Frequent Flyer reward programs are one of the most popular credit card features and it may only be a matter of time before debit cards add these point-based programs to their arsenal.
Bit by bit banks are bridging the gap between using your own money and using credit with features previously exclusive to credit cards.
Things like complimentary international travel insurance and exclusive promotions and discounts for MasterCard or Visa cardholders have become a staple of more premium debit card options.
Some banks are even offering membership to programs previously exclusive to people with credit cards.
Citibank’s Dining Program, for example, is now a feature available for anyone with a gold Citibank debit card and offers cardholders a complimentary bottle of wine when they dine and pay by card at participating restaurants.
Combine with these features the fact that overdraft facilities are available for times when funds are short, and debit cards start to look even more versatile that their credit counterparts.
Debit Cards And Frequent Flyer Points
Unfortunately no debit cards are yet to offer frequent flyer points to cardholders but there are still ways people without credit cards can save up points for their flights.
Qantas has partnered with both the Fly Buys and Woolworths Everyday Rewards programs to offer people Frequent Flyer points when they shop at Coles Group or Woolworths Group stores respectively.
Woolworths Everyday Rewards even offers cardholders free membership for the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, which is a saving of around $80.
On the other hand, Virgin’s Velocity Rewards now has the biggest retail partnerships of any frequent flyer program in Australia, giving people a chance to earn points when they shop through websites like eBay, iSubscribe, Apple and Westfield Online.
These kinds of options give people with debit cards a good opportunity to earn points without worrying about how much they a using their cards. That way money is less likely to be spent purely because it will earn points.
