The Best Ways To Fly to Australia With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

For Americans, Australia is undeniably a far-flung destination. The continent is at least 14 hours by nonstop flight from the contiguous U.S. But its remoteness is no doubt part of what compels many travelers to head there in the first place.

Known for its awe-inspiring nature and rich indigenous culture, Australia is one of the top tourist destinations on the planet. However, flying to Australia can be a huge logistical undertaking, especially if you don’t know where to start planning your trip.

Although using points and miles can reduce the cost of flights, you definitely want to save up for business or first class if you can, and be prepared for the grueling nature of these ultra-long-haul flights.

Today, we’ll look at some of the best ways to fly to Australia using points and miles, particularly in a premium cabin. It’s important to know that some airlines are notorious for extremely limited award availability.

Nonstop Routes Between North America and Australia

Since Australia is one of the more difficult destinations to reach, particularly from the U.S. and Europe, there will be fewer routes you can take.

There are a total of 7 airlines that operate nonstop flights between the U.S. (including Hawaii) and Australia. These are:

• Air Canada
  • Vancouver (YVR) – Brisbane (BNE)
  • Vancouver (YVR) – Sydney (SYD)
• American Airlines
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
• Delta Air Lines
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
• Hawaiian Airlines
  • Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
• Jetstar Airways
  • Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
• Qantas
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Brisbane (BNE)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Vancouver (YVR) – Sydney (SYD)
• United Airlines
  • Houston (IAH) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Brisbane (BNE)
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Brisbane (BNE)

Hot Tip:

Australia has some of the world’s most fabulous beaches. Check out our guide on The 15 Best Beaches in Australia in 2023.

Best Programs for Booking Flights

Let’s take a look at the best programs to use to book award tickets to Australia. Generally speaking, award availability, especially in business or first-class, is extremely difficult to find. Flexibility and a willingness to book a positioning flight will help immensely when searching for award space.

All Nippon Airways Mileage Club

The first program we will look at for award flights to Australia is ANA Mileage Club. The program offers an award chart and has some of the best pricing of any program. You can fly round-trip between the U.S. and Australia for less than what some programs charge one-way.

Although the program is a bit complex, there is plenty of value when redeeming ANA miles. ANA offers excellent redemption rates, tons of sweet spots, and a fantastic stopover and open-jaw policy. ANA is also a member of the Star Alliance, which opens many partner award options.

However, there are two main drawbacks with ANA. First, ANA only allows for round-trip award bookings. Second, ANA passes on fuel surcharges, which can be quite high on some partners.

ANA has 2 unique award charts:

• 1 for ANA-operated flights, which are subject to seasonal pricing fluctuations
• 1 for partner-operated flights, which are not subject to pricing seasonality

We will take a look at both options here. If you want to fly ANA and have a stopover in Tokyo, you need to look at ANA’s international award chart. Of course, this routing becomes significantly longer, but it provides the opportunity to fly ANA’s fantastic long-haul products twice in each direction.

Regarding ANA-operated flights, you will need to look out for 2 main things: The zones for the departure and destination points and the season for the award flight. ANA places North America in Zone 6 and Oceania in Zone 10.

Here is the round-trip award pricing (based on seasonality) for flights between the U.S and Australia (Zones 6 and 10, respectively) when flying on ANA itself:

With ANA being part of the Star Alliance, you can also use your ANA miles to fly on a few partner airlines. Seasonality does not apply to partner awards, and award space tends to be quite good for partners. Here is the ANA award chart for Star Alliance partners:

If you are looking for nonstop flights to Australia, you will want to look at 2 main partner airlines: Air Canada and United Airlines.

Both airlines provide an excellent premium cabin product. United offers their highly regarded Polaris business class product on most nonstop routes between the U.S. and Australia.

Air Canada’s product includes reverse-herringbone seats in a clean, airy cabin. If possible, we’d recommend you book Air Canada’s business class product over United’s in this scenario.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Houston (IAH) – Sydney (SYD)
  • Round-trip in United Airlines Polaris business class for 120,000 ANA miles plus about $40 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • Round-trip in United Airlines economy for 75,000 ANA miles plus about $40 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Melbourne (MEL) or Sydney (SYD) – San Francisco (SFO)
  • With an open jaw in Melbourne in United Airlines Polaris business class for 120,000 ANA miles plus about $40 in taxes and fees
• Vancouver (YVR) – Melbourne (MEL) or Brisbane (BNE) – Vancouver (YVR)
  • With an open jaw in Melbourne in Air Canada business class for 120,000 ANA miles plus about $40 in taxes and fees

To redeem your ANA miles, we recommend following these instructions:

1. Use United’s website to search for award space.
2. Visit ANA’s website.
3. Choose ANA Mileage Club.
4. Choose International, then Award Reservation.
5. Log in to your account.
6. Enter your desired route, dates, and the desired class of travel.
7. Choose your flights.
8. Reserve your flight and pay for any applicable taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Mileage Club Miles

ANA is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Amex Membership Rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio.

It takes around 3 business days for Amex points to transfer to ANA and about 4 business days for Marriott Bonvoy points to transfer to ANA.

You also get 5,000 extra ANA miles if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points simultaneously, meaning you’d end up with 25,000 ANA miles overall.

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Bottom Line:

ANA has separate award charts for its own flights and partner award flights. The program has some of the best award pricing on most routes.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

One of the best ways to book nonstop flights to Australia is by redeeming Alaska Airlines miles. Although Alaska doesn’t operate flights to Australia, it has some great partnerships thanks to its membership in the Oneworld Alliance. Their partner airlines, American Airlines and Qantas, offer nonstop flights between the U.S. and Australia.

Currently, Alaska has a consolidated award chart for flights between regions. However, the loyalty program is slated to significantly change in March 2024.

Alaska has announced that there will be a new distance-based award chart. This will be detrimental for flights between the U.S. and Australia, as the distances are already quite long between the continents.

Until the new award chart is in effect, here are the current award rates for flights between the U.S. and Australia using Alaska miles:

In addition to some great redemption rates, Alaska allows you to book stopovers, including when booking one-way awards. This provides an excellent option to connect from your entry point in Australia.

Qantas, the flag carrier of Australia, offers one of the best products in all of points and miles: Qantas first class. However, as mentioned above, award availability is quite challenging to find.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Sydney (SYD) – Perth (PER)
  • One-way in Qantas first class for 70,000 Alaska miles plus about $26 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Brisbane (BNE) – Darwin (DRW)
  • One-way in Qantas business class for 55,000 Alaska miles plus about $26 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL) – Alice Springs (ASP)
  • One-way in Qantas first class for 70,000 Alaska miles plus $26 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Sydney (SYD) – Cairns (CNS)
  • One-way in Qantas business class for 55,000 Alaska miles plus about $26 in taxes and fees

The process for booking Qantas and American Airlines flights using Alaska miles is easy:

1. Go to Alaska Airlines’ website.
2. Sign in using your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Number and password.
3. Search for your route pairing, dates, and number of passengers on the homepage (check off the box that says Use Miles).
4. Select your flight and click Add To Cart.
5. Complete your booking by paying with miles and for any taxes and fees using a credit card.

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Alaska Airlines miles are relatively tricky to earn, as their only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio, and with every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive 5,000 bonus miles.

There are also several ways to earn Alaska miles, including opening the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature^® Credit Card or buying Alaska Airlines miles when there’s a big sale.

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

185,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,295

Annual Fee

$650

APR

20.99%-29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy^® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy^® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Bottom Line: Redeeming Alaska Airlines miles for Qantas or American Airlines flights is a great way to fly to Australia, as long as you can find award availability. 

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is another program that offers excellent redemption rates for flights to Australia. The airline is part of the Star Alliance and has plenty of transfer partners and no fuel surcharges on awards. It makes it incredibly easy to earn Avianca LifeMiles.

There are several great ways to redeem Avianca LifeMiles for maximum value, and award flights between the U.S. and Australia are 1 option. Here’s the award pricing for one-way flights between North America and Australia:

When you redeem LifeMiles for flights to Australia, you’ll fly on United Airlines or Air Canada.

Here are some great examples of redemptions:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • One-way in United business class for 80,000 LifeMiles plus $31 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in United economy for 40,000 LifeMiles plus $31 in taxes and fees
• Vancouver (YVR) – Melbourne (MEL), Sydney (SYD), or Brisbane (BNE)
  • One-way in Air Canada business class for 80,000 LifeMiles plus $31 in taxes and fees

Once you’ve solidified your travel plans, here’s how you can book your flight using Avianca LifeMiles:

1. Go to the LifeMiles website.
2. Click the flag icon in the top-right corner and choose English, if necessary.
3. Click login and enter your LifeMiles number and password.
4. Click Fly at the top banner to search flights.
5. Enter your route pairing, number of passengers, and cabin class. Click Find Flights.
6. Add your flight dates.
7. Find your flights and pay with LifeMiles and for any taxes and fees using a credit card.

Earning Avianca LifeMiles

Earning LifeMiles is relatively easy, as the program is a transfer partner with several transferrable currencies. These include American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi points instantly transfer at a 1:1 ratio, while Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in around 1 to 2 business days at a 3:1 ratio.

It is worth mentioning that there are frequent transfer bonuses to Avianca, often around 30%. These transfer bonuses allow for redemptions to require even fewer points.

You can also buy LifeMiles — Avianca is known to offer giant sales with up to a 200% bonus on purchased miles. While purchasing miles is almost never the best idea, it definitely can be for Avianca redemptions.

Recommended Capital One Cards

TOP PICK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

$250 Capital One Travel Credit + 75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,600

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Welcome Offer

Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

20,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$360

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No annual fee (rates & fees)
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• Ability to use transfer partners

Cons

• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Qantas Frequent Flyer

If you’re looking to fly between the U.S. and Australia in Qantas’ first or business class, the best way is with Qantas’ frequent flyer program: Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Qantas first class is considered one of the best first class products in the world. However, award space is incredibly limited. Our guide covering when airlines release award seats outlines why booking Qantas first class is easier using Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Chiefly, Qantas first and business class are easier to book for 2 reasons:

• Qantas releases award seats exclusive to Qantas Frequent Flyer members, redeeming Qantas Frequent Flyer points
• Qantas’ schedule opens up 353 days in advance, a few weeks earlier than most other programs

For award redemptions, Qantas uses a distance-based award chart. However, multiple award charts are based on the airline you are flying.

Here is the award pricing for classic Flight Rewards with Qantas, Jetstar, and American Airlines:

Here’s the award chart for flights on Jetstar:

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

• Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Qantas business class for 82,000 Qantas points plus about $60 in taxes and fees
• Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Jetstar economy for 26,000 Qantas points plus about $60 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Melbourne (MEL)
  • One-way in Qantas first class for 162,800 Qantas points plus about $60 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Qantas first class for 162,800 Qantas points plus about $60 in taxes and fees

Although award rates are typically higher, it may be worth using Qantas Frequent Flyer, as award space may be easier to find.

To book Qantas Frequent Flyer awards, here is what you need to do:

1. Visit Qantas’ website.
2. In the top-right corner, log into your account using your Qantas Frequent Flyer number, last name, and PIN.
3. In the flight search box, enter your city and date pairings and number of passengers, and click the button that says Use points.
4. Click Search flights.
5. Click the dates that works for you.
6. Select your flights and click Continue.
7. Pay using points and for any taxes and fees using a credit card.

Earning Qantas Frequent Flyer Points

There are numerous ways to earn Qantas points. Qantas Frequent Flyer is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi points transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Amex transfers almost instantly to Qantas, Brex takes up to 1 business day, Capital One takes around 36 hours, and Citi takes around 2 business days. Marriott Bonvoy takes the longest, at around 6 business days.

Recommended Citi Cards

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

70,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,120

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.24%- 29.24% Variable APR

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.24%- 29.24% Variable APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Citi Rewards+^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.

Citi Rewards+^® Card

This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.

Welcome Offer

Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com.

20,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$320

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840)

Card Highlights

• Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
• Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 Thank You^® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.*
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Earn 2X ThankYou^® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou^® Points on All Other Purchases.
• The Citi Rewards+^® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
• No Annual Fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars

Citi Double Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

$200 cash back

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Double Cash^® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
• Flexible redemption options
• No annual fee

Cons

• No bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fees

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Citi Double Cash^® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel^SM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Custom Cash^® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, without an annual fee.

Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
• No annual fee
• Multiple redemption options

Cons

• Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
• Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• No Annual Fee
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash^® Card account per person.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%

Bottom Line:

Qantas Frequent Flyer offers better award availability than partner airline programs. This is extremely important for those looking for Qantas first and business class award flights.

American Airlines AAdvantage

Another great Oneworld program to utilize for award flights to Australia is American Airlines AAdvantage. With AAdvantage, you can fly on partner airline Qantas or American Airlines itself.

American AAdvantage has undergone significant devaluations over the years, but the program still has a great deal of value. For its flights, American Airlines has a dynamic pricing method. However, partner awards with American AAdvantage are not subject to dynamic pricing. They follow a simple award chart.

American Airlines places Australia in the South Pacific region on its award chart. Here is the partner award chart for American Airlines partners for flights between the U.S. and Australia:

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Qantas business class for 80,000 AAdvantage miles plus about $40 in taxes and fees
• Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Hawaiian Airlines business or first class for 65,000 AAdvantage miles plus around $20 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Brisbane (BNE)
  • One-way in Qantas business class for 80,000 AAdvantage miles plus around $40 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in American Airlines Flagship First Class from 110,000 AAdvantage miles plus $11 in taxes and fees

To book your AAdvantage award, follow these steps:

1. Search for award space on American Airlines.
2. Book the flight online using AAdvantage miles.
3. Pay the taxes and fees.
4. Perform an award search using Alaska Airlines’ search engine (method outlined in the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan section). You may need a search tool such as ExpertFlyer for Hawaiian Airlines.
5. Call AAdvantage at 800-433-7300 and tell them your flight numbers, dates, number of passengers, and class of service.
6. Pay using AAdvantage miles and a credit card for the taxes and fees to ticket your reservation.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles is easy. Whether you’re using the Citi or Barclays co-branded AAdvantage credit cards or transferring from Marriott Bonvoy, there are plenty of ways to earn AA miles quickly.

Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner, and transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 2 business days to complete.

Bottom Line:

Partner awards are typically the best way to use American AAdvantage miles.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Lastly, we will look at one program in the SkyTeam Alliance, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Although Virgin Atlantic does not fly to Australia, its partner Delta Air Lines does.

Although Virgin has significantly devalued Delta awards over the years, some good award redemption options remain.

Virgin Atlantic utilizes a distance-based award chart for its SkyTeam partner awards. It has a particular award chart for travel on Delta and another one for Delta flights in regions outside of Europe.

Here is the award chart for Delta-operated flights based on distance:

Currently, Delta only offers one nonstop flight between the U.S. and Australia. This route can be booked for 65,500 points in economy and 165,000 points in business class.

With how far the U.S. and Australia are from each other, all flights between the continents are in the 6,001+ distance band. As a reference, the distance between Los Angeles (LAX) and Sydney (SYD) is 7,488 miles.

Fortunately, Delta’s sole Australia route features Delta One Suites, the airline’s best business-class product. Delta One Suites is considered one of the best international business class products in the world. Award availability can sometimes be hard to find, especially in premium cabins.

Finally, Virgin Atlantic also partners with Hawaiian Airlines, which can be useful for those in the Hawaiian Islands. Here’s the award chart for one-way Hawaiian Airlines flights between Hawaii and Australia:

This pricing is decent, especially if you plan to fly out of Hawaii. All the seats are lie-flat, though not all have direct aisle access. Nevertheless, for a flight of around 10 hours, 130,000 miles in business is a solid option.

Let’s put all of this together and show you some great example redemptions you can make:

• Honolulu (HNL) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Hawaiian Airlines business/first class for 130,000 Virgin Points plus around $65 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD)
  • One-way in Delta One Suites for 165,000 Virgin Points plus $5.60 in taxes and fees

Once you’ve decided on which flight you want to take, follow these steps to book your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club award flight online:

1. Visit Virgin Atlantic’s homepage.
2. Change the region by scrolling to the bottom of the page. Click the globe icon at the bottom of the page that says United States – English.
3. Once redirected to the new page, type in your flight details in the top banner of the homepage. Enter your departure and destination cities, flight type, number of passengers, and travel dates.
4. Click the button that says Advanced Search towards the bottom-right of the banner. Click Miles and select Upper Class to search for business class award space.
5. Click the arrow to perform the search. If there’s no award availability, scroll down and select Show Flights for Within 5 weeks. Redo the search.
6. You may need to play around with dates to find availability. Once located, click Next Step.
   • Although transferring points to Virgin Atlantic is normally instant, you can also request 5-day award holds by calling Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500.
7. Log in to your Flying Club account.
8. Complete your booking by paying the miles, taxes, and fees.

Booking Delta awards is completely doable online. However, you may need to call to book Hawaiian Airlines flights if no online award availability shows up.

Hot Tip:

Want to monitor flight award availability without checking every day? Check out our guide on ExpertFlyer to learn how to set up automatic flight alerts.

Earning Virgin Atlantic Points

Earning Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points is easy, as the program is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, American Express Membership Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards instantly transfer at 1:1.

Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio, usually within 1 business day. Additionally, when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you earn a 5,000-mile bonus.

It is worth noting that there are frequent transfer bonuses to Flying Club from Chase and American Express.

Final Thoughts

It can be quite difficult to redeem award tickets to Australia. Fortunately, numerous points programs from all 3 major airline alliances can help get you there. However, award availability can be hit or miss at times.

Some programs like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Avianca LifeMiles may charge a bit more for redemptions; however, earning their points and miles is easy, thanks to the numerous transfer partners of each program.

Other programs, such as ANA Mileage Club, provide some of the best rates but have limited transfer partners.

As always, it’s important to do your research and find out what program is best for you.