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Smart Money

Complete Guide to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Rewards Program

Last updated

Pauline Hatch      

Qantas Premier Platinum

Up to 100,000 bonus points

Min. spend applies. Plus, 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 12 months and $50 off the first year’s annual fee. T&Cs apply.

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Want to know how to earn and spend and be part of the Frequent Flyer perks? In this complete guide to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, we’ll look at how to join, ways you can earn points, and how to get the very best value when you redeem them. 

How To Join

You need to be a member to start earning Qantas Points. To join, simply visit the Qantas website and complete the application form. Registering takes about ten minutes, and you’ll need to provide some personal details, such as your full name, contact information, and details of any other airline frequent flyer programs you belong to.

TIP: If you apply for a credit card that earns Qantas Points, you’ll need to link your membership once your card is activated. It’s easy to do via the credit card’s app using your Qantas Frequent Flyer number.


It’s normally $99.50 to join the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, but you can sign up for free when you:

  • When you sign up for Qantas Travel Money, you can join the Qantas Frequent Flyer program for free. The card doubles as your prepaid travel card and your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership card, allowing you to load up 11 currencies, and then earn Qantas Points on your spending.
  • As a customer of one of the program’s partners, you may enjoy complimentary membership using a partner promo code. For example, as an Uber customer, you can join using the link provided on the Qantas site. Promo codes from other partners work in a similar way – such as Hoyts – so it’s worth checking the website before you pay to join.
  • When you download the Qantas Wellbeing app and join the Qantas program, Qantas states the joining fee will be waived. Designed to work in conjunction with Qantas health insurance, the app allows users to earn Qantas Points as they reach personalised health goals.
  • Sign up for a Woolworths Rewards card and you can join the Frequent Flyer program for free. You can choose to earn points as Frequent Flyer or Woolworths Rewards points by making your preference on the Woolworths website.

When you register your details online, you’ll create a four-digit PIN. You can use this PIN to log-in to your online account, and to identify yourself over the phone. Once you’ve completed your application, you’ll receive your Frequent Flyer membership number. This is the number you will quote any time you want to collect Qantas Points.

Within a week or so, you’ll receive your welcome pack with your plastic Qantas Frequent Flyer member card.

How To Earn Points

Now that you’re a member, you need to know how to earn points. While earning points through a credit card is perhaps one of the best known ways of racking up Qantas Points, there are many other ways to boost your balance.

Apply for a Qantas Earning Credit Card

For most people, their Qantas Frequent Flyer journey will start with a Qantas Point earning credit card. With plenty to choose from, there is a Qantas card to suit pretty much every spending style. Check out the range of Qantas credit cards on offer here to find everything from basic, rewards-only options to premium cards packed with perks.

Everyday Frequent Flyer Earning

With your credit card, you can earn Qantas Points on all eligible spending. Depending on the card you choose, you will earn a certain number of Qantas Points for each dollar you spend, which may be tiered according to the type of purchase you make. You will usually find that purchases made directly with Qantas offer a higher earn rate than everyday spending.

When choosing your Qantas credit card, you will have to decide whether you want a direct earn card or an indirect earn card.

  • A direct earn card links directly to a Qantas account, and can work well for cardholders who fly solely with Qantas and its partners.
  • An indirect earn card earns points on an independent rewards program, but allows for the transfer of those points to a Qantas account. This can work well for cardholders who want more flexibility.

Using a rewards card, whether direct earn or indirect, there are some important rules to follow if you want to make the most of the points you earn.

  • Choose a card that allows you to earn more back in points value than you pay out in annual fees.
  • Take into account the features on offer, and make sure they offer value to you.
  • Maximise your points earn by learning how the program works.
  • Always pay your closing balance by the due date to avoid interest.
  • When you redeem points, opt for a reward with the highest possible return in terms of value.

Introductory Bonus

When you apply for a Qantas credit card, you may be eligible for an introductory bonus points offer. These offers can provide a boost to your points balance, adding extra value to the card. The number of points on offer will depend on the card, with premium cards typically providing larger bonuses than standard cards.

Qantas Premier Platinum Credit Card

Get rewarded with up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply and get approved for a new Qantas Premier Platinum Credit Card. Receive 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply and spend $3,000 or more on eligible purchases within 3 months from card approval, plus an additional 30,000 bonus Qantas Points if you haven’t earned Qantas Points with a credit card in the last 12 months. Enjoy 0% p.a. for 12 months on balance transfer, and a reduced annual fee of $349 for the first year ($399 thereafter). Take advantage of excellent features such as unlimited points earning, complimentary lounge invitations, Qantas Premier Concierge, and more.

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Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card

As a generous travel buddy, Qantas American Express Ultimate Credit Card offers its cardholders $450 Qantas Travel Credit each year. If you apply online by 14 January 2025, get approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months, you’ll receive up to 90,000 bonus Qantas Points. Enjoy uncapped points earning potential and add up to four additional cards at no extra cost to earn more Qantas points. Redeem your points to get travel rewards together with other exclusive Qantas benefits.

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Citi Premier Qantas Credit Card

If you are looking for a facility to help your travel and shopping sprees, Citi Premier Qantas Credit Card is perfect for you. This Citi card welcomes you with up to 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply and get approved by 1 March 2025 plus, a reduced annual fee of $175 in subsequent years if you spend $48,000 or more on eligible purchases or cash advances in the previous year. Receive the points on a tiered basis – 50,000 when you spend $6,000 or more on eligible purchases within 90 days from approval, plus an additional 20,000 bonus points when you keep your card for over 12 months.

NAB Qantas Rewards Signature Credit Card

The NAB Qantas Rewards Signature Card is suitable for big spenders and travelers who are looking for extra rewards. It comes with enticing introductory offers – up to 120,000 bonus Qantas Points – 90,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 on everyday purchases in the first 60 days and 30,000 bonus points when you keep your card open for over 12 months. Save with a reduced first-year annual fee of $295 ($395 thereafter) plus, enjoy 0% p.a. for 12 months on balance transfers with a one-off 3% balance transfer fee.

Earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent capped at $5000, then 0.5 points per $1 up to $20,000. Enjoy other premium perks including Qantas Frequent Flyer program free membership, a range of complimentary insurance covers, and concierge service.

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Here are some rules to remember that should allow you to make the most of your bonus points.

  • To be eligible for the card’s bonus points, you will typically have to spend a minimum amount on the card within a certain period after card approval.
  • Make sure you can afford that minimum spend, and you can repay it before it attracts interest.
  • Don’t be swayed by larger bonus points offers if the card is not suitable for you long term. Think about annual fee costs, and how much you would get back in points value on your yearly spend.
  • Think about how you will redeem the bonus points, and work out their dollar value. Weigh that against factors such as the card’s annual fee.

Other Ways to Earn Qantas Points

Outside of earning on a Qantas credit card, there are a number of ways to earn Qantas Points. The key to making the program work for you is to find out how you can boost your points earning potential, to then boost your points balance.

Book Travel using Qantas Frequent Flyer points

As an airline rewards program, it’s perhaps unsurprising that travel is a big points provider within Qantas Frequent Flyer.

Flights

Booking flights with Qantas and its partners has to be one of the easiest ways to earn Qantas Points. As a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, you can earn Qantas Points on every eligible flight with Qantas, Jetstar and more than 50 oneworld member and partner airlines and their affiliates, flying to over 1,200 destinations globally.

Obviously, with current situation drastically reducing our ability to fly both domestically and overseas, your points earn on flights will be much lower now than at any other time. However, when travel starts to open up, you can look forward to again being able to earn – and redeem – Qantas Points on flights.

Fly Carbon Neutral

Qantas offers a Fly Carbon Neutral Program, which allows members to earn 10 Qantas Points per $1 spent on carbon offsetting. On top of that, Qantas will match your contribution dollar for dollar. This program is not-for-profit, and according to Qantas, your contribution goes directly to environmental projects across Australia and the world.


Accommodation

There is an option to convert points earned through hotel loyalty programs to Qantas Points should you wish to do so. Participating loyalty programs include:

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • IHG Rewards Club
  • Swiss-Belhotel
  • TFE Hotels
  • Marriot Bonvoy
  • World of Hyatt
  • Hilton Honors
  • Radisson

Check the Qantas site for the latest conversion rates with each partner program.

Prefer the homestay vibe over hotels? Having partnered with Airbnb, Qantas now allows members to earn 1 Qantas Point on every dollar (AUD) spent when booking via the Qantas-Airbnb portal. Note, you must book through the dedicated link, ensuring you are logged in with your Qantas Frequent Flyer number.

Car Hire

Qantas has partnered with Avis and Budget, allowing members to earn points on their car hire. You can also benefit from exclusive deals and discounts as a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, so it’s worth checking out the Qantas site before you book to see what’s on offer.

Qantas Activities

When booking activities on your trip, you can earn 1 Qantas Point per dollar spent on tours and activities with Viator. To book, access Viator’s offering through the Qantas Activities booking page, search the various options available in your chosen destination during your stay, proceed to the checkout to pay, and enter your Qantas Frequent Flyer number to collect points on the purchase.

Tours

If you’re thinking of booking a tour, check out what’s on offer with these Qantas partners, where you can earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 on your booking:

  • Abercrombie & Kent
  • Chimu Adventures (on spends over $3,000 per person)
  • Crystal Cruises
  • Exclusive Travel Group
  • Insider Journeys
  • Sunlover Holidays

Alternatively, if you book via APT Holidays you will earn 2 Qantas Points per $1 on your booking, while Skimax Holidays provides 2,000 Qantas Points per package.

To book with these providers, visit the Qantas site to find the linked partner pages. As with any travel booking, it’s a good idea to read the terms and conditions carefully before purchasing.

Qantas Club

Aside from providing access to Qantas Lounges around the world, Qantas Club offers a wide range of perks highly regarded by frequent travellers. As a Qantas Club member, you can earn 3 Qantas Points for every dollar you spend on your joining and annual Qantas Club membership fees.

Register for Bonus Points Promotions

To keep things interesting, Qantas regularly offers members promotions, allowing them to earn bonus points with various partners. To take advantage of these promotions, all you need to do is keep an eye on your emails and the Qantas site, to then follow the rules of the promotion to pick up your bonus points.

Examples of past promotions include:

  • Earn double Qantas Points when booking an Economy flight to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas or Honolulu on Qantas operated flights with a QF flight number.
  • Earn up to 18,000 bonus Qantas Points for completing a CSIRO diet.
  • Earn 20,000 bonus Qantas Points for opening and depositing $350 into a new Australian Super account.
  • Earn up to 20,000 bonus Qantas Points with HelloFresh food delivery when you subscribe and for each box ordered.

Each promotion obviously comes with small print, and certain costs may be involved. Read the terms and conditions carefully, taking into account booking – and if applicable, travel – dates.

Convert Points From Another Program into Frequent Flyer

If you earn points through another credit card rewards program, you may be eligible to convert these loyalty points to Qantas Points. While there will be an everyday conversion rate, it’s worth keeping an eye out for email promotions offering bonuses on transfers. Bear in mind these offers will vary in value, and typically apply to credit cards that offer manual transfer only.

Spend at Qantas Frequent Flyer Partners

Outside of the world of travel, Qantas has a number of retail partners that allow members to collect points on their everyday spending.

BP

As a member of BP Rewards, you can choose to earn either BP Rewards points or Qantas Points at a rate of:

  • 2 Qantas Points per litre of BP Ultimate 98 Motor Fuel
  • 1 Qantas Point per litre of 91, 95, Diesel, Ultimate Diesel or LPG
  • 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent on eligible in-store products

Quandoo

As one of the largest online restaurant booking platforms in the world, Quandoo allows members to earn Qantas Points when dining at any of its 18,000 restaurants located across 12 countries, including Australia, UK, Austria, Germany, Finland, Hong Kong, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore and Turkey.

As a member, you can earn 100 Qantas Points per person, per booking.

HelloFresh

Cooking at home can also bring in the points, thanks to another Qantas partner, HelloFresh. With HelloFresh, you will receive quick and easy recipes with fresh pre-portioned ingredients, delivered to your door each week.

To earn 20,000 Qantas Points, simply subscribe to a Classic, Veggie, Family and Calorie Smart plan before 16 April 2021 using the promo code QANTAS2021 and get 5,000 points, then earn additional 1,000 points for each of your first 15 HelloFresh boxes. Note, this is available to new customers only, and you must use the same email address as your Qantas Frequent Flyer account to earn Qantas Points.

Uber

If you’re new to Uber, you can earn 2,000 Qantas Points on your first Uber ride. Ongoing, you can convert your Uber Rewards points to Qantas Points – and you can also earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 when you request an Uber to or from eligible Australian airports using the Qantas App or Uber App.

To be eligible to earn points, simply sign up via the Qantas site and follow the prompts to link your accounts.

Woolworths

As a member of Woolworths Rewards, you can convert the points you earn on your spending at Woolworths, BWS, Caltex and Big W to Qantas Points.

Simply link your Qantas Frequent Flyer number to your Woolworths Rewards account and choose to convert your Woolworths Points to Qantas Points. Then, every time you reach 2,000 Woolworths Points, they will automatically be converted to 1,000 Qantas Points and added to your Qantas account within 24 hours.

Hoyts

When you visit Hoyts, you can earn Qantas Points on cinema tickets, and food and beverage purchases.

There are three tiers of membership:

  • HOYTS Rewards is free to join, providing an earn rate of 1 Qantas Point per $2 spent, with a 100-point bonus for linking to Qantas.
  • HOYTS Rewards Plus costs $12 per year, providing an earn rate of 2 Qantas Points per $1 spent, with a 500-point linking bonus and discounted LUX tickets.
  • HOYTS Rewards Premium costs $50 per year, providing an earn rate of 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent, with a 1,000-point linking bonus and discounted LUX tickets with free second entrée and one wine or beer per month.

Bear in mind points can’t be earned on gift cards or vouchers, HOYTS Rewards annual fees or membership fees, Val Morgan advertising, corporate sales, bookings and events, or any other bulk sales or purchases through HOYTS Corporate and Community Sales teams.

Red Energy

When you sign up to Red Energy, you can earn up to 15,000 bonus Qantas Points, to then earn 2 Qantas Points for every $1 you spend on your energy bills, when you pay on time.

LJ Hooker

With real estate agent LJ Hooker, you could earn:

  • 10,000 Qantas Points when you lease your residential property
  • 20,000 Qantas Points when you sell your residential, commercial or industrial property

Afterpay

If you like to BNPL with Afterpay – or you were thinking of trying it – you can now earn Qantas Points on your spending. As a new user, you could earn 500 Qantas Points, while existing users can link their Qantas account to their Afterpay account to earn a maximum of 5,000 Qantas Points.

This is a trial partnership, so it is only valid for those who link their accounts between 8 July 2020 and 8 September 2020, and then spend with Afterpay up to 8 March 2021.

NOTE: These partner offers are correct at the time of writing. Qantas may change its partners and partner offers at any time. To take advantage of any partner offer, visit the Qantas site to find out more about what’s on offer – and read the small print.

Utilise Qantas Affiliates

As you may expect from a company as vast as Qantas, it has branched out into quite a few areas separate from travel. By spending at any of these Qantas affiliates, you can boost your points earn even further.

Qantas Wine

Working with more than 200 wineries and gourmet food producers from Australia’s leading wine regions, Qantas Wine offers a range of over 2,000 wines, beers and spirits, with an excellent selection of gourmet food products to choose from.

As a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, you will earn 1 Qantas Point for every $1 you spend. You’ll also receive free delivery on all orders over $300, and email invites for bonus point promotions.

If you sign up for Qantas Wine Premium membership (at a cost of $99 or 13,000 Qantas Points), you will earn 3 Qantas Points per $1, plus free delivery and a free gift. You’ll also receive invites to exclusive events for Qantas Wine members.

Keep an eye out for bonus points on cases of wine, which typically range from 2,000 to 15,000 Qantas Points depending on the price of the case.

Qantas Insurance

Signing up for any Qantas insurance product allows you to earn a joining bonus, plus points per dollar on your premiums. Current offers include:

  • Health Insurance: Earn up to 140,000 Qantas Points when you join (minimum policy and eligibility criteria applies).
  • Life Insurance: Earn up to 100,000 Qantas Points when you join (minimum premium applies).
  • Car Insurance: Earn up to 40,000 Qantas Points when you join (minimum spend applies).

You will also earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent on your premiums.

When you download the Qantas Wellbeing app, you can take advantage of further points bonuses that work in conjunction with your Qantas Insurance. This could see you earning 1,600 Qantas Points each year for completing tasks such as getting your tyre pressure checked, and getting enough sleep each night.

Qantas Golf

With Qantas Golf, members can earn Qantas Points on eligible spending. With free Qantas Golf Club membership, members earn 1 Qantas point per $1 spent at qantasgolfclub.com, with access to golf travel packages in Australia and overseas, and invitations to Qantas Golf Club tournaments and events.

Premium/VIP membership costs $129 a year, which allows members to earn 3 Qantas Points per $1 spent at qantasgolfclub.com, with access to tee time bookings at participating courses.

Spend at Qantas Shopping

When you visit Qantas Shopping (previously Qantas Online Mall), you can shop a huge range of retailers to earn Qantas Points on your purchases. As an example, you could earn 2 Qantas Points per $1 at Catch, or 5 Qantas Points per $1 at THE ICONIC, Bing Lee and Myer.

You will also find bonus points offers advertised on the site that change week to week, with the option to link your Australian Mastercard to unlock exclusive bonus point offers.

Join Qantas Business Rewards

Qantas Business Rewards is open to any business with an ABN that is registered for GST. With a one-off joining fee of $89.50, Qantas Business Rewards basically allows your business to earn additional Qantas Points, on top of any Qantas Points you would usually earn on your business spending on flights, accommodation, car hire, and with Qantas Business Rewards partners.

Membership is tiered, based on the number of points you earn each year, with each tier offering a specific earn rate, plus a discount on Qantas flights. As a member, you can earn additional bonus points when spending with the program’s partners.

Double Dip

At the start of this section, we mentioned the main way most members earn points is through their Qantas credit card. What we didn’t cover was the fact that you can use your card to ‘double dip’ on points.

How does this work?

Let’s say you use your Qantas credit card to buy something at Catch.com via Qantas Shopping. When you do this, you are essentially earning points twice: once via Qantas Shopping and once via your credit card.

Your spend is $200, so you earn 600 Qantas Points via Qantas Shopping ($200 x 3 Points per $1), plus 200 Qantas Points from your credit card ($200 x 1 Point per $1), giving you a total of 800 Qantas Points on that purchase.

How To Redeem Points

In order to see true value from a rewards program, you not only have to understand how to maximise your points earn, you also need to know how to redeem those points to get the best possible return. Within the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, redemption value is typically at its highest when points are redeemed for flights and upgrades, but there are other options on offer.

Photo credit: Qantas

Flights & Upgrades

Back in March, Qantas announced significant cuts to its international route network, suspending flights, swapping aircraft, and grounding the majority of its A380 fleet. Domestic routes have also been reduced – and with border closures in place, air travel within Australia has been greatly affected.

Obviously, this has reduced the opportunity for members to redeem their Qantas Points on flights and upgrades. As this type of redemption tends to offer the best return in terms of value, members may be best placed to wait until travel opens up again to redeem their points. With that being said, if points are due to expire, other redemption options may be worth exploring.

If you choose to redeem your points for flights and upgrades, here are your options:

  • Classic Flight Rewards. With Classic Flight Rewards, you can use your Qantas Points to book flights with Qantas and its partners. Use the Qantas Points calculator to estimate how many points you’ll need for the flight you want to book.
  • Points Plus Pay. If you don’t have enough Qantas Points to cover your Classic Flight Reward, you can use Points Plus Pay to make up the difference with cash.
  • Classic Upgrade Rewards. After purchasing a flight, you can use your Qantas Points to upgrade to Premium Economy, Business or First Class with Classic Upgrade Rewards. The Classic Upgrade Reward Calculator on the Qantas site will tell you how many points you’ll need.
  • Bid Now Upgrades. Available by invitation only and for selected Qantas flights, this option allows you to bid your Qantas Points (or a combination of cash and points) to upgrade your flight.

It is worth pointing out that award availability, both in terms of flights and upgrades, can be limited even at the best of times, making it difficult for members to make use of their points where and when they want. Building status can help, as this allows members to climb the ladder and enjoy tiered benefits, while also enjoying access to a more extensive range of award seats and upgrades.

More on Elite status later.

Photo credit: Qantas

Qantas Club Membership

Earlier, we mentioned the fact that you can earn Qantas Points on Qantas Club membership. However, if you don’t want to pay cold, hard cash to access Qantas Club, you can also choose to redeem points to cover both the joining fee and annual membership. So, what does Qantas Club membership offer?

With its relatively high price tag, Qantas Club membership is best suited to those who fly frequently and quite exclusively on Qantas and/or Jetstar, but not enough to reach Gold status or above.

For the most part, membership focuses on providing access to Qantas lounges around the world, and to a select range of partner lounges. Membership allows you to bring a guest with you into the lounge, and you may also invite your accompanying children (subject to a variety of factors, such as lounge type, the child’s age, and the number of children travelling with you).

Aside from lounge access, Qantas Club membership provides the following benefits:

  • Complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership
  • Priority check-in on Qantas flights
  • Priority waitlist and airport standby on a paid ticket, where waitlisting is possible
  • Access to On Departure upgrade requests on Qantas domestic flights within Australia using Qantas Points
  • Dedicated service desks
  • Priority phone service
  • Additional checked baggage allowance when travelling in Economy or Premium Economy
  • Personalised service based on your Qantas Frequent Flyer Profile
  • Discounts on Qantas Meeting Rooms in Australia
  • Access to exclusive discount vouchers
Individual Cost Points Earn Cost in Points
Join fee $399 1,197 70,000
1 Year $540 1,620 78,000
2 Year $980 2,940 155,000
4 Year $1,850 5,550 285,000
Partner Cost Points Earn Cost in Points
Join fee $199 597 37,000
1 Year $360 1,080 52,000
2 Year $620 1,860 89,000
4 Year $1,150 3,450 155,000

 

Hotels & Car Hire

As a Qantas Frequent Flyer member, you can use your Qantas Points to redeem against accommodation options the world over, with more than 100,000 hotels to choose from. If you’re hiring a car, you may also choose to redeem your points at Avis, Budget, Hertz or Thrifty. It’s worth looking out for exclusive member offers and discounts, as these allow your points to go even further.

Insurance

If you take out Qantas Travel Insurance for your next trip, you can choose to pay with points when you book your flight on qantas.com. Alternatively, when you take out Qantas Health Insurance, you can opt to pay a mixture of points and cash to cover your initial premium.

he Australian and International Comprehensive travel insurance policies now provide cover for some coronavirus related events

NOTE: The Australian and International Comprehensive travel insurance policies have been updated to cover some coronavirus-related travel changes. Check the PDS to see what you’re covered for.

Automatic Rewards

As the name suggests, this option offers automatic rewards redemption. Every quarter, your Qantas Points will be converted to WISH eGift Cards and sent directly to your inbox. You can then either print your eGift Card or download it onto your phone, to redeem at any participating Woolworths store, or when shopping online.

Shopping

Home to more than 8,000 products from over 970 brands, Qantas Shopping not only allows you to earn points on your purchases, it also allows you to use your points to spend on the site. Alternatively, you could head to Kogan.com, where you can redeem 4,000 Qantas Points for every $20 you spend, while also earning points on your redemption.

Charity Donations with Frequent Flyer points

If you’re feeling selfless, you have the option to use your points to donate to one of Qantas’s 12 charity partners, which include Australian Red Cross, Make-A-Wish, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, WWF, UNICEF and Beyond Blue.

Value on points redemption is pretty high in this space, which is nice to see. To make a $50 donation to Make-A-Wish, for example, you would need to redeem 5,800 Qantas Points. Whereas, if you chose to redeem points for a $50 David Jones gift card, you would hand over 9,090 Qantas Points.


How To Calculate Value on Your Frequent Flyer points

Looking at the example of the $50 David Jones gift card against the $50 Make-A-Wish donation, you can see the value of each Qantas Point can vary enormously depending on how it is redeemed. For that reason, it’s a good idea to do some calculations before you hit redeem and use those hard-earned points.

To work out the value you are receiving on each Qantas Point on any given redemption, simply divide the item’s retail value or dollar cost by the number of Qantas Points you’d need to put down to redeem it. To make that number a bit easier to deal with, you then multiply it by 1,000 to find out the dollar value on 1,000 Qantas Points for that redemption.

Here’s an example of how that could work:

  • For the $50 David Jones gift card, you would redeem 9,030 Qantas Points. Take $50 and divide that by 9,030 to get 0.005. That means each Qantas Point in this redemption is worth $0.005, so for each 1,000 Qantas Points redeemed, you get $5 value.
  • For the $50 Make-A-Wish charity donation, you would redeem 5,800 Qantas Points. Take $50 and divide that by 5,800 to get 0.008. That means each Qantas Point in this redemption is worth $0.008, so for each 1,000 Qantas Points redeemed, you get $8 value.

By using this method, you can see just how much value you are getting on your redemption, helping you make the best choice – and get the best return on your points. So, how do these examples stack up to other types of redemptions?

Pre-pandemic, you could expect the following dollar value for each 1,000 Qantas Points you put down:

  • Products and gift cards typically offer $3-$6 value,
  • Car rental and hotels typically offer $6-$8 value,
  • Charity donations typically offer $8-$9 value,
  • Economy flights typically offer $15-$20 value,
  • Premium economy flights typically offer $20-$25 value,
  • Business class flights typically offer $35-$50 value,
  • First class flights and upgrades typically offer $40-$60 value.

With that in mind, it’s worth considering whether your points would be better used on higher value flights and upgrades, rather than redeeming them for products or gift cards.

How To Get More

Want to get more from your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership? It could be time to climb the ladder, picking up Status Credits to enjoy Elite Status with Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One membership. Let’s look at how that works.

When you join Qantas Frequent Flyer, you start at the bottom with Bronze membership. From there, you earn Status Credits to work your way up each tier, enjoying more privileges with each step up. It’s worth noting that to retain your tier, you must earn a certain number of Status Credits each year, even if you aren’t climbing the ladder.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Bronze

To Achieve Status: 0 Status Credits
To Maintain Status: 0 Status Credits

This base level of membership offers no substantial benefits. It’s simply the entry level for membership, from which you move up as you start earning Status Credits.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Silver

To Achieve Status: 300 Status Credits
To Maintain Status: 250 Status Credits

  • One complimentary entry to a Qantas Club or Qantas International Business Lounge per year
  • Use of Business Class check-in counters, regardless of the class you are flying
  • One extra checked bag on international flights
  • Complimentary seat selection (except on QantasLink flights)
  • Priority waitlisting
  • Priority telephone line
  • 50% bonus points on Qantas and Jetstar bookings, and 25% on American Airlines flights

Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold

To Achieve Status: 700 Status Credits
To Maintain Status: 600 Status Credits

In addition to Silver privileges, you’ll get:

  • Access to Qantas, oneworld partner, Emirates and China Eastern Business Class lounges, regardless of class
  • Access to Premium Security Lanes at Sydney (Domestic), Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports
  • One or two extra checked bags
  • Priority baggage handling
  • Priority boarding
  • 75% bonus points on Qantas, Jetstar and American Airlines flights

Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum

To Achieve Status: 1,400 Status Credits
To Maintain Status: 1,200 Status Credits

In addition to Gold privileges, you’ll get:

  • Access to Qantas, oneworld partner and Emirates First Class lounges, regardless of class
  • Use of First Class check-in counters, regardless of the class you’re travelling
  • Priority Economy seat purchase when holding or purchasing a Full Economy ticket for up to two people, including the Platinum member
  • Priority immigration
  • 100% bonus points on Qantas, Jetstar and American Airlines flights

If you reach 2,400 Status Credits in one membership year, you’ll also receive any of the Platinum Bonus Rewards:

  • A complimentary Gold membership for a family member or friend; or
  • 50,000 Qantas Points

Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum One

To Achieve Status: 3,600 Status Credits (at least 2,700 on Qantas-marketed flights)
To Maintain Status: 3,600 Status Credits (at least 2,700 on Qantas-marketed flights)

In addition to Platinum privileges, you’ll get:

  • Complimentary Platinum membership for your partner
  • Highest upgrade and award availability priority
  • Access to a dedicated 24/7 Platinum One Team
  • Free transfer to an earlier flight if seats are available
  • Waived fees for phone-assisted bookings and family points transfers
  • Complimentary extra legroom seating on selected international flights
  • Complimentary Premium Qantas Golf Club membership
  • Complimentary Premium Qantas Wine membership
  • Access to the Museum of Contemporary Art Lounge in Sydney

If you reach 5,000 Status Credits in one membership year, you’ll receive 75,000 bonus Qantas Points, and if your reach 7,000 Status Credits, you’ll get another 100,000 Qantas Points.

Qantas Lifetime Status

When you reach specific milestones, Qantas will allocate lifetime status. These are:

  • Lifetime Silver: 7,000 Status Credits
  • Lifetime Gold: 14,000 Status Credits
  • Lifetime Platinum: 75,000 Status Credits

How do you earn Status Credits then? The main way to earn Status Credits is to book flights with Qantas and its partners. The number of Status Credits you will receive depends a number of factors, including the airline you fly, the distance you fly, and the type of ticket you purchase. You can also take advantage of bonus promotions that run throughout the year to boost your Status Credits earn.

Certain credit cards also allow cardholders to earn Status Credits on their card spending. Be aware that a certain percentage of Status Credits still need to be earned via flight bookings to reach and retain status.

What To Avoid

Lastly, let’s cover the mistakes you should avoid if you want to get the most out of the program day-to-day.

  • Don’t miss out on points. In this guide, we’ve covered a wide range of ways you can earn Qantas Points. Make sure you don’t miss out on earning points by subscribing to the Qantas Frequent Flyer newsletter, and keep a close eye on the Qantas site to find out where you can earn points and what bonus points offers are available.
  • Don’t forget to quote your Frequent Flyer number. When making a booking or spending with a Qantas Frequent Flyer partner, remember to quote your Qantas Frequent Flyer number to ensure you collect your points.
  • Don’t lose out on expired points. Qantas Points will expire if your account is inactive (that is, when you don’t redeem or earn any points) over a period of 18 months. Once your points have expired, you can’t get them back.
  • Avoid redeeming points on the wrong reward. Use our simple calculation to uncover the true value of each redemption option you are interested in, and choose the reward that provides you with the best return on your points.
  • Don’t be swayed by higher earning credit cards and bigger bonuses. While a credit card that offers a higher earn rate or a higher bonus points offer may seem like a better option, these typically come with a higher annual fee. To balance out that annual fee, your card spend would need to be substantial, providing you with sufficient value in points to make paying the annual fee worthwhile.

Ready to check out Qantas credit cards? Get started on your Qantas journey as you compare direct earn and indirect earn Qantas credit cards on CreditCard.com.au, checking out important factors such as bonus points offers, earn rates and annual fees. Got questions? Head to the bottom of the page and hit us up with any questions you have.

Photo source: Qantas (header), Pexels
Pauline

Pauline Hatch

Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 9 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. Pauline is passionate about seeing Aussies win by making their money – and their credit cards – work smarter, harder and bigger.

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28 comments (showing the latest 10 Q&As)

Marie Pernet

Marie Pernet

17 June 2024
Hello, If I spend the $3K as soon as I get my credit card. How long before I receive the points?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    19 June 2024
    Hi Marie, Typically, it takes 6-8 weeks after you meet the spending criteria, but for a more precise time frame, it's best to contact your credit card issuer directly. Thanks!
robert

robert

6 April 2024
can i use my flyer points to purchase a tv at another store other than qantas shop.
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    9 April 2024
    Hi Robert, Qantas Frequent Flyer points are only available to be used in the Qantas store. If you only want to use your points, you'll have to do it at the Qantas store.
Robert

Robert

2 October 2022
I have 61,000 points. If I want to purchase an item say valued at 120,000 points can I pay a cash difference?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    5 October 2022
    Hi Robert, yes you can use a feature called “Points plus Pay” This allows you to choose how many points you want to pay with, and it will show you the required shortfall in dollars. Happy shopping!
Frank

Frank

15 May 2022
I booked return flights Brisbane to Cairns using my frequent flyer points. Do I earn extra ff points for this?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    18 May 2022
    Hi Frank, it looks like if you you booked a Classic Flight Rewards seat, you won’t be eligible for points. The full list is included over at the Qantas site. If you’re a member of Velocity, check out their “Any Seat” offer where you earn points for booking with your points.
Annette

Annette

26 April 2022
I have a Qantas Frequent Flyer card linked to a Mastercard that has an expiry date of 12/18 how do I apply for an updated card
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    26 April 2022
    Hi Annette, usually the card issuer sends the replacement card a month or 2 before the expiration. In this case, we strongly recommend reaching out to your card issuer to request for a new card.
Rohan

Rohan

7 January 2022
Will I lose my quantas frequent flyer points if I cancel my bank credit card which is linked to the quantas rewards program?
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    7 January 2022
    Hi Rohan, Qantas points will not be forfeited if you cancel the credit card linked to it. However, please note that points do have expiration and you need to redeem them before the expiration date. You’ll need to earn or redeem Qantas points at least once every 18 months for them to not expire.
Michelle

Michelle

7 November 2021
My pints reach silver will.my bag tags be posted auto.matcly
    Pauline - CreditCard.com.au

    Pauline

    8 November 2021
    Hi Michelle, we scoured the Qantas site to try and find this out for you. Unfortunately, we came up short, so I suggest giving Qantas a call on 13 11 31 to check this with them. Let us know how you go!
Kausea Natano

Kausea Natano

24 October 2021
Who are Qantas Partners?
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    26 October 2021
    Hi Kausea, there are quite a few that Qantas partners with. These include brands such as: *)-Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, Apple, Marriott Bonvoy, etc. You can check on official site for the complete list.
Morag McArthur

Morag McArthur

9 June 2021
I have paid for a ticket to Melbourne with points and I wondered if I can reschedule or cancel it and what the payment cost is
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    9 June 2021
    Hi Morag, thanks for your question! Due to the ongoing pandemic most airlines are being flexible with bookings, cancellations and payments. We suggest reaching out to the bank or airline directly so you can discuss your options with them.
Kelly petrucci

Kelly petrucci

7 June 2021
Hi, I used the quantas points calculator to see how many points needed for a return flight from Perth to Exmouth and it tells me one amount then when you go to book the flight it is telling me you need a different quantity.I’m confused
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    8 June 2021
    Hi Kelly, thanks for your comment. The official Qantas calculator is generally regarded as a guide, and the calculations are an estimate. There are many things that factor into the cost of a flight, including taxes and carbon offsets. AIrlines are under a lot of pressure due to the COVID pandemic, and this may also be factored into the calculation. If you need more clarification on redeeming points, you could give Qantas a call to discuss your options. Safe travels!
Ross Eric Beckhouse

Ross Eric Beckhouse

17 May 2021
what is the annual membership fee for the FF program
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    18 May 2021
    Hi Ross, thanks for your question! The usual membership fee is $99.50 and there are some ways on how to sign up for Qantas Frequent Flyer program for free like applying and getting approved for a Qantas affiliated credit card. You can check the list of Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards for your options. Hope this helps!
Charlotte MacDonough

Charlotte MacDonough

3 May 2021
Can I redeem some of my points to purchase a ticket on Jetstar for a friend who is a Qantas Frequent Flyer member?
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    4 May 2021
    Hi Charlotte, thanks for your question. According to the Jetstar site, "Redeem your entire booking using Qantas Points, or use a combination of Qantas Points and another payment method." As always, it's a good idea to check when you make your request will be honoured, and to keep up with any border closures or changes. Hope this helps!
Bob Askew

Bob Askew

29 April 2021
Do i loose my points if i no longer earn/contribute points ?
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    5 May 2021
    Hi Bob, Thanks for your question. The short answer is yes, Qantas points expire if you do not earn at least once every 18 months.
Rosemary Howes

Rosemary Howes

28 April 2021
Can I cancel a flight and get a refund if the destination city puts a quarantine on arrivals before departure? Thank you.
    Roland B Bleyer - CreditCard.com.au Founder

    Roland

    28 April 2021
    Hi Rosemary, great question. With the on-going disruptions Coronavirus is causing to travel arrangements, it would be best to check these conditions with the airline before booking.

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