The first credit cards have been revealed under the new partnership between iconic Australian retailer David Jones and Australia’s leading consumer lender Latitude Financial. After terminating its contract with American Express in 2023, David Jones signed an exclusive 10-year agreement with Latitude Financial. Latitude currently partners with prominent brands such as JB HiFi, Harvey Norman, Samsung and Apple.Now, the first Latitude-issued credit cards have been released. Compared side-by-side, the new David Jones Premier and David Jones Prestige cards include similar features to the now-discontinued American Express cards. Both cards earn points on everyday spending and include exclusive invitations to events and previews, shopping discounts and free delivery for online orders. David Jones is also offering travel discounts with Expedia, Wotif and booking.com when you book using your card. In addition, the David Jones Prestige credit card includes complimentary lounge passes and comprehensive travel insurance. Customers will notice the biggest change is the rewards program; rather than opting for Amex Membership Rewards or Qantas Points, cardholders will earn David Jones Points. These points can be redeemed for David Jones gift cards, credit or purchases via the online David Jones points hub. While the terms and conditions mention transferring points to airline frequent flyer programs, no information confirms that this feature is currently available. As part of the contract, Latitude will acquire David Jones’ existing credit card portfolio, including those held by American Express. Cardholders with an active David Jones American Express card will transition onto a new David Jones credit card, and the balance transferred to Latitude. Membership rewards points will also be carried over to the new account. David Jones has stated it will communicate with its customers throughout the transition, which is expected to be completed by July 2024. Out of all the credit lenders on offer, David Jones says it chose Latitude because of its “modern technology platform”, which can deliver a better customer experience. “Our Financial Services program is a core pillar of our service offering to customers,” said Scott Fyfe, CEO of David Jones. “We have partnered with Latitude because we share a common vision to deliver a best-in-class, digital-first card offering.” Latitude serves more than 2.8 million customers in Australia and New Zealand and has a partner network of over 5,500 stores. David Jones Premiere David Jones Prestige David Jones Points earned Earn 2 points per $1 at David Jones 4 points per $1 at David Jones Earn 3 points per $1 at participating supermarkets and petrol stations 3 points per $1 at participating supermarkets & petrol stations Earn 1 point per $1 everywhere else 1 point per $1 everywhere else Annual fee $99 $295 Extra cardholder $24 none Interest rate 23.99% 23.99% I’ll take a deep dive into these two cards in the next few weeks, but if you’re keen on bonus points then you can check out my round-up of rewards credit cards and frequent flyer credit cards.
