5 Reward Programs To Consider If You Want To Earn Points & Reap The Rewards

PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with American Express to give you access to more travel, music and entertainment, dining, offers and rewards.

We all know how easy it is for costs to build up. All it takes is one day of forgetting your lunch in the office, and suddenly, it feels like your money progress has been lost.

Believe me — it’s coming from lived experience.

You could potentially get so much more out of your money, starting with the beauty that is a good ol’ reward program – that is, getting rewarded for your spending.

Before we get into the fun stuff, keep in mind that this information is general in nature and does not constitute financial advice. You should obtain independent financial advice before making any financial decisions. We stay money smart in my neck of the woods!

We’ve outlined five different reward programs below, all of which reward you the more that you spend. Hello, that much needed holiday!

American Express – Membership Rewards® Program

If you’re wanting to earn points from your weekly refuel and your morning coffee, American Express® could be a great place to start.

Some Amex Cards allow for unlimited earning, with no cap on Membership Rewards points¹ you can earn. Plus, Amex Membership Rewards points don’t expire, so you could use these points to travel, for your next concert, or for your day-to-day shopping. There are loads of different options that you can tailor to your fancy.  

To earn points, you’ll use your Amex Card for your everyday purchases like petrol, groceries, and nights out. You can then redeem these points on eligible flights, hotels, concerts, restaurants, and more. T&Cs apply.

You can also Pay with Points with SafeKey², which enables you to use your Membership Rewards^® points at participating online merchants. There are over 800 stores on board, including Chemist Warehouse, Apple, Myer and more.

If you purchase an item with an eligible Amex Card, Cover Charges with Points³ gives you the freedom to use your Membership Rewards points to cover almost anything you’ve purchased on your Card. These can range from your morning coffee, dinner with friends, or that concert ticket you spent hours in a queue waiting to buy.

So if you’re tired of eyeing out that brand new gym fit that’ll finally get you to go to the gym (sure it will), a reward program like Amex Membership Rewards® might give you that much needed edge. 

Plus, with an eligible Amex Card, you may access more perks — from Membership Rewards points and Pre-Sale tickets to Amex Offers, lounge access and more. (Eligible Cards, T&Cs apply). To find out more about what you could access as an Amex Card Member, click here.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

For all those travel fiends (myself included), Qantas Frequent Flyer can help unlock your dream holiday.

There are over 500 ways to earn Qantas Points⁴. You could be earning points on your everyday spend, groceries, fuel, and when you travel — so you can then travel more. You with me?

Qantas Points can be redeemed on flights to over 1,300 destinations, upgrades, hotel stays at over 500K hotels worldwide, and even some retail therapy with over 1,200 brands to choose from at Qantas Marketplace. 

Certain Credit Cards also let you earn Qantas Points, like the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card. If you sign up (and are approved), you could also receive a $450 Qantas Travel Credit for use on eligible domestic or international flights⁵ when booked through Amex Travel. 

Virgin — Velocity Frequent Flyer

You can also enjoy travel perks with the Virgin Australia equivalent.  

Fun fact – velocity means fast. You’ll sure want to accumulate those points fast once you see Virgin’s 70+ program partners and 200+ e-Store partners.

Redeem Velocity Points⁶ on eligible flights, flight upgrades, car hire, hotels, products, or gift cards. You can even buy electronics, homewares, and beauty products at the Velocity Rewards Store⁷  

Certain Credit Cards earn Velocity Points, like an American Express Velocity Platinum Card⁸. If you sign up and are approved, you could enjoy a complimentary Virgin Australia return domestic flight⁹ between selected cities each anniversary year.

Marriott — Marriott Bonvoy

If you prefer your feet on the ground and not in the air, a hotel loyalty program might be more your thing.

Try this on for size — Marriott’s rewards program, Marriott Bonvoy¹⁰. With member rates for booking rooms and quick check-in available on the mobile app for all members, the perks and endless.

The points you accumulate could be used on eligible hotel stays, flights, car rentals, dining, concerts, sporting events, and online shopping. To find out more, click here. 

You can even accrue points from specific tours and activities! Enjoy Marriott’s suite of hotels and you could be rewarded the more you stay.

You can even accrue points from specific tours and activities! Enjoy Marriott’s suite of hotels and you could be rewarded the more you stay.

Accor — Accor Live Limitless

Last but certainly not least is Accor Live Limitless¹¹, or ALL for short. This lifestyle program lets you “experience the extraordinary” with unique benefits that focus mainly on events.

Through ALL, you can access hotel discounts and redeem points on hotel stays, luxury packages, private homes, and villa stays. To find out more, click here.

You can even redeem ALL points on Limitless Experiences — Accor’s online store filled with all the goodies. Plus, if you’re a member of both ALL and Qantas Frequent Flyer, you can link your accounts to earn double the rewards.

Putting our serious hats on, be sure to spend responsibly. Whether you go for a Credit Card, airline reward program, or hotel loyalty program, make sure to stay within your means so you can reap the benefits of these points as much as possible. 

If you’re doing that, great! Enjoy your points and all the benefits they may bring. 

For more information and to see all the benefits you can access with an Amex Card, click here. 

The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute financial product advice. You should obtain independent financial advice before making any financial decisions.

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1. Membership Rewards. Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards program. You will earn 1 point per dollar spent with Merchants classified as ‘government’, including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), Federal/State and Local Government bodies, including where you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant. There is no expiry date for Points earned while in the Program so long as you are a Card Member, you are enrolled in the Membership Rewards Program and all your accounts with us are kept in good standing and are not overdue. Points Redemption Points may only be redeemed provided all your accounts with us are kept in good standing and are not overdue. Full Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions: https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/en-au/company/terms-and-conditions/consumer-membershiprewardsterms.pdf  
2. SaferKey Terms and Conditions:  You can use points to pay for a Credit with SafeKey​ if you are the Primary Card Member of an American Express^® Card issued by American Express Australia Limited; your Card is enrolled in the Membership Rewards^® program; and your Card account is in good standing (i.e. not overdue or in collection). Additional and Employee Card Members and Card Members enrolled in Qantas Spirit, Corporate Choices, Qantas Direct, Business Ascent or Business Card Members with spend locked to one supplier or the David Jones Storecard Membership Rewards programs are not eligible to ’Use Points for Credit with SafeKey’.  You may only ’Use Points for Credit with SafeKey’ with select Australian online merchants as indicated during the checkout process. The option may not be available for all online purchases at that merchant. Credits may not be redeemed for cash or refunds once applied to your Card. 
3. Cover Charges with Points. For each successful transaction with covered with points, points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account and a credit placed on your Card in line with the points chosen to be used for the Eligible Charge. A minimum of 1,000 Membership Rewards points is required to cover any eligible transaction with points. Any credit to your Card account cannot exceed the amount of the relevant Eligible Charges. A credit will appear on your statement identified as “Membership Rewards Credit”. Points will be debited immediately and the credit will take up to 3 business days to appear online. Credits processed after the Card account’s statement closing date will appear in the following statement. You are still responsible for payment of the amount due on your Card account by the due date. Any charges covered by points is not redeemable for cash via Credit balance refund. American Express will select and display each eligible charge that can be covered with points (“Eligible Charge”) and the points rate required to cover the Eligible Charge. Each Eligible Charge must: (a) appear within the Online Statement of the Summary of Accounts page; (b) be redeemed within 2 months of the charge appearing on your Card account; (c) not currently or have previously been disputed; and (d) not be a fee. Eligible Charges, including the points rate required to pay for the Eligible Charge, may be changed at any time without notice. Eligible transactions can be covered by points via your online account or American Express mobile app. Covering charges with points is available only to Basic Cardmembers enrolled in the Australian Membership Rewards program and is subject to the full Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions. Authorised agents, authorised account managers, additional Cardmembers and Authorised Additional Cardmembers are not eligible. All Linked Card accounts must be in good standing. https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/benefits/rewards/membership-rewards/cover-charges-with-points/ 
4.  Qantas Points: You must be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply.
   Membership and the earning and redemption of points are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program available at qantas.com/terms. Qantas Points and bonus Qantas Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the Qantas American Express Cards Points Terms and Conditions, and exclusions apply. Eligible purchases do not include annual Card fees, cash advances, interest, fees and charges for traveller’s cheques and foreign currencies – these do not earn Qantas Points.
   For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the Qantas American Express Cards Points Terms and Conditions https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer.html  
5. Qantas American Express Ultimate Primary Card Members are eligible for an annual $450 Qantas Travel Credit, subject to the full Qantas Travel Credit Terms and Conditions. The Qantas Travel Credit can be redeemed through American Express Travel Online on a single eligible travel booking for Qantas Flights (i.e. a QF flight number on your ticket) by selecting the Qantas Travel Credit when you checkout.
   All Qantas Flight travel is subject to Qantas Conditions of Carriage.
   To redeem the Travel Credit, the full value of the Travel Credit (or more) must be charged to the eligible Primary Card. The Qantas Travel Credit can be used for 365 days from the benefit anniversary date and cannot be used past the expiration date. To check the expiration date of your Qantas Travel Credit if you have not already redeemed it, please visit americanexpress.com.au/travel; log in and click ‘Travel Credit.’
   If your booking is cancelled, and your Qantas Travel Credit has already been used and associated statement credit applied to your account, you will forfeit your annual Qantas Travel Credit benefit and American Express may reverse the statement credits issued. You need to be able to spend on the Card to access the Qantas Travel Credit benefit and it should be credited to your Card Account within three business days but may take up to 30 days. Your account must be in good standing and you must have paid the annual fee and minimum payment by the due date. If you cancel your Card, change your rewards program or Card type, you will no longer be eligible for the Qantas Travel Credit. https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/credit-cards/qantas-ultimate-card/ 
6. Velocity Points, As long as your Account remains current and in good standing and you must be a member of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem Velocity Points. Velocity Points are earned in accordance with the American Express Velocity Cards Points Terms and Conditions available at americanexpress.com.au/VelocityPointsTerms ,and are subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Velocity Frequent Flyer program available at experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com/member-support/terms-conditions. Exclusions apply. Eligible purchases do not include Card fees and charges, for example annual fees, interest, late payment fees, cash advances, balance transfers, fees for traveller’s cheques and foreign currency conversion. These do not earn Velocity Points. For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the American Express Velocity Cards Points Terms and Conditions. Certain transactions will earn 0.5 points per dollar with Merchants classified as; government, including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post), federal/state and local government bodies. Industry specific earn rate may apply when you use a payment account, payment aggregator, services of a third party or online retailers that sell goods for another merchant. For example, a payment made to local government bodies processed through payment aggregator may earn rates at the government earn rate. Velocity Points earned on Virgin Australia spend are only valid for purchases made in Australia. 
7. Velocity Rewards Store Terms and Conditions  
8. American Express Velocity Platinum Card Terms and Conditions 
9. The complimentary domestic economy Virgin Australia return flight is only available between selected Australian cities and is available for booking by American Express Velocity Platinum Card Members after your first Card spend in the first year, and then after your first Card spend each year after the anniversary of your Membership. All flights are subject to availability and neither Virgin Australia nor American Express guarantees that seats or tickets will be available on the dates or at the times you may wish to fly. Seat availability may be limited to certain dates and/or flights and it may be more difficult to book seats around public holidays, school holidays or special events. Some flights may not have any seats available for redemption. Route availability is subject to change without notice. All travel is subject to the American Express Velocity Platinum Card Benefits Terms and Conditions available here and travel is subject to Virgin Australia Conditions of Carriage available at Conditionsofcarriage/VirginAustralia.com
10. Marriot Bonvoy Terms and Conditions 
11. Accor Live Limitless Terms and Conditions 

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