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Travel Rewards · South Africa

Absa Premium Banking Credit Card

4.2 / 5 editorial rating

Best for: travellers who want lounge visits and up to R3 million travel cover.

Annual feeR115/mo
IssuerAbsa
NetworkSee issuer
Purchase APRPersonalised, up to the NCA…
Foreign transaction fee2.50% currency conversion fe…
Credit neededR25,000 a month

Pros

  • Up to 57 interest-free days
  • Lounge visits and strong travel cover
  • Lower 2.50% currency conversion fee than most rivals

Cons

  • Lounge visits depend on meeting spend criteria
  • International transaction fee also applies to rand payments to foreign merchants

Rates and offers change. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's official site before applying. Independent comparison — not financial advice.

The Absa Premium Banking Credit Card costs R115 a month and adds 12 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year and up to R3 million in travel cover. It is aimed at earners from R25,000 a month.

Absa Premium Banking Credit Card at a glance

IssuerAbsa
Card networkSee issuer
Annual feeR115/month
Rewards rateAbsa Rewards cash back at Rewards partners, with rates set by your Rewards tier
Welcome bonusSee issuer for the current offer
Intro APRNone
Regular APRPersonalised, up to the NCA maximum
Foreign transaction fee2.50% currency conversion fee; 2.50% international transaction fee on payments to international merchants
Credit neededR25,000 a month
Best forLounge visits, R3 million travel cover and 57 interest-free days

Key features

  • 12 complimentary Bidvest Premier lounge visits a year (spend criteria apply)
  • Automatic basic travel cover of up to R3 million on international bookings
  • Up to 57 days interest-free on qualifying transactions
  • Credit limit of up to R138,000, subject to affordability
  • No monthly card fee when held with an Absa Ultimate Plus account

Pros

  • Up to 57 interest-free days
  • Lounge visits and strong travel cover
  • Lower 2.50% currency conversion fee than most rivals

Cons

  • Lounge visits depend on meeting spend criteria
  • International transaction fee also applies to rand payments to foreign merchants

Before you apply: confirm the current annual fee, interest rate, rewards and eligibility on the issuer's official site. CreditCardCompare is an independent comparison resource, not the card issuer, and this is not financial advice.

Sources: absa.co.za · absa.co.za

How it compares with similar South Africa cards

CardAnnual feeRewardsIntro APRForeign feeCredit neededRating
Absa Premium Banking Credit CardLounge visits, R3 million travel cover and 57 interest-free days
R115/mo Absa Rewards cash back at Rewards partners, with rates set by your Rew… None 2.50% currency conversion… R25,000 a month 4.2
Nedbank Platinum Credit CardAffordable domestic lounge access and travel insurance
R110/mo Nedbank Greenbacks on eligible spend; Nedbank advertises up to 2% unli… None 2.75% currency conversion… R25,000 a month 4.3
Standard Bank World Citizen Credit CardHigh earners who fly often and will meet the lounge spend threshold
R340/mo UCount Rewards: earn up to 3 times more UCount points than with a debi… None 2.25% international transa… R92,000 a month 4.0

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