I haven't booked my tickets yet, but recent research has suggested that I should use a credit card instead of a debit card to book my flights - especially through third party sites to reduce headaches with transactions and getting my money back.
I'm planning to travel to two countries so flights will be about $2.5K. Is it worth applying for a credit card now to take advantage of my spending in the next couple of months? Outside of travelling I will generally spend anywhere from 1.2K to 2K monthly depending on the month, live with the parents so not that many expenses. I don't really want to churn through credit cards. I've looked at the wiki and am a bit overwhelmed with the choice, and have looked at a couple forum posts which suggest different cards. Thought this would be a good opportunity to start gathering points. I'm aiming to be able to travel at least once every one or two years.
I currently use Westpac's Life / Choice accounts for their interest rates but my savings also past the threshold. I used to use Citibank Plus for their no international ATM transaction fees, and still have a Ubank account open but don't use them / have any money in them, haven't closed them since no fees. I also use Commbank as my back-up debit.
I've looked at a couple including AmEx but have seen mentions of the points being of less value recently. Is it worth to sign up for a credit card now or think about it later?
Which third party sites? Make sure they're reputable and not one of the dodgy ones on comparison sites.
IATA accreditation is a good start to filter out travel agents (but not the be-all end-all).
Read the T&Cs very carefully. Travel agents generally provide cheaper options because of restrictions on classes, changes, cancellations, services, luggage allowance, longer wait times between flight legs etc.