What are the benefits of the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card?

Why should you get the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card?

Today, I want to look at the top 10 card benefits you will receive if you apply for a free Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card.

Here is the legal information we need to tell you:

The top 10 benefits of the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card:

1. There is an occasional sign-up bonus of 1,000 Tesco Clubcard points

Once or twice each year, Tesco offers a bonus of 1,000 Tesco Clubcard points when you sign up for the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard and make your first purchase.

Outside of these periods, there is no sign up bonus.

If the information box above shows a higher bonus, you will receive this. The box is automatically updated with the best deal available on the date you are reading this.

2. You receive one Tesco Clubcard point for every £8 you spend on the card

This is on top of the standard Clubcard points you would earn whilst spending in a Tesco supermarket or petrol station.

3. Tesco Clubcard points convert into Virgin Points

One Clubcard points gets you 1p if you cash it in at a Tesco supermarket.  Used for frequent flyer miles, you get 2.5 Virgin Points.

However … if you main reason for getting the Tesco credit card is to earn Virgin Points, you shouldn’t. You should apply for the free Virgin Atlantic Reward credit card instead (click here) which earn 0.75 Virgin Points for every £1 you spend.

4. There are plenty of other partners too

As well as Virgin Atlantic, you can use your Clubcard points for lots of other things, including restaurant vouchers and days out vouchers. Hotels.com is arguably the best of the other travel partners.

5. Your Clubcard points are valid for two years, so you have no pressure to convert

You do NOT need to decide each quarter what to do with your Clubcard points.  They last for two years, so you can sit on them until a suitable opportunity to use them with a partner comes along.

6. You get 0% interest on purchases for up to the first 14 months

This is effectively free money, since you can keep the money you would otherwise have used to settle your card bill in the bank, earning interest, for up to 14 months.

7. The card is free for life

The Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card is free for life.

Other cards with annual fees may offer better earning rates but, unless you are a very heavy spender, you will often struggle to justify the fee from the extra miles earned.

8. There are various versions of the card, each with different benefits

This article focuses on the ‘Purchases’ version of the card.  Other versions offer a low interest rate, a special deal on balance transfers and various other features.   All versions earn Clubcard points and you can pick the one best suited for your circumstances.

9. As a Mastercard, it is far more flexible than an Amex card

Many of the travel rewards credit cards we cover are American Express cards.  The problem with these is that they are not universally accepted.

As a Mastercard, the Tesco Clubcard credit card is accepted virtually everywhere that cards are taken.

10. You don’t need a high income to apply

There is no minimum income requirement.

Conclusion

The Tesco Clubcard Mastercard is a decent card, given that it has no annual fee.  As well as earning you Virgin Points, you have the option of converting your points into something completely different if your plans change.  This makes the card more valuable than a dedicated airline credit card.

If you DO want Virgin Points, however, we recommend the free Virgin Atlantic credit card (click here) instead as the earning rate is far higher.

You can sign up for the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card on the official website here.

Disclaimer: Head for Points is a journalistic website. Nothing here should be construed as financial advice, and it is your own responsibility to ensure that any product is right for your circumstances. Recommendations are based primarily on the ability to earn miles and points. The site discusses products offered by lenders but is not a lender itself. Robert Burgess, trading as Head for Points, is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as an independent credit broker.

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Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2024 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonuses.

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.