My first post ever:
Limited time only – offer ends 1 December 2015
Load AU$1,000 equivalent in foreign currency in one transaction by 1 December 2015 and you'll earn 3,000 bonus Qantas Points
Cheers
Qantas Cash: 3000 Bonus QFF Pts for Loading $1000
100
Lhuubang on 22/11/2015 - 16:15 qantascash.com (293 clicks)
Last edited 22/11/2015 - 16:37 by 1 other user
Last edited 22/11/2015 - 16:37 by 1 other user
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Currently Qantas Cash cannot be used in the following countries and geographical regions due to sanctions that are currently in place: Crimea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. :-(
Check for any fees & conditions in the many previous deals & deal site. There's been plenty of debate.
Not getting bonus QFF points in Syria would be the least of my worries.
Using an ATM there, the Australian Government will know for sure you are there…
Appropriate username
Their rates are horrendous. $1,000 gets you €601 on Qantas Cash. On XE.com it gets you €679. Better off just taking a bank card and copping the fees, at least you get the normal exchange rates.
Or use 28Degrees for credit card & Citibank Plus Visa Debit for free ATM withdrawals - both foreign exchange fee free. Exchange rates on these cards usually aren't good.
The only advantage of travel money cards like this, apart from points, is locking in current exchange rate in case au$ falls… it's a gamble.
And locking in expensive exchange rates plus locking up your cash at no interest… I'll take the gamble for my Japan trip in April.
So if i get a citibank plus visa debit i can get free atm withdrawals but the exchange rates arent as good?
Am I understanding correctly?
If so does the poor exchange rate end up being better than the atm fees i would be charged?Sorry, ran 2 separate ideas together there. Was meant to be 2 paragraphs.
"Exchange rates on these cards usually aren't good" refers to travel money cards like the one in this deal.
Exchange rates on the 2 cards I recommended (award winning for travel money) give best rates offered by MasterCard & Visa (see xe.com for approximate rates). So much better than the Qantas Cash card! (28Degrees credit card charges for ATM withdrawals, Citibank Plus Visa Debit doesn't.)
28degrees is popular on OzBargain to save money on overseas transactions (eg PayPal).
So search OzBargain for advice.I use it for accommodation etc on travel & withdraw my own money from ATM with Citibank Plus Visa debit. I set up weekly automatic transfers before I leave. Never had any fees in over 10 years of overseas travel (up to 9 months/yr) ;-)
Citibank Plus Visa debit wins award
Choice Travel Money Guide
Choice discussion of the best travel cards
Canstar comparison of travel cards@Infidel:
Ok thanks for the in depth info and links.
Looks like the citibank debit card is free atm transaction only at citibank atms if im not mistaken but generally when people fly to a new country they fly into a ciity (or close to it) which usually have citibank atms@Hirolol:
Has been free (almost) everywhere I've used it overseas. Some banks in the country you're visiting may add fee, but there's usually another bank ATM nearby that doesn't. In Australia, only a limited number of bank ATM are fee free using the card.In 2012, found there was a hefty fee in Myanmar (Burma) when ATMs were first installed - but that was local bank fee (on top of any card fees). In places like that, us$ are best.
So check your destination country & which ATM are fee free. Citibank or similar card will still be cheaper without foreign exchange & other fees.
What's the difference between the Qantas exchange rate and say the MasterCard exchange rate using the 28degree card for $1000? If it's more than $20 then it's no deal.
Mastercard will charge 2.5% rate which is $25. Qantas charges $60 by looking at their rates.
So that's a $35 difference.No deal.
MasterCard on 28Degrees is FREE, as all OzBargainers should know. (Great card for best exchange rate on overseas purchases with PayPal etc.)
I mentioned it above.Yes, if you are using a 28 degrees card, then this deal will cost $60 and give you only $20 back. Definitely not worth it!
Any fee for joining up?
$A1000 into Thai Baht, and in comparison to using 'Citibank Plus', Qantas cash would cost me about $A74 extra.
Once you factor in the qantas points on purchases and correct me if im wrong but was there free atm withdrawals or is that wishful thinking?
Does it still work out better to go for the citibank plus?
Im guessing im better off taking AUD anyway and converting it over there?
Ive heard thats what people do and just keep their AUD/BAHT in a safe.Taking cash and using the hotel safe is what I used to do, and it is an easy way to go. Money changers will be between 0.25 baht and 1 baht worse than citibank plus. EG At the time when Citibank plus was $A1 = 25.6 baht, there were plenty of money changers around giving 25.0 baht for cash.
Qantas: $1,000AUD = $673.56USD
Mastercard: $1,000AUD = $719.10USD (28 degrees)Those 3,000 points will cost you almost $50USD (or about $0.015 per point).
Unless you want to use this travel money card actually for travel (expensive exchange rates) to lock in current au$, this deal will probably cost you money to get the points. That's not the OzBargain way :-(
28 degrees is what I use for best conversion rate and if I am sending money overseas - ozforex is recommended. First transaction is free (saving you $15). To get an idea of Qantas exchange rate compared to ozforex - use the ozforex tool to get an idea. Overall 28 degrees for me.
Totally agree, & I have used a 28degrees card for years.
But a travel card like this is a different product, locking in today's exchange rate to use overseas in the future (on your trip).
Isn't this a targeted offer for those receiving the email? I didn't receive it.
Raises the risk of no benefit for time & costs involved in this deal:-(
T&C on deal site state
To be eligible to receive the 3,000 bonus Qantas Points you must have received an email from Qantas Frequent Flyer outlining the offer, register by clicking the button in the body of the email, load a minimum AU$1,000 equivalent in foreign currency in one transaction by 1 December 2015. The bonus points will appear in your account 6-8 weeks after the promotion has closed. One offer per person and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.Yeah, well known the spread on these as well as any other 'travel card' is significant. You're paying that premium to lock in the currency which some people value, up to you of course.
can this be practical:
load $1000,
get bonus points,
transfer back $1000so pure 3000 pts obtained
??
/bold The bonus points will appear in your account 6-8 weeks after the promotion has closed. One offer per person and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.
If you are willing to wait another 6-8 weeks after 1st dec for your 1k then i dont see the problem.
Hopefully the exchange rate doesnt change too much against your favor otherwise it will it all a waste.
Good thinking though!!You don't need to keep any money on card - the points are for loading it.
Takes up to 2 months to find out if you get any points on your QFF statement - t&c indicate it is a targeted offer only for those who received email offer!!
As you have to load the $1000 in a foreign currency and pay the high fees for conversion, it is hard to see how this deal could be very beneficial.
Pointless & expensive deal for those not needing to lock in current exchange rate for travel, given poor exchange rates.
Uncertainty if points will be given, as t&c state it's a targeted offer.
Or Bankwest Platinum $0 annual fee credit card … IMHO better than 28 Deg card as the bankwest one comes with insurances etc. So same product as 28 deg but more fruit for $0 fee (Platinum is FX fee free). http://www.bankwest.com.au/personal/credit-cards/compare-cre….
There are other possible cards & people should do their research.
Bankwest Platinum $0 annual fee credit card is a good deal.Unfortunately, not all of us qualify for Platinum cards :-(
The 2 cards above are available to more people.
I think this deal is only worthwhile if you wanna lock in an exchange rate at time of loading, and get the 3k points. If I recall correctly, they charge a fee when you load, & a fee when you withdraw too. Jetstar Travel card ceased operations just recently. Wondering how long this card will last? Pls correct me if I'm wrong regarding the fees. Cheers
The fees you list were removed ages ago.
Thanks for update, so if wanna lock in current rate, it's worth considering then, given that some quarters are always talking the AUD down!
It's a gamble, depends on how long until you travel, & where you are going. My crystal ball is in for repair ;-)
I just use free Citibank Plus Visa Debit for free ATM withdrawals & free 28degrees MasterCard for purchases. No Fex fees on those & some other cards.
But exchange rates vary & those have the exchange rate on the day.
A few years back, I booked a flight to Japan when rate was around 100¥ to au$, it was 70 when I flew out, & 55 a few weeks into long trip. My funds were nearly worth half what I expected :-(
I simply changed my plans, threw in camping gear, & went hiking with pilgrims on a smaller island. I hitchhiked, camped free on beaches, mountains, & some town parks & one group I travelled with for days gave me $200. That was not because I was poor - we just had the most amazing time :-)
Best experience, which I may not have taken without the fall in exchange rate :-)
@Infidel: Great stuff! Jan 2015 I started booking & paying for EU trip in Sept. By the time I was in EU A$ down 10% at least. So glad I prepaid 90% of accommodation. Yes, Citi+ & 28 are the go for me too. BTW some foreign atms charge a small fee, not sure if 28 absorbs this or not.
@oldrocker:
Yes some ATM charge a fee, so search & research before travel. I've never been charged any bank fees in over a decade of travel. Fees by foreign bank will be displayed which you need to agree to, or try next banks ATM.Always best to have a few ways to access money or pay bills. I've been caught with access to plenty of ATM, but none connected at that moment with Australian banks.
Good to lock in major costs now, as you have done.
I change my plans depending on the weather or local events. But have contacted a cheap hotel in Osaka (my photo is on their site) & arranged a (currently) $90/wk room as a base to travel out from for a few days at a time, booking nights else where as needed, but always having my room to come back to.
My travel is not until March-April, so who knows what the exchange rate will be then. In Tokyo before Christmas, I exchanged the last us$ at a great rate. Had bought when exchange was au$1.05 to us$.
@oldrocker:
Maybe its an indecent room ;-)It's a monthly rate, in a slum area, with (friendly) drunks… Clean tiny single room on top floor in ancient hotel without lift. It's more a backpackers hostel, where you have your own room. Showers & communal kitchen on ground floor, shared toilets & only a fan & futon in 3.5 tatami mat room .. but I call it home & have wonderful adventures.
Appeared on TV last time I stayed, performing a 400 year old traditional entertainment (in English) called Rakugo. People in parks came up to me to photograph a person who got their ancient culture.
Was 'kidnapped' for a day by a woman at least in her 70's - took me to 2 traditional shows & lunch, paying for everything & introducing me to the performers - just amazing:-)
I stayed in a $150/wk room in an apartment in Tokyo last year. Great room, western style bed, high speed WiFi in room, free breakfast at local Inn. Once again in a poorer neighbourhood. Was serenaded by the friendly drunks performing Sinatra songs. Wonderful 400 year old shrines with spectacular festivals & great food a short walk away.
This type of accommodation is available for more long term stay, used by Foreigners while working in Japan.
Run down areas are usually avoided by most, but it is real life & so wonderful if you appreciate the culture. And in Japan, it's very safe.
Just did dummy load on Qancash, USD rate 0.6904
3000 Points = $20 wish gift card for those interested.