The secret to scoring free upgrades: the best airline credit cards revealed

We all have that fancy friend who travels in business class and loves to share every bit of the experience on Instagram. You know the drill – I’m talking about the friend who starts posting on their stories the minute they board a flight, showing off the big comfy seats, the extra legroom, the in-flight entertainment setup, and the rest. As a kicker, they’ll probably also share a photo of them holding a glass of bubbles, toasting the fabulous vacation upon which they’re about to embark.

That person is the worst, but you’ve gotta admit, the experience does look like fun. If you’ve ever wanted to be that annoying friend flying business class, then an upgrade could actually be closer than you think, and credit card reward points (used responsibly) could potentially help you get there. Choosing the right Instagram caption is up to you, but here are some things we can help you out with and some info to keep in mind.

Can you score flight upgrades with your credit card?

Yes, if you are part of a frequent flyer program – potentially Virgin’s Velocity Frequent Flyer or Qantas Frequent Flyer, then you can use points to upgrade your seat. There are actually two ways you might go about this, depending on the kind of credit card you have – some cards will allow you to earn frequent flyer points directly by spending, while others will give you reward points, which can then be converted to frequent flyer points with the relevant frequent flyer program.

When you’ve accumulated enough frequent flyer points in your account, you can put them towards an upgrade on your next flight, to potentially get you in one of those comfy business class seats. Say, for example, that you’ve booked economy seats on a flight to Tokyo, and you’re keen to upgrade.

At the time of writing, Qantas says that it will cost you 29,900 Qantas Points to upgrade to business class from flexible economy seats for a one-way trip from Brisbane to Tokyo. Based on information available on Virgin’s website at the time of writing, an upgrade to business class from flexible economy for a one-way flight from Brisbane to Tokyo would cost approximately 40,000 Velocity Points.

What are the best airline credit cards?

At the time of writing, the following frequent flyer credit cards on Canstar’s database have a 5-Star rating:

• American Express Qantas Ultimate Card
• American Express Velocity Escape Plus Card
• American Express Explorer Credit Card
• American Express Velocity Platinum Card
• American Express Qantas Ultimate Card

All of these cards are connected with either the Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Frequent Flyer programs, and this assumes a monthly spend of $3,000. When comparing frequent flyer credit cards, it’s important to consider your needs and requirements – for example, the points earn rate and expiry conditions, any applicable fees and charges, and any other perks on offer, like airport lounge access and complimentary travel insurance. You can read Canstar’s methodology for Credit Card Star Ratings here, to learn more about how the scores are calculated.

Some cards also offer signup incentives – for instance, at the time of writing, the American Express Qantas Ultimate Card offers 50,000 bonus Qantas points on signup, provided you spend $5,000 in the first three months (this offer ends on 1 July 2025).

What other perks can you score with airline credit cards?

Upgraded seats are not the only perks that you can potentially score with frequent flyer credit cards. Depending on the kind of card you have, you may be able to have access to additional benefits such as annual travel credit, airport lounge access, complimentary travel insurance, and deals with partner rental car companies or hotels.

What do you need to be wary of when it comes to credit cards?

The most important thing to remember when taking out any sort of credit card, including a frequent flyer card, is that you will need to manage it responsibly to avoid incurring significant expenses. When you spend on a credit card, you will need to pay off the balance owing each statement period, or you will be charged interest, and for rewards cards such as frequent flyer cards, interest can be significant. Likewise, rewards cards tend to come with higher annual fees than other kinds of credit cards.

It is also important to keep in mind that, while perks such as rewards points to spend on frequent flyer miles can be tempting, it is not advisable to spend beyond your means on a credit card just to gain access to these perks. If you are confident in your ability to manage a credit card and pay your balance off each statement period to avoid being charged interest, the perks can be a nice added bonus. You should only consider taking out a credit card, though, if you are confident in your ability to use it responsibly.

Cover image source: LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com