A look at ANZ Rewards Black’s airline flexibility

ANZ Rewards is the bank’s proprietary credit card points program, offering points transfers to several partners. Those points can be earned on products like ANZ Rewards Black, and converted to the likes of Velocity, KrisFlyer, Cathay and Airpoints. Those clued-in with points could often those rewards banked – literally, in the bank’s own program – while converting those into frequent flyer points, as needed.

ANZ doesn’t limit the total number of points that can be earned through its Rewards Black card. The card could also serve two main purposes. For some customers, it could be their primary everyday spending credit card. Others could see it as part of a broader points strategy. For instance, ANZ could be a way to earn points across the broad merchant network of Visa. Meanwhile, a separate higher-earning card – such as from American Express – could deliver a higher number of points per dollar spent.

But back to Visa. The bank describes ANZ Rewards Black as having “the highest ANZ Reward Points earn rate of all our credit cards.” So let’s see how those numbers stack up.

ANZ is a commercial partner of Point Hacks. Point Hacks may receive a commission when a customer applies for ANZ credit cards via our website.

Earning points on the ANZ Rewards Black credit card

The number of Reward Points earned per dollar on the ANZ Rewards Black card varies based on how much is spent in each statement period. Here’s the drill.

• Spends up to and including $5,000 per statement period: 2 ANZ Reward Points per whole AU$1 spent (uncapped).
• Spends exceeding $5,000 per statement period: 1 ANZ Reward Point for every $1 spent over $5,000.

For clarity, those who spend more than $5,000 per month will earn points at two different rates. Firstly, at the rate of 2 Reward Points per $1 on the first $5,000 of spend. Then, at 1 Reward Point per dollar thereafter. Spend $6,000 in total, for instance, and 11,000 Reward Points would be accrued. That’s 10,000 Reward Points on the first $5,000 of spend, plus 1,000 Reward Points on the next $1,000 of spend, for 11,000 Reward Points in total.

What can you do with ANZ Reward Points?

We mentioned earlier that ANZ Reward Points can be converted into frequent flyer points. Here are the program’s current transfer rates:

• Velocity Frequent Flyer: 2 Reward Points = 1 Velocity Point
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: 3 Reward Points = 1 KrisFlyer mile
• Cathay: 3 Reward Points = 1 Asia Mile
• Air New Zealand: 2 Reward Points = NZD $0.01 in Airpoints value

Given we know the earning rates on the ANZ Rewards Black card, and the conversion rates above, we can also determine the ‘effective earn rate’. That is, how many equivalent frequent flyer points can be received per dollar spent. This can be handy to know when assessing any card’s rewards potential, as it allows for easier comparison between banks and programs.

Here are those effective earn rates, when accruing Reward Points via ANZ Rewards Black and converting them to the various partner frequent flyer programs:

Those seeking flexible points might also consider cards like the American Express Platinum Card and the American Express Explorer Credit Card. By example, the Amex Platinum Card earns the equivalent of 1.125 Velocity Points, 1.125 Asia Miles or 0.75 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent on most charges, uncapped. Meanwhile, Amex Explorer accrues the equivalent of 1 Velocity Point, 1 Asia Mile or 0.66 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent, also uncapped.

A common strategy for travellers chasing flexible points can be to use such an uncapped American Express Card where Amex is accepted to maximise uncapped points. Then, for the places where Amex can’t be used, to rely on a flexible-earning Mastercard or Visa, like the ANZ Rewards Black Visa, to continue building a balance of flexible points.

Travel benefits with the ANZ Rewards Black credit card

ANZ Rewards Black offers a few final perks that may be beneficial to travellers. Here’s a rundown.

• Travel insurance including rental vehicle excess cover in Australia. To qualify, purchase the travel using the ANZ Rewards Black card. Refer to the PDS for full coverage details, eligibility and exclusions.
• Complimentary extended warranty and purchase protection insurance. Again, make the purchase using the ANZ Rewards Black card and refer to the relevant documents for the full details and requirements.
• 24/7 personal concierge. There’s a team on-hand to assist with tasks like restaurant reservations, travel bookings and more.

ANZ Rewards Black credit card

Find Out More & Apply

Read the guide

Sign-up Bonus:

Up to 180,000 extra ANZ Reward Points + $100 back

Rewards Earn Rate:

Earn 2 ANZ Reward Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to $5,000 per statement period, then 1 Reward Point per $1 spent on eligible purchases above $5,000 per statement period

Annual Fee:

$375 p.a.

ANZ is offering up to 180,000 extra ANZ Reward Points (130,000 pts + $100 back when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from approval & 50,000 pts when card is kept for 15 months from activation) for new cardholders of the ANZ Rewards Black credit card. Includes complimentary insurance plus Apple Pay and Google Pay support.

Also read:

• ANZ Rewards for beginners: how to start earning points today

Featured image courtesy of Blake Wisz/Unsplash. All opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Point Hacks’ editorial team.