Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes: What you should know

Qantas Frequent Flyers will have access to over 20 million more reward seats with the launch of Classic Plus Flight Rewards, a new way for members to use their Qantas Points to book flights.

This change is one of the biggest ever expansions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program in its 35-year history and will make it easier to travel to places like London, Tokyo, New York and Singapore with Qantas Points, even during peak times.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson addressed media and frequent flyers at the Mascot headquarters for the announcement, acknowledging that she has spent a lot of time listening to customers' "pain points" since taking on the role.

"We have heard from our frequent flyer members that availability of rewards is something that is an ongoing pain point, and that is why we are here today."

Hudson went on to unveil the new Classic Plus reward seats.

While usually requiring more points than the existing Classic reward seats, Classic Plus will represent some of the best value across the frequent flyer program with much wider availability. Classic Plus reward seats are also eligible for upgrades.

The points required to book Classic Plus reward seats will vary like normal airfares, which means they’ll be lower during off-peak periods or when booking early, and higher during peak periods. During sales and promotions, Classic Plus reward seats may drop below a Classic reward seat on the same route (see tables below).

Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance said: “The widespread availability of Classic Plus means that frequent flyers have more options to fly where they want, when they want and more often, using their points.

Classic Plus reward seats can be booked from today on Qantas international flights departing Australia for travel from 1 July 2024 exclusively via qantas.com and will be rolled out across the rest of the airline’s international and domestic network on Qantas-operated flights by the end of the year.

By the end of calendar year 2024, when Classic Plus has fully launched across the international and domestic network, members will have had access to 20 million new reward seats for travel across the rolling 12-month booking window. There will be a similar level of availability on an ongoing basis.

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said frequent flyers have more ways than ever to earn points and a new flight reward option would open up more value for frequent flyers wanting to use their growing points balances on travel.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson at the new program launch. Image: Simone Mitchell

“The Qantas Frequent Flyer program is an integral part of Qantas and has always been about recognising our customers for their loyalty. We’ve spent a lot of time listening to members about how we can better reward them,” Ms Hudson said.

“We’re adding over 20 million new flight rewards with the launch of a new type of reward seat called Classic Plus. It’s one of the biggest expansions we’ve made to the Frequent Flyer program in its 35-year history.

“The growth and success of Qantas Loyalty is driven by engaged members who earn and redeem points across the frequent flyer program, including with our partners, and that’s why we’re investing in making more seats available to book with points.”

Image: Qantas

Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance said: “The widespread availability of Classic Plus means that frequent flyers have more options to fly where they want, when they want and more often, using their points.

“The new type of reward seat will usually require more points than the highly sought after existing Classic seats, and will be available to all destinations on the Qantas international and domestic network, acrossFirst, Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

Image: Qantas

“We know how much our members love the existing reward seats and have been booking them in record numbers, so the new Classic Plus product we’re announcing today is over and above our commitment to 5 million Classic reward seats.”

Qantas will continue to offer more than 5 million existing Classic rewards seats across Qantas, Jetstar and 45 partner airlines, with no change to the points required to book these seats since 2019.

Example economy fares

Example economy fares. Qantas Points required to book Classic Plus reward seats (and taxes, fees and carrier charges).

Example business fares

Image: Qantas

Example sale fares

Image: Qantas

The above fares are off peak period: Example fares available for booking as at 5 April 2024 for travel between 10 – 28 February 2025.Peak period: Example fares available for booking as at 5 April 2024 for travel between 27 September – 13 October 2024 (school holidays).*Outbound leg of a return fare

The changes come just months after members of the program expressed fury at the airline’s rewards program, with some describing it as “a big scam”, “a complete gouge” and a “rip off”.

In submissions to a senate inquiry in October into bilateral air service agreements, disgruntled Qantas customers complained about the devaluation of points and the struggle of finding a rewards seat to book.

At the time, a passenger who has accrued 1.6 million points wrote in a submission: “The problem is, there are never any flights available for us to book.

“We often spend hours — daytime and night-time, weekdays and weekends — trying to book overseas flights, but to no avail.”

Many were outraged at the difference in points now required to book trips compared to previous years.

In submission 45, one frequent flyer member said they used to fly to Bali for around 40,000 points prior to the pandemic.

“I flew to Bali in July this year and used almost all my points I had accumulated during the two or three years that we weren’t able to travel. That total was around 167,000 points,” they wrote.

In submission 46, a Qantas customer said they recently purchased return flights from Melbourne to London for about 350,000 points and $800 in fees and taxes, but before Covid the same journey cost them about 128,000 points and $500 in fees and taxes.

With news.com.au

Originally published as Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes: What you should know