Review: Bank of Queensland Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card (2024)

Disclaimer

Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.

The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circ*mstances before applying for any financial product.

Notes
The Good
  • Earn up to 0.667 Velocity points per dollar spent
  • Free travel insurance
The Bad
  • High 3.4% international transaction fee
  • Insurance doesn't cover trips booked using Velocity points
Added Value
  • Annual points capping, rather than more restrictive monthly caps

View similar cards

Introduction

Bank of Queensland's Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card pairs Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyer points with travel insurance, as many cards do, and can be yours with a $99 annual fee for life under the bank's current promotion.

But for that price, don't expect frills like airport lounge access or top-tier hotel loyalty status: this card is all about the points and the insurance, and if you can recoup in value at least what you're paying in annual fees, this card might be good fit for your wallet.

BOQ Q Rewards Platinum Visa: fast facts

  • Grade/tier: Platinum
  • Card type: Visa
  • Loyalty program: Q Rewards
  • Q Rewards airline partner: Virgin Australia
  • Q Rewards points earned per $1 spent: 2.0
  • 2 Q Rewards points = 0.667 Velocity points (manual transfer)
  • Points capping: Earn up to 240,000 Q Rewards points per year (80,000 Velocity points)

Fees, charges and interest:

  • Annual fee: $199 (current promotion: $99 for life)
  • Additional/supplementary cardholder fee: $0
  • Interest rate on purchases: 20.74% p.a.
  • Interest-free days on purchases: Up to 55
  • Interest rate on cash advances: 21.74% p.a.
  • International transaction fee: 3.4%
  • Minimum income requirement: $35,000/year
  • Minimum credit limit: $6,000

Earning points for free flights:

Converting your Bank of Queensland Q Rewards points into Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyer points is easily done via the bank's website and achieved at a 3:1 ratio, with a minimum transfer of 30,000 Q Rewards points at a time.

That's equal to 10,000 Velocity points – more than enough to get you flying from Sydney to Melbourne on Virgin Australia, plus a small payment to cover taxes and fees.

Provided you meet that minimum transfer amount, you'd earn the 7,800 Velocity points needed for that flight for every $11,695 spent on the card.

But unlike many other cards in the Australian market, there's no offering of sign-up bonus points to be had here.

Airport lounge access:

Airport lounge access isn't offered on this Platinum card.

Free international travel insurance:

Simply use your card to pay for your international flights and you may be covered by BOQ's free international travel insurance on return trips of up to six months or when departing Australia on a one-way ticket on trips of up to 31 days.

However, there's no cover if you use your Velocity Frequent Flyer points to book an international flight – only if you use your Q Rewards points to make that booking directly via Bank of Queensland, but which usually requires far more points to secure.

Complimentary purchase cover, extended warranty, interstate flight inconvenience insurance, transport accident insurance and access to a guaranteed pricing scheme are all included too.

BOQ Q Rewards Platinum Visa: verdict

BOQ's Platinum-grade card leaves a lot to be desired – particularly when it comes to earning frequent flyer points, paying fees and using the included insurance cover.

On points, 0.667/$1 is respectable but not great for a Visa card, although comes without a restrictive monthly earning cap that some other banks impose: instead, a simple and higher cap per calendar year.

A 3.4% international transaction fee is also among the highest in the market, with many other banks rounding theirs down to an even 3% or dropping them entirely, as with the ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Card.

It's also disappointing to see that flights booked using the frequent flyer points earned on the card aren't covered by card's own international travel insurance policy – unless you book via the bank's own system at a higher rate.

If you can snag this card under the current $99/year promotion it could certainly still pay for itself, but if applying from September when the usual $199 annual fee returns, you'd want to make sure you're at least getting that back in value.

Also read: ANZ Rewards Black credit card review

FollowAustralian Business Travelleron Twitter: we're@AusBT

Disclaimer

Executive Traveller may receive a commission when you apply for these credit cards via our links.

The information provided on this page is purely factual and general in nature. You should seek independent advice and consider your own personal circ*mstances before applying for any financial product.

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.

More stories on:

Virgin Australia credit card reviews Bank of Queensland BoQ Velocity Frequent Flyer Q Rewards credit card

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2 Comments

Serg

Review: Bank of Queensland Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card (4)

View posts Message

Serg

QFF

12 Apr 2013

Total posts 1514

One of the best Platinum non-Amex card is JetStar branded Master card – modest $149 fee, 1 QFF point per dollar and plenty of perks like insurance and warranty.

Mark77

Review: Bank of Queensland Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card (5)

View posts Message

Mark77

06 Sep 2015

Total posts 24

Earn up to 0.667 Velocity points per dollar spent

I wouldn't consider that as "what's hot". but what is relatively "hot" is the $99/yr annual fee which is good for an entry level card.

Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Bank of Queensland (BOQ) Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card

Review: Bank of Queensland Q Rewards Platinum Visa credit card (2024)

FAQs

What credit score do you need for Visa Platinum credit card? ›

Visa Platinum Requirements

Applicants with a credit score of at least 760 or higher are more likely to get the lowest rate (subject to change). The minimum credit line is $1,000, and you can ask an SCCU Team Member for an increase.

What is the credit limit on the Visa Platinum Card? ›

With up to a $25,000 credit limit, the Visa Platinum card gives you room to do what you need and what you want. Your Visa Platinum card is accepted at over 22 million worldwide locations, including over 700,000 ATMs in the Visa Global ATM Network.

What credit score do you need for US Bank Visa Platinum Card? ›

The credit score you need for the U.S. Bank Platinum card is 700 or better. That means people with at least good credit have a shot at getting approved for this card.

Is it hard to get approved for platinum card? ›

American Express generally requires a good to excellent credit score to qualify for The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply. You'll want to have at least a 690 credit score before applying for the card.

What annual income do you need for a platinum credit card? ›

What is the income required to avail of a Platinum Mastercard credit card? To apply for a Platinum Mastercard, the applicant must have a minimum gross annual income of at least PHP780,000.

How many credit cards are too many? ›

It's generally recommended that you have two to three credit card accounts at a time, in addition to other types of credit. Remember that your total available credit and your debt to credit ratio can impact your credit scores. If you have more than three credit cards, it may be hard to keep track of monthly payments.

What's the highest credit limit Credit One gives? ›

The maximum credit line for a Credit One credit card is not publicly disclosed by the issuer, though there are reports of cardholders receiving credit lines as high as $5,000 on some cards. If approved for a Credit One card, applicants can expect a minimum initial credit line of $300 to $500.

Is Visa Platinum hard to get? ›

Is it hard to get the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card? The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is designed for applicants with good to excellent credit, meaning a credit score of at least 670.

Is platinum visa credit card good? ›

The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum doesn't have the lowest ongoing APR or best long-term value after settling your balance, but it's a solid option if you just need an above-average timeframe to finish paying off your credit card debt.

Who is eligible for visa platinum? ›

To apply, you must: Be aged between 18 to 65 years old. Have a minimum income of INR400,000 per year for salaried individuals.

Which U.S. Bank credit card is easiest to get? ›

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card is easy to get, even with poor credit or no credit, because it is a secured credit card and requires an upfront deposit. But unlike many other secured credit cards, it has a generous rewards structure.

What is the starting credit limit for Credit One Platinum Visa? ›

What is the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa credit limit? The Credit One Platinum credit limit is $300 or more. Everyone who gets approved for Credit One Platinum is guaranteed a credit limit of at least $300, and particularly creditworthy applicants could get limits a lot higher than that.

What is the difference between Visa and Platinum credit card? ›

A Platinum Visa card often comes with premium benefits, including higher credit limits, travel insurance, concierge services, and exclusive access to airport lounges. These perks enhance your overall cardholder experience, making it ideal for frequent travellers and those seeking additional privileges.

What credit score do you need for platinum? ›

To qualify for the Amex Platinum Card®, you'll typically need a good to excellent credit score (670+). However, your credit score isn't the only thing that matters. Your income, history with American Express and other factors are also taken into consideration.

Are platinum credit cards hard to get? ›

Do you need a good credit score to get a platinum card? Yes, it's likely that you'll need a good credit score to get access to a platinum credit card. The eligibility criteria varies wildly between card issuers as there's no standard set of rules for what a platinum card is.

What is the minimum credit score for a Visa credit card? ›

A credit score of about 700+ will likely qualify you for just about any credit card, including those with cash back rewards, lower annual percentage rates (APRs) and more. However, there are plenty of cards you can get with a score lower than this (more on that later).

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