How to pay NO Credit Card fees when buying Flights

By Garth Adams on 27/Aug/2012
High Credit Card fees are another way that Airlines make money from flights - but did you know that there is an easy way to avoid paying the fees? Most airlines offer POLi as a payment option. The cost of the flights is directly transferred from your bank account, and you avoid paying any fees. I had a Virgin Airlines flight coming up ( recently voted as your Favourite Australian Airline), so I decided to use POLi and show you how easy it is to use.

Before you begin
You must have internet banking enabled to use POLi - contact your bank if you do not have this set up already. You do not need a separate account at POLi, everything is done through your bank account.

The POLi technical Specifications state that the browsers supported are: Internet Explorer 6.0+, Firefox 2+,Chrome and you must be running Windows. It doesn't look as though it works if you are using a Mac or Safari (so I guess this doesn't work on your iPad/iPhone). I used Firefox 14 for this booking. Most Australian banks are supported. I paid with NAB and it worked fine.

One annoying thing was that if you want to pay using POLi, then you cannot pay extra to offset your carbon emmissions. You can either help preserve the Earth or pay by POLi, but not both it seems.

Once I starting the process of paying by POLi I was finished in a few minutes. If you have transferred money from your bank account on the internet before, then you will recognise the process and feel at home. For those of you that haven't, here are the complete steps:

Complete Steps to Paying with POLi
The payment step happens right at the end, so this is after you have searched for your flights, chosen the ones you want and been transferred to the Virgin Australia website for booking. Once you have selected your flights and entered your contact details:

1. Click 'Internet Payments' and then 'Pay with POLi'.

2. Select your Bank from the dropdown list of banks.

3. Login to your Bank

4. Complete a Funds Transfer (normal internet banking page)
- You just have to select the account you are paying from, the 'To' account already has the Virgin Australia details filled out.
- You must enter a 'Remitter Name' (this is a bank thing, POLI does not need it)

5. Success message from POLI.

Don't forget to log out or click the 'Finish' button at the top of the screen.

6. You are shown the itinerary confimation page from Virgin Australia. You've paid for your ticket without any fees!
By Garth Adams on 27/Aug/2012

Popular Stories

How to use Jetstars Price Beat Guarantee
Life Sucks Unless You Travel. These 7 Videos Prove It.
Flight Centre Lowest Airfare Guarantee VS Expedia Price Match
Avoid paying for Extras on Jetstar Flights

Tagged as: credit card, flights, save money, fees, credit cards

We have heaps of useful articles to make your travels cheaper and more enjoyable:

Five Killer Tips for Travelling on a Budget
Running late for your flight? This may save you
Take a Celebrity Holiday in Australia
Avoid paying for Extras on Jetstar Flights
Avoid paying Extra charges and fees on Tiger Airways
How to: Check if you have purchased Checked Luggage on CheapOAir
Tiger Air is the New Tiger Airways
Don't Pay Unnecessary Bank Fees when Booking Flights
How to use Jetstars Price Beat Guarantee
3 of the Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
Flight Centre Lowest Airfare Guarantee VS Expedia Price Match
Compare Travel Insurance before you Book
So this guy built his own Hobbit House. And now I have to visit.
The Secrets to Finding Cheap Flights
Get Free Flights Faster with Virgin Velocity Credit Cards
Avoid Paying Fees on AirAsia
How To Avoid Credit Card Fees On Jetstar Flights
How To Make Your Long-Haul Flight More Comfortable
How To Get More Legroom On Your Next Flight
What To Do If You Miss Your Flight
How To Save Money By Avoiding Hidden Fees On Scoot
How To Avoid The Latest Air Travel Scams
5 Must-Follow Tips For Flying With Young Children
The 5 Best Ways To Get From Sydney Airport to the CBD
Save Money On Your Next Flight By Avoiding These Common Booking Mistakes
The 5 Best Ways To Get From The Melbourne Airport to the CBD
How to set Airfare Alerts. Get an Email when the Price Drops
How Free Tours Have Become Big Business
10 Things To Organise Before You Board that Flight
How to find the Cheapest Dates to Fly
How IWantThatFlight calculates Affiliate Payments

Popular Stories

Flight Centre Lowest Airfare Guarantee VS Expedia Price Match
How To Make Your Long-Haul Flight More Comfortable
9 Unbelievable Travel Gadgets (#7 Might Save Your Life)
How to set Airfare Alerts. Get an Email when the Price Drops