For Australian travellers chasing Qantas Points, two heavyweight credit cards frequently rise to the top of the conversation: the NAB Qantas Rewards Signature and the Westpac Altitude Qantas Black. Both target frequent flyers with large sign up bonuses, boosted earn rates and travel perks, but they suit different types of spenders and different styles of travel. Understanding how each card actually works on a real trip can make the difference between a free flight to Tokyo and a pile of points that never quite add up.
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Key features at a glance
Both cards are premium Qantas Frequent Flyer products. As of mid 2026, NAB Qantas Rewards Signature typically offers up to around 130,000 bonus Qantas Points plus a cashback sweetener when you meet a minimum spend within the first 90 days and keep the card for over 12 months. The standard annual fee sits in the region of $420, occasionally discounted in the first year during promotions. The card earns 1 Qantas Point per dollar on everyday spend up to a monthly cap, then a reduced rate on higher spend, plus an extra point per dollar on eligible Qantas purchases such as flights booked directly with the airline.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black, on the other hand, positions itself as a flagship Qantas card. Current offers are up to about 150,000 bonus Qantas Points split over two years when you hit spend targets in each year, with a standard card fee around $295 plus a separate annual Qantas rewards program fee of about $75. Existing Westpac customers can often access a discounted first year card fee, which meaningfully changes the value equation in year one.
On paper, Westpac delivers a slightly larger maximum sign up haul and includes two Qantas Club lounge invitations per anniversary year when you meet simple activity criteria. NAB counters with a higher face value annual fee but often couples it with cashback and a simpler one year sign up structure. The better card for you depends on whether you are looking for a one year, high impact bonus or a card that might stay in your wallet for several years.
It is important to remember that both banks expect you to pay the annual fee in full and clear your balance every month to come out ahead. These cards are designed for disciplined cardholders who never revolve interest and who are already spending enough on travel, dining and general living costs to meet the minimum spend without changing their habits dramatically.
Points earn rates in real travel scenarios
Earn rates decide how quickly your day to day spending turns into flights. NAB Qantas Rewards Signature earns roughly 1 Qantas Point per dollar on most everyday purchases up to a monthly threshold of a few thousand dollars, then drops to about 0.5 points per dollar on additional spend up to a higher cap. There is also a bonus point per dollar on selected Qantas products and services purchased directly from the airline, such as flights and seat upgrades. That means a $1,000 return fare from Sydney to Singapore booked on the Qantas website could earn around 2,000 points from card spend alone, before airline flight points are added.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black uses a tiered structure based on merchant type rather than statement caps. Everyday spend at major supermarkets, petrol stations, dining and utilities can earn around 0.8 Qantas Points per dollar, with 0.5 points per dollar for most other purchases and a higher rate for selected Qantas transactions. On an average month where you spend $1,200 at Woolworths and Coles, $400 on fuel at BP and $800 on restaurants and takeaway, that single category alone could generate close to 1,900 Qantas Points before considering other transactions.
Consider a traveller who spends $4,000 a month on a mix of groceries, fuel, dining and online shopping and takes one $1,500 Qantas international flight every six months. With NAB, the first $5,000 of spend per statement period sits at the higher earn rate, so most of that $4,000 monthly budget earns at 1 point per dollar, plus an extra point per dollar for the Qantas flight purchases. Over a year, that kind of pattern can produce in the ballpark of 55,000 to 60,000 card points on top of any sign up bonus. With Westpac, the same spending may generate a similar or slightly higher annual total if a large proportion falls into the boosted everyday categories.
The key practical difference is predictability. NAB’s caps reward high but not extreme spenders and are easy to model across a year. Westpac’s category approach favours people who can concentrate more of their spend at supermarkets, major petrol brands and frequent dining rather than spread it across smaller or international merchants. If most of your Australian living expenses run through a major supermarket and petrol chain, Westpac’s structure can quietly outperform NAB over time.
Sign up bonuses and one off value
For many travellers, the headline sign up bonus is the main attraction. NAB Qantas Rewards Signature’s current structure is designed to push you to hold the card for at least 12 months. New cardholders may receive a large chunk of points, for example 100,000 Qantas Points, after spending around $5,000 in the first three months. A second smaller batch, such as 30,000 points, can land after you keep the account open for over a year. The bonus is sometimes paired with $250 cashback, which effectively offsets more than half of the first year fee if it is credited back to the card.
In real terms, 130,000 Qantas Points can be enough for a return economy ticket from Melbourne to Los Angeles with taxes and charges paid separately, or a one way business class seat from Sydney to Tokyo with points to spare. Many cardholders use the bonus to book a premium cabin leg on a longer trip, for example flying Brisbane to Singapore in Qantas business on points, then continuing to Europe on a paid low cost ticket.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black usually spreads its bonus across two periods. A typical structure is 90,000 Qantas Points in the first year when you spend around $6,000 in the first 90 or 120 days, plus an additional 60,000 points when you hit a similar spend in the first three or four months after your first card anniversary. That suits travellers who either plan to keep the card over two years or who have sustained high expenses, such as a major renovation or school fees, that can be timed around both spend windows.
Practically, a couple planning a European holiday in 18 months could open the Westpac card now, use the first year bonus and regular earn to book two economy or one business class reward seats to Singapore for next winter, then use the second year bonus to secure upgrades on the return journey. By contrast, someone planning a once off big trip in the next 9 months might prefer NAB’s simpler one year structure combined with cashback, then close or downgrade the card once the trip is booked.
Annual fees, lounge access and travel perks
While NAB Qantas Rewards Signature carries a relatively high annual fee of about $420, it does not charge a separate Qantas rewards program fee. Westpac Altitude Qantas Black appears cheaper at first glance with a card fee around $295, but then adds an annual Qantas rewards program fee of about $75, bringing the combined yearly cost closer to $370. Existing Westpac customers, however, are often offered a first year discount that can drop the card fee to roughly $200, making the first year significantly less expensive than NAB for many people.
One of Westpac’s strongest travel drawcards is lounge access. Altitude Qantas Black cardholders earning Qantas Points can receive two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations every year, once they have registered their card for the lounge benefit and made an eligible Qantas purchase in Australia. In practice, that means you could buy a $49 Sydney to Melbourne sale fare, charge it to your card, and then enjoy the domestic Qantas Club in both directions with complimentary food, drinks and showers valued at more than $100 in total.
NAB Qantas Rewards Signature does not routinely include Qantas Club lounge passes, which leaves a noticeable gap for travellers who value pre flight comfort. Instead, NAB leans on a suite of complimentary insurance covers and a concierge service. Frequent travellers who already buy lounge memberships or who fly in business class on work trips might consider this a fair trade, but leisure travellers planning just one or two trips a year often place more value on hard benefits like lounge entry.
Other perks, such as concierge services that can help with restaurant bookings in destinations like Tokyo or securing last minute theatre tickets in London, are available through both providers at this premium level. These services can be helpful when travelling in unfamiliar cities, though many cardholders underuse them. In day to day life, however, most of the ongoing value beyond sign up bonuses comes from points earn and lounge access rather than concierge perks.
Complimentary insurance and protections
Premium Qantas cards frequently include complimentary travel insurance, but the exact coverage and activation conditions differ. NAB Qantas Rewards Signature bundles several insurances when you pay for eligible travel or goods with the card. The package typically includes international travel insurance that can cover overseas medical expenses, trip cancellation and lost luggage for trips of a limited duration, alongside purchase protection and extended warranty on eligible items bought in Australia.
For example, if you book a $3,000 family trip from Perth to Bali with flights and a prepaid hotel using your NAB card, you may qualify for built in travel insurance that covers you if your luggage is delayed or if a family member falls sick before departure and you need to cancel. Similarly, purchase protection can help if the new laptop you bought in Sydney for $1,800 is stolen within three months.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black offers a comparable mix of international travel insurance, extended warranty and purchase security for cardholders who meet activation criteria, usually by charging a minimum proportion of their trip costs to the card. A couple flying from Adelaide to Queenstown for a ski holiday and paying for flights and lift passes on their Westpac card may qualify for automatic cover that would otherwise cost several hundred dollars if bought separately through a travel insurer.
In both cases, travellers must read the product disclosure statement carefully. Age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and maximum trip durations can all affect eligibility. Some policies exclude adventurous activities such as off piste skiing or motorbike hire above a certain engine size. As a rule of thumb, if you regularly engage in higher risk activities or travel for more than 3 months at a time, you should treat complimentary insurance as a useful backup rather than your only protection.
Which card suits which type of traveller?
The right choice often comes down to your travel style, spending profile and bank relationship rather than which card looks more glamorous. If you are already a Westpac customer, can access a discounted first year fee and value Qantas lounge access before flights out of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, the Altitude Qantas Black is often the more compelling overall package. For example, a Sydney based consultant who flies twice a month to Melbourne on discount economy fares can quickly monetise the two annual lounge invitations, relax before flights and still enjoy strong earn rates at supermarkets and petrol stations.
By contrast, if you are drawn to a very large sign up bonus in a single 12 month window and you are not overly concerned about lounge passes, NAB Qantas Rewards Signature can shine. A Brisbane family planning a once in a decade Europe trip could funnel their household spending through the NAB card for a year, meet the sign up requirements and emerge with enough points to book four one way economy tickets from Brisbane to Singapore or Tokyo, saving several thousand dollars in cash fares.
High spenders who regularly charge more than $6,000 per month to their card and who can optimise their spending categories may find Westpac’s structure produces more Qantas Points per year when combined with the two stage bonus. On the other hand, moderate spenders who sit comfortably under NAB’s monthly cap, spend heavily directly with Qantas and prefer a simpler earn structure may appreciate the predictability of NAB’s point accumulation.
Your existing card portfolio also matters. If you have recently held another Westpac Altitude Black or Platinum card, you may be excluded from the current Westpac bonus for a period, making NAB immediately more attractive. Similarly, if you have held a NAB Qantas Rewards card in the last couple of years, you may not qualify for the full NAB sign up offer and could lean towards Westpac instead. These waiting periods are crucial for travellers who regularly switch cards to chase bonuses and should be checked before applying.
The Takeaway
When you strip away marketing language, the NAB Qantas Rewards Signature and Westpac Altitude Qantas Black serve slightly different niches in the Qantas ecosystem. NAB typically offers a very strong one year bonus plus cashback in exchange for a higher annual fee and no bundled Qantas lounge passes. Westpac counters with an attractive two year points structure, lower core fee especially for existing customers, dedicated lounge invitations and a category based earn model that rewards supermarket and fuel heavy spending.
For a traveller who wants a huge shot of Qantas Points in the next 6 to 12 months to unlock a specific trip and who is comfortable paying a higher annual fee upfront, NAB Qantas Rewards Signature often wins. For someone who is already with Westpac, expects to keep the card longer, values Qantas Club access on at least one or two trips a year and spends heavily with major Australian merchants, Westpac Altitude Qantas Black can deliver more practical value over time.
Whichever card you choose, the real determinant of value is how you use it. Charging your existing expenses in full, clearing your balance every month, booking reward seats early on popular routes like Sydney to Tokyo or Melbourne to Singapore and using lounge passes strategically can easily turn a single sign up into a business class experience that would otherwise be out of reach. Travelers who treat these cards as tools rather than status symbols are the ones who ultimately come out ahead.
FAQ
Q1. Which card gives more Qantas Points overall, NAB Qantas Signature or Westpac Altitude Black?
The total points you earn depends on your spending pattern and how long you keep the card. NAB often provides a very high one year sign up bonus, while Westpac can exceed it over two years if you meet both annual spend targets and use the higher supermarket and fuel earn rates effectively.
Q2. Which card is better for lounge access?
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black is better for lounge access because it usually includes two Qantas Club lounge invitations each year when you register and make an eligible Qantas purchase. NAB Qantas Rewards Signature does not routinely offer Qantas Club passes.
Q3. Is the higher NAB annual fee worth paying for travellers?
The higher NAB annual fee can be worthwhile if you fully use the large sign up bonus and any cashback in the first year. For example, redeeming 130,000 Qantas Points for a long haul flight in economy or premium cabins can easily outweigh the fee if you never pay interest.
Q4. Do both cards charge extra fees for earning Qantas Points?
NAB Qantas Rewards Signature usually has a single annual card fee that covers Qantas earning. Westpac Altitude Qantas Black adds a separate annual Qantas rewards program fee on top of the card fee, so you need to factor both into your calculations.
Q5. Which card is better for overseas travel and spending?
Neither card is a specialist for overseas transactions because both typically charge international transaction fees on foreign currency purchases. If you travel often, you may want to pair either Qantas card with a separate low or no foreign transaction fee card and use the Qantas card mainly for flights, hotels and domestic spending.
Q6. How realistic are the minimum spend requirements for the bonuses?
For many dual income households in Australian cities, spends of $5,000 to $6,000 over 3 or 4 months can be achievable using regular expenses like groceries, fuel, bills and insurance. Single travellers or students with lower budgets may find those thresholds challenging without shifting large one off purchases such as furniture or flights to the card.
Q7. Can I hold both the NAB and Westpac cards at the same time?
Yes, you can hold both cards simultaneously as long as you meet each bank’s lending criteria. However, you should check the eligibility rules for sign up bonuses and ensure previous cards held with either bank or program do not disqualify you from new offers.
Q8. Which card is better if I mainly fly domestically within Australia?
If you fly domestically a few times a year and value starting your trip in a lounge with free food and drinks, Westpac Altitude Qantas Black often comes out ahead thanks to its Qantas Club invitations. If you care more about a one time large points balance to redeem for a big international trip, NAB’s stronger first year bonus could be more appealing.
Q9. How do the complimentary insurance policies compare?
Both cards offer international travel insurance and purchase protections when you pay for eligible travel or goods with the card. Coverage details, including age limits and pre existing condition rules, differ and are outlined in each provider’s product disclosure statement, so you should compare the fine print to your specific travel plans.
Q10. If I cancel my card after receiving the bonus, can the bank take my Qantas Points back?
Once points are transferred to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account they are generally under Qantas program rules, not the bank’s. However, some offers require you to keep the card open for a set period to receive all bonus instalments, so cancelling early may mean you forfeit later batches of points even if the first instalment remains.