BNZ Credit Cards
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If you’re considering a BNZ credit card, check out what products the company has to offer by using Canstar’s Star Ratings.
Types of BNZ credit cards
BNZ has three different credit cards available for you to choose from:
- BNZ Low Rate MasterCard
- BNZ Advantage Classic Visa
- BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum
All BNZ credit cards come with fraud liability cover, online safeguards from Visa and MasterCard, purchase protection if you don’t receive your order and anti-theft encryption technology on your card.
BNZ Low Rate MasterCard
The Low Rate MasterCard is BNZ’s standard card, with a low interest rate on purchases making it perfect for everyday use. You also get interest-free balance transfers for the first 12 months.
Features
- Interest rate on purchases: 13.45% p.a.
- Interest rate on cash advances: 22.95% p.a.; limit of $2,000 per day
- Interest-free days: Up to 55 days interest-free
- Balance transfers: 0% p.a. for the first 12 months
- Annual fee: $60
- Online: 24/7 online banking
- Contactless: Full contactless payments support with PayPass
BNZ Advantage Classic Visa
The Advantage Classic Visa card offers you cash back or rewards points on larger purchases, making it a good option for buying expensive or bulk items.
Features
- Interest rate on purchases: 20.95% p.a.
- Interest rate on cash advances: 22.95% p.a.
- Balance transfers: 0% p.a. for the first 12 months
- Annual fee: $40
- Interest-free days: Up to 55 days interest-free
- Rewards: $1 cash back for every $150 spent, or 1 FlyBuys point for every $40 spent
- Contactless: Contactless payments enabled via Visa payWave
- Online: 24/7 online banking
- Security: Secure online shopping via Verified by Visa, and fraud monitoring for suspicious activity
BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum
The Advantage Visa Platinum is an upgraded version of the BNZ Advantage Classic, with improved features and some differences.
- Interest rate on purchases: 18.95% p.a.
- Interest rate on cash advances: 18.95% p.a.
- Balance transfers: 0% p.a. for the first 12 months
- Annual fee: $145
- Overseas travel insurance: Up to 90 days when you use your card for purchases
- Rewards: $1 cash back for every $75 spent, or 1 Fly Buys point for every $15 spent
- Unlimited CashBack rewards
- Free replacement cards, statement copies and voucher copies
- Platinum Visa services including 0% commission on foreign currency purchases and Visa Concierge services
- Contactless: Tap & Pay with Visa payWave for purchases under $80; Apple Pay & BNZ goMoney Wallet also supported
Eligibility to apply for BNZ credit cards
To apply for any of BNZ’s credit cards, you must be able to satisfy the following criteria:
- You must be a New Zealand resident
- You must be over 18 years of age
- You must not have declared bankruptcy or insolvency in the last five years
If you satisfy all of the above criteria, you can apply online for a credit card using the BNZ website, call BNZ on 0800 735 901 or visit a branch to apply in person. BNZ says approved card applicants generally receive conformation of approval within 24 hours, and the new card should arrive within five to seven work days.
How to apply for a BNZ credit card
You will need the usual documentation to apply for a credit card, including:
- Your employment details
- Your annual income
- Your usual living expenses
- Details about assets you own such as a home, car, other belongings or savings
- Any debts you currently owe on other credit cards, loans or overdrafts
If you don’t currently have a BNZ bank account, you’ll also need to provide:
- Valid identification
- Mail that has been addressed to your residential address in the past three months
Read our checklist on applying for a credit card for a more detailed explanation of how the process works.
BNZ credit card FAQs
You’ll need to activate your new credit card before you can start using it. After receiving your card, you can activate it online by logging in to either online banking or the BNZ mobile app, and following the prompts.
Compare Credit CardsYou can manage your BNZ credit card through online banking. By using BNZ’s online banking service, you can make and receive payments, access statements and transaction details, and view all of your accounts to see how much you owe.
Compare Balance TransfersWhen interest is charged
Interest is charged on purchases when you carry a balance on your BNZ credit card, and is charged on cash advances from the date of withdrawal. Interest is calculated daily on your outstanding balance, and charged to you monthly on your regular statement.
When interest is not charged
Up to 55 interest-free days apply to BNZ credit card purchases, depending on which card you have. This applies if you have paid the balance in full for the previous month’s statement and for the current month’s statement. For more information about interest-free days, check out our article on how they work.
Your credit limit for a BNZ credit card will be determined based on the information you provide in your application, keeping in mind the minimum and maximum credit limits available for each card. Find out more about how credit limits are determined here.
To change the credit limit on your card, you can submit an online request to BNZ at any time, or visit a branch with a valid form of photo ID to change it in person.
You can close your BNZ credit card account at any time by sending a written request to your BNZ branch. Your card balance will need to be repaid in full even after the card is closed, and you will continue to receive monthly statements until your card balance is fully repaid.
If you’re cancelling your credit card with BNZ because you’re struggling financially, contact its financial hardship team to find a potential solution.
If you’re cancelling your credit card because you aren’t happy with it, then consider checking out what else is on the market by clicking the button below to compare credit cards using the Canstar website:
Compare Credit CardsBNZ is one of the oldest companies in New Zealand, having opened its first branch in Auckland back in 1861. Over the years the bank has held the account of the New Zealand Government, opened offices all around the world, become the first bank in the nation to offer personal loans, along with many other milestones. BNZ was acquired by National Australia Bank (NAB) in 1992, and has since expanded into one of New Zealand’s largest financial institutions.
BNZ is active in the community, with a plethora of sponsorships and volunteering initiatives. The company’s Closed For Good program sees the bank close its doors for one day a year and send more than 3,000 staff out to volunteer on projects nationwide. BNZ has partnerships with organisations such as Plunket, to help young families budget, and Age Concern, which works to reduce financial abuse of the elderly. The bank also provides financial literacy education to under-resourced communities.
BNZ is committed to sustainable development. The bank was the first to become fully carbon neutral in September 2010, and in the same year became New Zealand’s largest Fairtrade workplace, meaning that all tea, coffee and sugar consumed by BNZ is Fairtrade-certified. Each of BNZ’s three main office buildings has a 5-star environmental rating, and the company also has an internal Green Team of over 300 staff members who advocate for more sustainable practices. With 89% of BNZ’s transactions now made online, the company is moving rapidly towards a future with less material consumption.
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View the 2018 Credit Card Star Ratings Report