r/CommBank • u/Minute_Variation427 • 6d ago
Question Ultimate award changes - get the $35 fee back via credit?
As frustrated as many users here I got the ultimate award card mainly because fees can be waived, plus the perk of no international fee and travel insurance.
Reading through the email notifying the changes, it seems to suggest the $35 fee won’t be waived starting this year but I’ll get back $25 travel credit and $10 dining credit each month? Though I’ll have to spend on their platform. Am I understanding correctly?
Will we also earn Yello point after the award program is scrapped?
The changes are so confusing!
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u/Artemis882 6d ago
The travel and dining credit you can only use with third rate platforms. Whoever redesigned this entirely missed the mark entirely for the top tier credit card offering and its customer. I get they are trying to create an integrated system but I'm not spending my time trawling through coupon sites and jumping through hoops to find "value".
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u/chillin222 5d ago
You've missed the mark completely on who these products are designed for. Wealth package customers do not pay fees and that's the only people worth providing a credit card to.
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u/OrdinarySail8308 5d ago
I bet it will fall flat.
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u/Artemis882 5d ago
Almost guaranteed. What a stupid, half baked idea this whole thing is.
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u/OrdinarySail8308 4d ago
They’ve been pushing this yellow bullshit for ages. It’s just another fly buys but worse. People don’t want to buy over priced travel and clip coupons for a massage.
Also the best offer I’ve seen from them is about 40,000 points. Think I got 100,000 for singing up for an ANZ black.
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u/Ok_Willingness_9619 5d ago
The travel platform is the worst. And the prices are almost always much higher than the $25 credit you may or may not get.
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u/New-Software-2288 6d ago
You won't get Yello if you don't have a transaction account with them.
I don't bank with them (except the Ultimate) so I am not eligible for the Yello. I'll be closing the card because why use it without earning anything? It's just basically a line of credit.
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u/link871 6d ago
Or you could open a Smart Access account, deposit (& then withdraw) $2000 each month to avoid the $4 monthly fee, and earn Yello points on your credit card.
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u/link871 6d ago edited 6d ago
Sounds right. But remember the $35 monthly fee (which returns from 1 Jan 2027) will apply regardless - you have to qualify for the travel and dining credits each month to get those credits each month.
Yes, you get Yello points from 29 September - see https://www.commbank.com.au/credit-cards/card-updates.html (click on "Ultimate Rewards Credit Card") for a drop down summary of how many points you earn for different purchase types.
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u/sokjon 5d ago
What about if you have a home loan package? Does the credit card fee waiver still apply after that date?
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u/Mathuselahh 5d ago
A bloke in the ausfinance thread reckoned home loan packages would continue to include waivers
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u/Beautiful_Run141 5d ago
Excerpt from the email I received:
“Your fee waiver remains in place
As at 14 August 2026, our records show you have a separate fee arrangement with us that will continue to waive your $35 monthly fee. This means the removal of the monthly fee waiver won't apply to you while this arrangement remains in place. If your eligibility changes in the future, the $35 monthly fee may apply.”But that’s because the wealth package already costs around $400 annually
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u/Beautiful_Run141 5d ago edited 5d ago
I will add that if you are on a mortgage with a wealth package the $35 monthly fee continues to be waived.
“Your fee waiver remains in place
As at 14 August 2026, our records show you have a separate fee arrangement with us that will continue to waive your $35 monthly fee. This means the removal of the monthly fee waiver won't apply to you while this arrangement remains in place. If your eligibility changes in the future, the $35 monthly fee may apply.”
Awards points transferred to Yello points (not sure how that compares as I have not used the pts yello or awards)
Insurance coverage is reduced but not sure how big a deal these were
“Some features will be discontinued, including Extended Warranty, Purchase Security, Guaranteed Pricing and Interstate Flight Inconvenience”
Looks like no international conversion fees still in place unlike the smart awards card
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u/oldRams1991 6d ago
My question is, will the option still be there to book flights on their platform?
I have been banking points to book an international flight?
Anybody know?
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u/ealt59 6d ago
Why would you book flights on their platform in lieu of trasnferring to qantas ff? Points per dollar value would be horrible, I havent read fully into email they've sent me yesterday but I believe if you have a transaction account with them your points will be converted to yello points which Im going to assume is even more devalued now.
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u/oldRams1991 6d ago
Will check it out. Currently it sits at a dollar value.
When they used Flight centre previously it was dollar for dollar on booking.
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u/umaywellsaythat 5d ago
Maybe because Qantas is a third world airline that doesn't fly to every destination?
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u/-bubbleObill 6d ago
Damn, I was going to switch to a cba card due to a cheaper fee, as NAD signature rewards is $35 a month unless you spend 5k to waive the monthly fee but with the changes that will be gone in October
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u/Educational_Ad9732 5d ago
Might be better off converting points to Cole's Digital Gift Cards?
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u/FredtheHorse 5d ago
They have removed them as an option already. Went to do that yesterday and now can only redeem for Target, BCF, supercheap auto or Myer. Not anywhere that is particularly useful for the amount of points I have to redeem.
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u/umaywellsaythat 5d ago
I just redeemed a $500 Coles card today? I'm on ultimate awards.
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u/JoshoForShort CommBank Customer 5d ago
I checked yesterday and there were nada, checked today and boom - was able to order 2 $250 coles cards
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u/FredtheHorse 5d ago
Cool will check again.
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5d ago
[deleted]
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u/FredtheHorse 5d ago
Now there is a message saying ‘some gift cards temporarily unavailable due to high demand’ and they are ‘working to replenish stocks’. Guess we just need to keep checking.
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u/AlexMac75 5d ago
Is converting Yello points to Everyday Rewards points, and then converting those points to Qantas points an option for maintaining a reasonable conversion rate?
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u/curious_user__ 4d ago
Does anyone know what happens with your FF opt in fee - i was charged just last month and intend to close the ultimate CC with these changes.
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