How to earn Qantas frequent flyer points quickly

Escape’s points expert, Sabine Leroy, answers your questions about frequent flyer programs.

What’s the best way to earn Qantas points quickly? It’s my wife’s 50th soon and I’d like to take her away using points.

Single-handedly, the fastest way to earn points is by signing up to a new points earning credit card. Most banks have Qantas Frequent Flyer credit cards and most offer a generous sign-on bonus in the form of a lump sum of points. There is a catch, of course. You’ll need to meet a minimum spend in the first few months of holding the card – anywhere between $3,000 and $6,000 seems to be the norm. 

Depending on the credit card, you’ll be able to score around up to 150,000 points after meeting the eligible criteria of spending in usually three months of holding the card. My top tip is to get a secondary card for your partner to help you get there.

The best way to earn points quickly is by signing up to a loyalty card

Using a frequent flyer credit card allows you to earn points every time you make what Qantas and the bank calls an ‘eligible purchase’, which to be honest is most things.

Get to know Qantas partners

And spend in those stores. Qantas Frequent Flyer is the most prolific loyalty airline program in Australia which means it has a lot of partners which allow Aussies to earn Qantas points. 

With so many big names, you might not even need to change your shopping habits to start earning.

Groceries

Grocery shopping is another way you can earn Qantas Points

You can earn Qantas points by doing your grocery shop at Woolworths. Qantas and Everyday Rewards are partners which see 2,000 Everyday Reward points conver to 1,000 Qantas points. Participating stores include Woolworths Metro, Big W and fuel stations Ampol and EG Ampol. Simply link your Frequent Flyer account to Everyday Rewards and make Qantas your Rewards choice – you can even set an automatic transfer.

Fuel

On the fuel front, you can also earn through filling up at BP. Join BP Rewards and scan your Qantas Frequent Flyer card at the counter to earn  2 Qantas Points per litre and 1 Qantas Point per $1. Snacks and essentials bought at a BP count too.

Meal subscriptions

Both HelloFresh or My Muscle Chef are partners. Qantas members can earn up to 10,000 points by signing up to their first weekly HelloFresh plan. If you prefer ready-made meals, My Muscle Chef is also available through the Qantas Shopping website. 

Wine

Who knew? Buying wine could get you closer to this...

If you like a vino, Qantas Wine is an excellent way to keep your cellar stocked up while earning points. The online store also sells champagne, sparkling wine, spirits and more. If you prefer wandering through the aisles, BWS is part of Everyday Rewards.

There are loads of other ways to earn points like subscribing to Kayo Sports or Binge, taking out insurance through Qantas Insurance, switching to Red Energy and linking it to your Qantas account, or catching a movie at Hoyts. Even a little retail therapy through Qantas Shopping and its 450 retailers can score you points. Qantas Shopping has major brands including David Jones, H&M, Bonds, Lego, Myer, Dyson, Priceline, Hype, Adidas and Cotton On, with bonus points offers available on selected purchases.

If you shop at a store that’s a Qantas partner with your Qantas credit card, you’ll double dip on points. For example, if you do your groceries at Woolies, not only will you earn Everyday Rewards points which will convert to Qantas points, but your credit card will earn you points on the transaction as well.

Have a question about points? Drop Sabine an email at [e-mail]. Personal replies are unfortunately not possible.

Originally published as How to earn Qantas frequent flyer points quickly