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Jetstar MasterCards - Complimentary Domestic One-Way/Return Flight ($69/$169 Annual Fee), 1% or 2% Cashback as "Jetstar Dollars"

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I stumbled upon this a few days ago while browsing the Jetstar Credit Cards and noticed we have yet another Credit Card offered in the Australian market to include a complimentary domestic flight. At this stage, details are scarce and I have tried to obtain all the information I can by calling up, but I can only provide generic information at this stage. Would appreciate if anyone else can share anything else they know about this.

Meanwhile, I'll share what I know.

There are two cards here, but I will focus on the Platinum Mastercard which includes a free return domestic flight (the "normal" only includes a one-way flight)

The Jetstar Platinum Mastercard joins a list of several Credit Cards we now have in the market that provide a free complimentary return domestic flight.

Credit Cards with free flights

Of the cards above, the card with probably the best free flight (considering variety of destinations and availability) is the AMEX Platinum Reserve followed by the AMEX Platinum Edge. The most restrictive one is the ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures card as the flight must be booked in the cardholder's name, and must be booked 60 days+ in advance of travel.

Key highlights of the Jetstar Platinum Mastercard:

  • $169 annual fee
  • Earn 1 Jetstar Dollar per $50 spent on this card for the first $2500 per statement period (equivalent to 2% cashback - highest of pretty much any credit card out there) - only applicable/relevant if you know you will fly Jetstar
  • The alternative is to earn 1 Qantas point per $1 for the first $2500 per statement period
  • Complimentary Travel Insurance
  • Extended Warranty
  • 90 Day Purchase Security Insurance

Key points relevant to the return flight:

  • Activated upon spending $2000 within 60 days of approval
  • Must opt in to the Jetstar Dollars program (i.e. if you elect to earn Qantas points, you will not be eligible for the free domestic flight)
  • Flight must be booked within 6 months of card activation
  • Flight must be booked for travel at least 30 days in advance
  • "Limited" changes are permitted (very vague wording)
  • Can be booked in someone else's name (was informed this verbally) - however, the cardholder must remain as the contact person
  • Does not include check-in baggage (unlike the Virgin Australia flights on the AMEX cards)
  • Includes SYD/MEL-PER, SYD/MEL-DRW vv

The terms look to be mostly the same for the Jetstar Mastercard, with the key difference being a lower spend threshold ($1000 within 60 days).

This deal is really about the free flight. However, the equivalent 2% cashback as Jetstar Dollars is unrivalled in the market and even better than the majority of even AMEX cards, although only applicable to you if you know you will fly Jetstar.

The fact that this is not an AMEX card is both a benefit and a drawback. You will not be eligible for all those awesome AMEX statement credit deals, but you will benefit from having higher acceptance of your card and/or no/lower surcharges imposed on your Mastercard.

The free flight benefit only appears to be available for approvals prior to 31 March 2017

This deal has the potential to be great for anyone who's not picky with airline (i.e. is willing to fly Jetstar), and knows they can get better value than $69 one-way/$169 return out of the available flights.

If you have any further information, please share in the comments!

Mod: Do not post referral links from a merchant, retailer or service provider different to the one for the main deal.

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closed Comments

  • As a side, completely unrelated note, I noticed this which may be of relevance to anyone who has a CPA qualification.

    Since 10 November 2016, any new applicants for the AMEX Platinum Edge had their travel benefit changed from a free domestic return flight to a $200 Travel Credit. Whilst linking to the AMEX Platinum Reserve in the OP, I decided to see what other cards there were. I noticed the Platinum Edge is still offered here with a free domestic flight!

    In fact, it's a pretty decent deal:

    • $149 "Welcome Credit" after 5 transactions within 2 months
    • Reduced $149 annual fee (instead of $195)
    • Free Domestic Return Flight
    • I noticed the Platinum Edge is still offered here with a free domestic flight!

      How to get free domestic flight now as I can't find on AMEX site

      The Platinum Edge Credit Card
      KEY BENEFITS
      Introductory offer of
      10,000 Membership
      Rewards points3
      $200 Travel Credit
      each Membership year4
      Worldwide travel insurance5

      • Oh whoops I forgot to link to it sorry

        Here

        • so its only available to cpa members or wont they check

      • I don't see the 10k points listed.

  • +3

    Free Domestic One-Way/Return Flight

    It's not really free if you have to pay an annual fee for a credit card when you can just get fee free credit cards…

  • We've negotiated a $395 annual fee to be removed for 2 years on Westpac Altitude Black card, not hard if you tell them you want to close the account.

    • You must be the lucky one. Tried the same tactic with them and they still wouldn't budge so had to cancel my card.

      • Agree it used to be a simple call to cancel, then get offered free annual fee. This is no longer the case. They most likely now put you on hold for a minute, looking at how much you spend and interest you paid for last few months. If you are not those spending big and paying 20%+ interest. They are more than happy to just close your account.

        • We haven't ever paid interest, whenever we get charged it, we ring and ask them to remove the charge. We do run all our purchases through the card so they make money from merchant fees but that's it.

  • +1

    I rang AMEX about my Edge. They claimed that starting from March 2017, everyone will automatically get $200 travel credits instead of the free flights. How do you stay on the previous benefits?

    • The same happening with platinum reserve. From 30March it will automatically change over to travel credit. But from 30March to 30Sep there will be the option of redeeming the complimentary flight, after that it will be travel credit only

    • Thanks for sharing and good to know.

      alchew commented about this (and has replied to you here too) with very similar information.

      How do you stay on the previous benefits?

      I don't think that's up to us? lol

  • +3

    This doesn't sounds like a yearly free flight to me (like the AMEX cards), more like a one off bonus

  • +1

    I've had the Jetstar Platinum card for a few years now and recently made it my "Main" credit card that I use.
    I used to have it setup to earn Qantas FF points, but in June changed to earn Jetstar dollars instead.

    Wish I had changed to the Jetstar dollars a long time ago, i've already earned $800 in vouchers since making the switch. The conversion is so much better than earning FF points if you don't mind flying on the Jetstar network.

    Some points to consider:

    Pro:
    * You pay no CC fee when booking Jetstar flights
    * You pay no interest on Jetstar flight charges.
    * You get 10% off on-board F&B purchases.

    Con:
    * They recently introduced the $2,500 a month limit on earning dollars, I think the earn rate halves after you hit that. It used to be unlimited before, so the earning potential has been reduced a little.
    * They also changed it so that BPAY payments were no longer included (Not going to lie, this made a huge chunk of my $ earnings before as I would happily volunteer to pay bills etc on card)

  • Is the redemption flight offered the same for the Platinum Reserve as it is for the Platinum Edge?

    If so, the differences offered from the Reserve being:
    A hotel option in lieu of a flight
    Priority Lounge Passes, which a lot of bank issued AMEX's include (ive got mine through ANZ Black).
    Ability to earn QFF points.

    Just by typing this I think I just convinced myself to can the Platinum Edge and get a Reserve!

  • +1

    This card used to have a ~$400 jetstar voucher signup bonus. I think it was around March this year. Or a bunch of qantas points if you didn't want the jetstar dollars.

    The (ongoing?) annual flight likely beats the value though, especially if you use it earn back a similar amount in Jetstar dollars.

    the "normal" only includes a one-way flight

    So sign up for two normals? ;)

    • You're two normals

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