is off non-sale fares only then the benefit is gone.
26 Jul 2011
Total posts 13
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Feb 2019
Total posts 1
Whats the point of extra status credits if they do not apply to your status. Ridiculous!!
31 Aug 2018
Total posts 5
30 million points? She’s got her company card linked to her account or she’s a Labor politician spending like a sailor on shore leave.
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 12
I know Amex reworked their points earning recently. So is Amex points earning still worth it. I heard the transfer points to certain airlines is now 2 Amex points to 1 airline point?
29 Jun 2018
Total posts 2
Seems most reviewers are forgetting that Qantas is offering a Mastercard which is accepted in far more places than Amex. I have both Qantas Premier & Amex Platinum Edge & use the the Qantas Premier probably twice as much as I use Amex, not by choice just availability & even when it is offered in many cases Amex is charged a higher transaction fee.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Dec 2017
Total posts 18
The limitations on the status credit benifits is an own goal! How ridiculous.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Aug 2017
Total posts 24
Qantas hoping the marketing and media support will sell cards.What a rubbish product. No matter how much you polish a piece of s&*^ - its still a piece of s^&%.
14 Jul 2019
Total posts 1
I think this CC is crap.
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