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Compare credit cards offering sign up bonuses

Some credit cards may reward you for signing up to begin with. Find a credit card offering a sign up bonus that suits your financial needs, such as frequent flyer points or gift cards, and compare your options to find one ideal for you.

Alex Ritchie
Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

Content updated

Product data updated

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20.99%

21.99%

55

$375

More detailsclick for more details

Australian Credit Licence 234527

Fees & charges apply

Product info
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer

20.99%

21.99%

55

$149

More detailsclick for more details

Australian Credit Licence 234527

Fees & charges apply

Product info
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer

20.74%

0%

55

$178

Australian Credit Licence 229882

Fees & charges apply

Product info
Suncorp Bank Platinum Card (Qantas Rewards)
Suncorp Bank Platinum Card (Qantas Rewards)
  • Bonus Points
  • Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer

19.49%

0%

55

$99

for 12 months then $124 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
St.George Bank Amplify Platinum (Amplify Qantas)
St.George Bank Amplify Platinum (Amplify Qantas)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.99%

0%

45

$150

for 12 months then $295 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
Westpac Altitude Black (Altitude Qantas)
Westpac Altitude Black (Altitude Qantas)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.99%

0%

45

$49

for 12 months then $175 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
Westpac Altitude Platinum (Altitude Rewards)
Westpac Altitude Platinum (Altitude Rewards)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.99%

0%

45

$99

for 12 months then $175 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
Westpac Altitude Platinum (Altitude Qantas)
Westpac Altitude Platinum (Altitude Qantas)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.99%

0%

45

$150

for 12 months then $295 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
Westpac Altitude Black (Altitude Rewards)
Westpac Altitude Black (Altitude Rewards)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.49%

0%

55

$295

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
St.George Bank Amplify Signature (Amplify Qantas)
St.George Bank Amplify Signature (Amplify Qantas)
  • Bonus Points
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

19.49%

0%

55

$49

for 12 months then $124 thereafter

Australian Credit Licence 233714

Fees & charges apply

Product info
St.George Bank Amplify Platinum (Amplify Rewards)
St.George Bank Amplify Platinum (Amplify Rewards)
  • Balance Transfer
  • Apple, Google & Samsung Pay
  • Balance transfer
  • Instant approval

Some credit card providers will reward new customers with a generous sign up bonus. These can come in the form of rewards points, frequent flyer points, cash back deals and even gift cards.

What is a credit card sign-up bonus offer?

Some credit card issuers will gift new cardholders with perks and bonus offers when they apply and are approved for a credit card, such as bonus rewards points, frequent flyer points, cash back deals and gift cards.

These sign up bonuses are offered as a way to entice new customers on to the credit card provider’s books. They are also a competitive edge for some providers, with potential customers using sign up bonuses as a main comparison in their credit card search. Some sign up bonuses can be as generous as enough frequent flyer points to travel from Sydney to Melbourne, or further.

These offers aren’t just reserved for premium cards or platinum cards but can be found across standard credit cards and low rate credit cards too.

Keep in mind that while these offers are generous, there are still ongoing costs associated with a credit card that can, if not managed properly, outweigh the benefit of the sign up offers. This includes annual fees, high purchase rates and cash advance rates and much more.

What credit card sign up bonuses are available?

At any given time, there will be a range of sign up bonuses available for cardholders across the Australian market. These include:

Type of offerSign up bonus offers
Rewards points20,000-200,000+ points
Frequent flyer points20,000-200,000+ points
Cash back offers$100-$500
Gift cards and vouchers$200-$300

Note: Sign up bonus offers are a general range based on RateCity.com.au data. Actual sign up offer may differ depending on your chosen provider.

Each credit card type may offer different bonuses too, including Visa, Mastercard or American Express (AMEX). Your rewards or frequent flyer credit card will also still offer its standard earn rate for points on top of your sign-up bonus, allowing cardholders to double up their points earning.

To find out what is available you may need to do a little research. This is where RateCity comes in, taking the hard work out of comparing the credit card market through our comparison tables.

Comparison tables, such as the one this page, allows you to compare apples with apples. View a range of credit cards with sign up offers side by side to see how they compare not only in bonus deals, but for purchase rates, interest free days, annual fees and more.

What do I need to know about sign up bonus credit cards?

Depending on the bonus you’ve been offered, there are some things you’ll need to keep in mind as a new customer to ensure you can redeem your full sign up deal.

  • Spending requirements

Many credit card issuers have criteria that dictate what a cardholder must to do qualify for its sign-up bonus, with the most common being spending requirements. Generally speaking, most credit card providers with sign up bonus points offers will ask cardholders to spend anywhere from $1,000 in the first three months to $80,000+ in the first year to qualify for said bonus.

  • Eligible purchases

Not only may cardholders need to spend a certain amount in a set time frame to qualify for a sign-up bonus, but they may be limited to spending on eligible purchases to qualify. An eligible purchase is when a cardholder uses their credit card with an affiliated partner of the card issuer, such as a retail store or supermarket. Check the provider’s product disclosure statement and terms and conditions for more information on what is classified as an eligible purchase before applying.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and it’s important to keep that in mind with credit card sign up offers. While you may be given a generous deal at the time of your card application or card approval, you potentially still need to spend money with the credit card to be eligible for the bonus.

This is why it’s crucial that before you apply, you assess the type of sign up bonus on offer against the spending and eligibility requirements to ensure that it is still worth it financially. After all, if you’re spending thousands in the first few months to qualify for a Qantas frequent flyer points bonus, for example, and you otherwise could have just spent that money on a flight upgrade yourself, it may not be worth the risk of credit card debt.

How to compare sign up bonus credit cards

As you can see, there are a range of credit card sign up bonuses that a credit provider may offer new customers. So, how do you compare these credit cards to find the best option for your own financial needs and budget?

  1. Type of bonus. It’s crucial you know what type of bonus you’re interested in before signing up. Maybe you’re a points chaser and love a rewards program and are looking for a new card to bolster your existing points. Will your everyday purchases entitle you to earn rewards points on what the credit provider classifies as eligible purchases? Perhaps you’re already a member of a frequent flyer program, such as Qantas, and are looking to boost your existing points with some bonus Qantas points on sign up of a new credit card.
  2. Interest rate. Arguably the biggest ongoing cost of a credit card are the interest rates on purchases and cash advances. As credit cards with sign up bonuses typically encourage regular spending, you may be more likely to find yourself paying interest on an outstanding balance. This is why it can be worth comparing the interest rates of this type of credit card as it can keep your costs low and prevent growing debt.
  3. Fees. Rewards credit cards, frequent flyer credit cards and premium credit cards typically come with more fees, as these help to pay for the generous benefits offered by the issuer. These card fees may include annual fees, balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees and more. Consider factoring in fees into your comparison when searching for your ideal credit card with a bonus sign up as, once the dust has settled and your bonus points are spent, you’ll still be left with a credit card with potentially high ongoing fees.
  4. Perks and rewards. On top of the sign-up bonus, what else does the credit card offer? Does it offer complimentary insurances such as domestic or international travel insurance? Can it offer you airport lounge access? What loyalty programs is the card issuer affiliated with?

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^Words such as "top", "best", "cheapest" or "lowest" are not a recommendation or rating of products. This page compares a range of products from selected providers and not all products or providers are included in the comparison. There is no such thing as a 'one- size-fits-all' financial product. The best loan, credit card, superannuation account or bank account for you might not be the best choice for someone else. Before selecting any financial product you should read the fine print carefully, including the product disclosure statement, target market determination fact sheet or terms and conditions document and obtain professional financial advice on whether a product is right for you and your finances.