Qantas Frequent Flyer was created as the official loyalty program for Qantas. It’s Australia’s most popular frequent flyer programme, which began in 1987. Today, there are almost 12 million members. Qantas’s frequent flyer program offers many different ways to earn points. You can earn points with Qantas credits Cards or by flying. Bonus points promotions are also available. As you increase your Qantas Points and earn more Status Credits, you can unlock exclusive benefits. The points can also be used for award flights across all classes. This program can be useful to Australians who travel on Qantas as well as its partners, such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific and others.
This guide takes you on a journey through the many ways to spend Qantas Points, including flights, holiday packages and car rentals. Qantas may not be known to many Americans, but it is Australia’s leading airline, both for domestic and foreign travel.
Qantas was founded more than a century before, as an acronym for Queensland & Northern Territory Aerial Services. In our Qantas Frequent Flyer guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the airline’s loyalty programme. From how to maximize the value of your Qantas points to the best routes.
How to use Qantas Frequent Flyer Airlines
Qantas Points can be spent on flights, which is the obvious choice for frequent flyers. Learn how to use points to upgrade an existing booking, redeem points for flights, or combine points with cash on your next trip. Qantas, its partner airlines, and affiliates can help you fly anywhere in the world using your Qantas Points.
Classic Flight Reward Destinations are available in many different forms, such as one-way or return, multi-destination and even multiple destinations. These are all subject to availability, so you may have to be flexible about your travel dates and times.
The number required of points will also depend upon the fare class (e.g., economy, business, destination, route), retail cost and the flyweight. If you are searching for flights on Qantas, you can use the Classic Flight Rewards search to compare the available routes as well as the points required. Below are a few example flights to give you a better idea of what your points can buy. We have given you several different options for domestic and foreign travel, as well as varied the routes and fare classes to demonstrate how points costs can change depending on these details.
Qantas also partners with Jetstar – a low-cost airline owned by Qantas Group. Qantas belongs to the Oneworld alliance. It includes American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and other U.S.-based carriers.
Qantas is a great airline. Here are some of the main features.
Fare types
For flights from Australia to the U.S., there are 4 main fare types.
- Economy.
- Premium economy.
- Business.
- First class
Each one of these comes in three different fare values.
- Sale.
- Saver.
- Flex.
The main difference between these three fares is the higher fee for cancellations or changes of flight on the Sale and Saver fares. No change or cancellation fees apply to Flex fares. Sale fares on the economy level include a seat choice fee.
The main U.S. routes
Qantas has temporarily halted all international travel because of COVID-19 restrictions. Qantas did operate a few U.S. – Australia routes prior to the pandemic. Code-share flights were still available for some U.S. destinations. Qantas U.S. flights from Australia fly to Honolulu via Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Chicago, Miami and New York are also on the list.
The loyalty program that uses points as currency
Frequent Flyer rewards you for your loyalty by giving you points. Earn Qantas rewards points and status credits that contribute to your elite status. Qantas Points Club: If you reach 150,000 Qantas Points, you are eligible to join. There will be more on this soon.
Qantas Frequent Flyer is free to join.
Qantas’ sign-up is technically NOT free. It costs an average of $99.50 to those who have an Australian address.
Airlines that partner with each other
Your QantasPoints cannot be exchanged for frequent-flyer points in another loyalty programme, but you can redeem them with airlines that are partnered. Jetstar Airlines can redeem your points for flights with the Oneworld Alliance. This includes American Airlines, Qatar Airways and British Airways. Emirates, Alaska Airlines and other airlines are partners.
Points plus pay
If you do not possess enough points for the Classic Flight Reward you choose, you may pay by combining points with cash. This is called “points and pay”. Points plus pay require a minimum of 5,000 Qantas or Jetstar points.
Classic Upgrade Rewards
If you are already booking your flights but would like to upgrade to a more luxurious fare class, you can use your existing points to upgrade the flight. The number of points required to receive a Classic Upgrade Reward depends on your chosen fare class, as well as the route. To request an upgrade, log in to the frequent flyer program and manage your flights.
How do I earn Qantas Points?
Qantas Airlines flights or those of any Qantas partners are the main way to earn Qantas rewards points. Once you have joined the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme, all you need do is book flights. The earning of points is based on distance, class and type of travel, as well as loyalty status.
Qantas provides a range of charts so you can easily determine how many Qantas miles you’ll earn for your trip. For example, you can get 11,250 Qantas miles on a premium class flight between Los Angeles & Sydney.
Qantas has a converter which will allow you to calculate the amount of Qantas credits and Qantas point you can earn from a flight. Credit cards are an excellent way to quickly earn Qantas rewards. However, Americans are disappointed to learn that Qantas cards co-branded with American banks are not currently available.
It is possible to transfer Qantas rewards points using a credit card. Qantas does not offer co-branded credit cards, but there are other ways to earn Qantas rewards. Citi ThankYou, Capital One and American Express Membership rewards are three of the most popular programs to transfer Qantas miles.
Sign-up Bonus: Up to 80,000 bonus Qantas Points*
Rewards Earning Rate: QantasPoint per AU$1 Domestic Spend up to $10,000 per statement period. 1.5 Qantas Points equivalent to AU$1 for international spending plus an extra Qantas Point of AU$1 per selected Qantas Spend.
Annual Charge: 349 dollars for the first and 399 dollars per year. ongoing Qantas Premier Platinum offers new cardholders 50,000 Qantas Bonus Points. They can also earn an extra 30,000 Qantas Bonus Points if they haven’t used a credit or debit card to earn Qantas in the past year. The card has a first-year discounted annual fee. It also comes with two complimentary airport lounges and 0% per annum. Balance transfers are free for 12 months with a fee of 2%.
Qantas Club
- Qantas Club gives frequent flyers unlimited access and check-in to the world’s largest airline network. Qantas Club benefits include:
- Lounge Access. Qantas Club Members enjoy unlimited access to Qantas Club lounges.
- Members have the option to invite guests for free.
- Qantas Rewards for Upgrades on Departure. Qantas Rewards can be used as redeemed to upgrade domestic flights when departing.
- Additional baggage and priority checking-in. If you are flying Qantas Economy or Premium Economy, you will be entitled to additional baggage.
- Qantas’ meeting rooms. Qantas Australia meeting rooms are available at a discount.
Earn Qantas Points for car rental, accommodation and other activities
Qantas Marketplace Qantas Marketplace is a great way to use Qantas Points if your points are not enough to book a flight and you do no have travel plans. If you go to the online store you can browse reward categories including electronics, travel, household goods, fashion and cosmetics, food and wine, and gift cards. You will need different points depending on how much the product costs.
When you redeem points for Classic Hotel Reward, you can choose from over 200,000 options. Choose from a range of options, including budget hotels and five-star resorts both in Australia as well as overseas. Hyatt is one of the more popular partnered hotels, along with Shangri-La. Compare your options by looking for the “Classic Reward”, and choosing to see the prices as points. Luxury Holidays Also, with Luxury Escapes you can exchange yourQantas points for lavish hotel accommodations.
However, you can use them to pay for vehicle rental at more than 600 locations around the world, including Hertz, Budget or Avis. Learn more about Qantas Car Rentals and how to earn and spend Qantas Points on your car rental. Qantas Wine Qantas Points can be redeemed for wines, spirits, gourmet food and more at the Qantas Wine store. Look for the logo “Classic Wine Rewards”, when browsing the Qantas online store.
When you use your Qantas Points to purchase a Classic Wine Reward, you will receive an exclusive discount of up 55%. You can then choose to pay for your Classic Wine Reward using QantasPoints when you are checking out. Visit our Qantas Wine Guide for more information about how to earn points and redeem them on your next wine order. You can also check out the latest bonus offers.
Qantas Wine Qantas Points can be redeemed for wines, spirits and gourmet foods at the Qantas Wine store. Look for the logo “Classic Wine Rewards”, when browsing the Qantas online store. When you use your Qantas Points to purchase a Classic Wine Reward, you will receive an exclusive discount of up 55%.
You can then choose to pay for your Classic Wine Reward using QantasPoints when you are checking out. Visit our Qantas Wine Guide for more information about how to earn points and redeem them on your next wine order. You can also check out the latest bonus offers. Auto Reward You can choose to convert your Qantas Points automatically into WISH electronic gift cards four times a calendar year.
How to redeem Qantas points for maximum value
Book your Award Flights
Based on distance, the classic flight rewards include Qantas Airlines and American Airlines. Zone one includes flights of 0 to 600 miles. Zone ten covers flights from 9,601 – 15,000 miles. Flight redemptions differ. For example, one-way Economy flights in Zone 1 cost only 8,000 Qantas point, whereas in Zone 10 they are 55,200 Qantas. You can choose from three different award charts depending on what airline you are flying with: Jetstar Classic Flight Reward, Partner Classic Flight Reward and Oneworld Classic Flight Reward.
Premium class Qantas offers premium class flights to Australia that are a great value. You’ll want to relax and stretch out on such a long trip, so premium economy will at least help you have a better flying experience. Qantas Frequent Traveler members get first priority for award availability. This is another reason to book flights using Qantas points. American Airlines partner offers classic flight rewards only 331 day prior to departure.
Status credits are required to reach an elite status level, not Qantas rewards. Status credits depend on the airline, flight and fare. Flexible fares have more status points than saver fares. More premium cabin flights also earn more credits than economy flights.
Although you can earn credits for partner flights, it will take you four flights with Qantas (or QantasLink, Jetstar or Qantas) in a calendar year to qualify as a Silver, Gold or platinum member. Other Qantas perks Qantas Explorer The multi-city option allows travelers to book a single itinerary for a visit to Australia, rather than booking multiple itineraries at higher prices. Learn more: Best new hotels in Australia Bookings for round the world.
Earn Qantas Miles using credit cards and financial services
having a Qantas Points credit card has been universally recognized as one of best ways to rapidly accumulate points. You can earn points by using other financial products.
It is possible to transfer points with a bonus for reward schemes which allow Qantas transfers. Consider joining Qantas Rewards for Business or to take advantage of promotional offers.
Need Insurance
Qantas offers huge bonuses for taking out insurance, such as health, income protection, or life. You can often earn points by holding your policy for at least 60 days.
When you spend money every day, swipe your (Woolworths Rewards) card in order to earn QantasPoints. Every 2,000 Everyday Reward points is equivalent to 1,000 Qantas point. If you’re shopping elsewhere, take advantage of Card Offers, if your Mastercard is accepted, and AfterPay, to earn points faster while paying in four equal payments.
Combining these strategies with the offers below will allow you to double dip or even triple dip on Qantas Points in one transaction.
Shop and earn Qantas Points
Here’s an overview of how you can earn Qantas Points by shopping.
- BP outlets for petrol
- Making reservations through and dining out
- The Qantas Wine website is a great place to buy wine and extend expiring points.
- Shopping online with the Shopping portal
- linking Hoyts Rewards with Qantas accounts
- You can earn points by exercising (or even sleeping) and downloading the Qantas Wellbeing Application.
- Joining a Kayo Sports streaming membership
- Shop at TerryWhite Chemmart
- Subscribing HelloFresh
Transfer Qantas Points to other sources
These methods will allow you to top-up your Qantas Points if you run out.
- can transfer points from a member of the family to
- You can top up your Qantas account by purchasing points directly through Qantas.
- Purchase American Express Membership Rewards Points
- Transfer points to Marriott Bonvoy
How do I use Qantas Points?
Our opinion is that redeeming your Qantas Points for flight on Qantas, and their partners, will give you the most value.
Qantas Miles can be used to book flights
Qantas’s Classic Flight Rewards are the best use of your Qantas Points. They are fixed-priced seats that you can purchase with frequent flyer rewards points.
It is important not to confuse this concept with ‘Points plus Pay’. That concept converts cash prices into points prices at an extremely bad rate.
You can find excellent redemptions for Economy or Premium Economy.
You can see in the first image what to expect on many Qantas Domestic Business Class Flights. Qantas’ Business Suite is the popular seat with a lie-flat feature that can be found on many transcontinental and international flights.
Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific are other major partner airlines. Its First and Business Class products are excellent. offers a great redemption option to Australian travellers.
Qantas’ partner airlines offer lower cash co-payments, and more reward seats are available. The tax and surcharges that are attached to certain Qantas reward bookings can be high. the availability of premium cabins in flights to or from the US is limited.
Flying other partner airlines, such as American Airlines, or Fiji Airways, can be an alternative to Qantas if you have trouble finding reward tickets on other carriers.
The Economy Rewards program can be a good choice
We usually recommend saving points for premium cabins. However, when you use your Qantas Miles for Economy Class Travel, it can offer good value . If you want to know more about how to make the most of your Qantas Miles, visit our series. Qantas’ frequent flyers are often frustrated by the lack award availability. Here’s a list of the best and worst international routes in terms of Qantas award options
Use Qantas Points to upgrade your vehicle
If you are not a high Frequent Flyer with Qantas, your chances of getting a First or Business Class seat is low.
Upgrades are limited and usually given out in the days leading up to a flight. They are allocated based on status and purchased fare. There are some cases where you can upgrade an internal flight using points, if there’s a Business Class reward available.
You can use Qantas Points on premium rail travel
Qantas Frequent Flyer and Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions have signed an agreement in December 2020 to launch ‘Classic Rail rewards’, which will allow Qantas Points be used to book Gold Service Cabins aboard The Ghan or Indian Pacific, as well as the Great Southern.
Prices start at 100,000 QantasPoints per person and include a 2-day/one-night journey. The Gold Service is an all-inclusive fare that includes a sleeping berth and meals.
Qantas Points: Other Uses
If you don’t need any points or they are about to expire, you can donate them to one of the eleven charities with which Qantas partners. This is a great way to extend expiry of your points. They expire after a period of 18 months with no earning or spending.
is the other major use of Qantas Points. The value of each point is low, so you can’t buy many popular items.
The points you earn can be used to offset room rates through Qantas hotels or to purchase a Qantas club membership. However, these methods offer a poor return on your points.
What is Qantas Frequent Traveler status
If you hold Qantas Gold Platinum or Platinum One, then you can unlock a host of premium rewards from Qantas, its partners and other airlines. These include complimentary upgrades and lounge access as well as priority check-ins and boarding.