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ANZ Airpoints Visa Review 2026 — Is It Worth the Annual Fee?

Updated

The ANZ Airpoints Visa is ANZ’s Airpoints-earning credit card, and it carries a $65 annual fee. Here’s how the numbers work out.

Quick answer

The ANZ Airpoints Visa ($65/year) earns 1 Airpoints Dollar per $100, so Airpoints cover the fee from $6,500/year of spend, provided you pay in full monthly. Below that, a no-fee card costs less than the Airpoints you'd earn. The ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum ($150) earns 1 per $75 and includes travel insurance; its break-even spend is $11,250/year.

ANZ Airpoints Visa — Key Facts

Feature Detail
Annual fee $65
Interest rate 20.95% p.a.
Airpoints earn rate 1 Airpoints Dollar per $100 spend
Airpoints Dollar value ~$1 NZD for flight redemptions
Bonus Airpoints on application Check current ANZ offer
Interest-free period Up to 55 days
Minimum credit limit $1,000
Card network Visa
Foreign transaction fee ~2.5%
Contactless payments Yes
Apple Pay / Google Pay Yes

The Break-Even Calculation

To justify the $65 annual fee, you need to earn at least $65 in Airpoints:

Break-even spend = ($65 fee) ÷ ($1 per $100 spend) = $6,500 per year

Annual spend Airpoints earned Net value (after $65 fee)
$3,000 $30 -$35
$5,000 $50 -$15
$6,500 $65 $0 (break-even)
$10,000 $100 $35 profit
$15,000 $150 $85 profit

If you spend less than $6,500/year on your card, a no-fee card (like the Kiwibank Zero Visa) costs less than the Airpoints earned.

Features and Limitations

Features:

  • 1 Airpoints Dollar per $100 spend; Airpoints cover the $65 fee from $6,500/year of spend
  • Visa network
  • Up to 55 interest-free days

Limitations:

  • No travel insurance (the Platinum version includes it, earns 1 per $75, and costs $85 more a year)
  • 20.95% p.a. interest on a carried balance
  • ~2.5% foreign transaction fee

Airpoints Visa vs Airpoints Visa Platinum

Feature Airpoints Visa Airpoints Visa Platinum
Annual fee $65 $150
Earn rate 1 per $100 1 per $75
Travel insurance No Yes
Break-even spend $6,500 $11,250

The Platinum earns 33% more Airpoints per dollar spent and includes comprehensive travel insurance. The fee is $85 more per year. Above $11,250/year of spend, the Platinum’s Airpoints cover its fee, and the travel insurance adds value if you travel.

Full review: ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum review

How to Maximise the ANZ Airpoints Visa

  1. Use it for all spending — groceries, petrol, bills, online shopping (not just big purchases)
  2. Mind the foreign fee: the 2.5% fee applies to international purchases on this card
  3. Pay in full every month — the 20.95% rate wipes out any Airpoints earnings if you carry a balance
  4. Watch for bonus Airpoints offers — ANZ periodically offers bonus Airpoints for hitting spending milestones
  5. Link to your Airpoints account — make sure your card is correctly linked; Airpoints credit to your account monthly

Practical Airpoints Value

Airpoints Dollars can be redeemed for:

  • Air NZ flights — face value of $1 per Airpoints Dollar (best redemption)
  • Seat upgrades — good value on domestic routes
  • Partner rewards — variable value; flights are typically best
  • Airpoints merchandise — generally poor value

On $10,000/year spend, you earn 100 Airpoints Dollars per year. A one-way Wellington-Auckland economy flight costs around 100–160 Airpoints Dollars.

Summary

The ANZ Airpoints Visa costs $65 a year and earns 1 Airpoints Dollar per $100, so Airpoints cover the fee from $6,500 of annual spend if you pay in full. Below that, a no-fee card costs less. The Platinum version earns 1 per $75 and includes travel insurance for a $150 fee, with a break-even spend of $11,250.

Where to check the latest data

Rates, fees and returns change often. Before deciding, check current figures yourself:

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