Avoiding Jetstar Credit Card Fees but still get Travel Insurance?

Hoju on 17/03/2016 - 15:03

Hi guys,

About to book a trip to Hawaii, and for four of us the CC fees are $100.
BUT we get free travel insurance with our purchase, covering medical, rental car excess and loss / damage to property (among other things). Excess is $100-200.
Getting a separate similar policy for us all costs ~$200 at least.

Is there a way of making the purchase without paying the CC fees? I know you can buy vouchers but it doesn't look like the trip is covered for voucher purchases.

Just thought I'd check to see if anyone has any tips, but seems like I'd be better off just sucking up the fees.

thanks

Travel

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Comments

  • redforever on 17/03/2016 - 15:49

    Do you have commonwealth bank credit cards. You just need an active credit to activate their free travel insurance.

    • Hoju on 17/03/2016 - 15:50

      No it's Citibank platinum. Issue is the cc fees Jetstar charges as you only get the travel insurance if you buy the flights on that Cc

  • redforever on 17/03/2016 - 15:57

    Well either pay your cc surcharge or apply for a new commonwealth cc with free insurance.

  • modsec802 on 17/03/2016 - 19:13

    The ANZ insurance covers ground purchases like hotels: does yours offer the same?

    • Hoju on 17/03/2016 - 21:18

      Yep it's pretty good. Guess I'll just have to stomach the surcharge (or go without travel insurance)…

  • leslie knope on 17/03/2016 - 21:57

    Check out this previous OzBargain post by retiltxet Avoid Jetstar booking fee

    Essentially you use Skyscanner to send you to the US Jetstar site, where no credit card fees will be charged.

    • Hoju on 17/03/2016 - 22:13

      Outstanding! Thanks I will give it a go. Hooray ozbargain.

    • mrtin on 24/05/2016 - 23:52

      Damn! Read this too late!

  • W0rldtraveller on 18/03/2016 - 08:57

    as far as i know since i was working in banking industry. all the purchase in to be done or made in Australia? as the purchase is in US the insurance will not honor it

    • leslie knope on 18/03/2016 - 09:26

      The flight originates in Australia, so Jetstar will charge you in AUD. Most likely Jetstar would use their Australian merchant accounts for AUD purchases.

      • Hoju on 18/03/2016 - 10:01

        This is the main thing. Travel has to start in Australia. So should be ok ;)

  • W0rldtraveller on 18/03/2016 - 10:13

    Like i said, im was working in bank institution. you can talk until the world end. they will not honor it

    best option for you to use commbank cc. where you do not require purchase using CBA credit card, what you need to do just activate it.

    thank you

    • [Deactivated] on 18/03/2016 - 13:18

      Damn son, your vocab and grammar is horrible….

    • leslie knope on 18/03/2016 - 14:01
      +1

      The Terms & Conditions don't agree with your opinion.

      • Hoju on 18/03/2016 - 16:43

        Yeh there is no mention of anything to do with where purchase is made. As long as you're an Australian resident.

  • Hoju on 20/03/2016 - 08:04
    +1

    @Madge - THANK YOU SO MUCH for pointing out the other forum link. I searched and found nothing, and your post pointed me in the right direction and saved me $100. Just another example of the value of OzBargain, thank you!

    Also I read the T&Cs and there is NOTHING regarding the purchase needing to be made on an Australian website. It's in AUD. What if you just happen to be in the US and directed to the US website when you make the booking?

    Who is eligible?
    A cardholder with a Prestige Card, Signature Card, Platinum Card or Citibusiness Gold Card is eligible for this International Travel Insurance when they meet all of the following criteria:
    1. the cardholder’s travel is for no more than six (6) consecutive months or three (3) months for Citibusiness Gold Card cardholders; and
    2. before leaving Australia the cardholder obtains their overseas travel ticket (but not taxes or airport or travel agent charges) by one or a combination of the following methods:
    (a) charging the cost of the overseas travel ticket to the cardholder’s card; or
    (b) obtaining the overseas travel ticket under the Citibank Travel Program; or
    (c) obtaining the overseas travel ticket via the cardholder’s airline frequent flyerprogram, provided that a minimum of15,000 points were transferred to that frequent flyer program from points earned on a Citibank Card or via Citi Rewards, over a 12 month period prior to obtaining the overseas travel ticket; and
    3. the person is a cardholder at the time they obtain their overseas travel ticket.

    ‘overseas travel ticket’ means either:
    • a one way ticket from Australia to an overseas
    destination; or
    • a return ticket to an overseas destination and
    returning to Australia.

  • DeadlySaber on 05/05/2016 - 15:30

    It seems they've plugged the hole. There isn't any departure cities other than Honolulu in Jetstar US website so couldn't book return flight from Sydney.

    • Hoju on 05/05/2016 - 20:09

      Weird yeh I just had a look and it doesn't seem to be working, doing the same thing I did last time.
      Sneaky buggers, gee it almost makes me wonder how many companies are checking out ozbargain and blocking the loopholes we all manage to find.

  • BargainShopaholic on 27/05/2016 - 22:50
    +1

    This is what I posted in the recent Jetstar Birthday sale. It works for me every time.

    In case some people didn't know, if you want to get Credit Card points or travel insurance with your credit, but don't want to pay the CC surcharge, you can do the following:

    Make sure you have an online Jetstar account first, so sign up, it's free.

    Find your desired flights
    At payment stage, choose "Direct Debit". This will hold your seats for 48 hours.
    Buy Jetstar voucher for denomination closest to the cost of your flights, don't go over (unused credits are forfeited)!
    Wait for your voucher to arrive.
    Once your voucher arrives, log into your Jetstar account, you'll see your pending booking there
    Click on that pending booking, and proceed to make payment
    Pay with your Jetstar voucher. (Pay the rest with Poli if your Jetstar voucher doesn't cover the full cost)
    And you are done :)

    Bought flights to Bali using the above method, and on two separate itineraries too to get 2 x $25 hotel vouchers. Very happy.

    • Hoju on 28/05/2016 - 06:09

      I don't think this will get you credit card company issued travel insurance as all you've bought with the card is the gift card, not the flight.

      • BargainShopaholic on 28/05/2016 - 16:46

        You'll have to check the PDS of your policy.

        I'm with ANZ, and all it requires it that $250 is spent towards travel expenses.

        So the fact that I used the credit card to purchase the gift card, which in turn was used for the flight, meant that I would be qualified.

        I know this because I was able to claim on insurance last year.

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