How to claim Qantas and Jetstar Covid flight credits worth $470m

There is at least $470 million of unredeemed Qantas and Jetstar flight credits, but they are not the only Aussie airlines with a mountain of credits.

There are still at least $470 million in unclaimed Qantas and Jetstar Covid-era travel credits that will expire at the end of the year — while Virgin has $400 million.

The travel credits were brought into the spotlight last week after class action law firm Echo Law announced it had lodged proceedings against Qantas in the federal court over the airline’s handling of credits and refunds, and the Qantas Group posted an underlying profit before tax of $2.47 billion for the financial year.

Its statutory profit after tax of $1.74 billion was the first full-year statutory profit since 2019.

When asked how much of Qantas’ profit was because of unredeemed flight credits on Thursday, chief financial officer Vanessa Hudson, who will take over as CEO in November, said Qantas hadn’t taken “any material profit in unredeemed Covid credits at all”.

While discussing the Qantas Group’s full year results last week, CEO Alan Joyce said there were $370 million in unclaimed travel credits, which was later confirmed to not include $100 million in Jetstar credits or an unknown number of international customers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Outgoing CEO Alan Joyce said there were still $370 million worth of unclaimed credits in Australia and 80 per cent could get refunds if they wanted, but it was revealed on Monday this value did not include Jetstar or international customers.

Mr Joyce stunned senators when he could not give a total figure when appearing at a public hearing for an Australian Senate inquiry into the cost of living, which he was issued a summons to attend.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with Jetstar CEO Steph Tully during a senate hearing into the cost of living on Monday. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

During intense questioning, Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully, who also appeared at the hearing, revealed there were about $100 million in unclaimed Jetstar travel credits in addition to the $370 million value Mr Joyce had previously quoted.

Mr Joyce and Ms Tully have both said they want people to use the credits.

So, how do you get your hands on them?

Act fast

Qantas has extended the expiry date for travel credits three times since 2020 and they will now expire on December 31, 2023.

There has been no indication this deadline will be extended.

The credits can be used to book trips until December 19, 2024.

Find My Credit

In June, Qantas launched a “Find My Credit” tool on its website for customers to search for Covid credits, including Jetstar credits, using their original booking reference that is up to three years old.

However, customers who booked through travel agents are instructed to contact the agent directly to arrange a refund.

Jetstar and Qantas customers can find missing travel credits through a new tool on the Qantas website. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Call the dedicated hotline

If you wish to speak to someone, Qantas’ dedicated travel credits concierge team can be contacted on 1300 171 505.

“My message to everyone out there is that if you have a credit, call a call centre,” Mr Joyce said last Thursday.

“Ring that, get the credit, either use it for a booking … or ask for your money back and we’re very happy to do that.”

Automatic refunds

Ms Tully said the reason the travel credits had not just been refunded was because they included half taken trips, codeshare flights with other airlines, and because of the time that had passed, people’s credit card details had changed.

Virgin Australia’s $400m worth of travel credits

Qantas and Jetstar are not the only Australian airline with a significant amount of travel credits due to expire at the end of the year.

Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka revealed on Tuesday the airline had its own mountain of unclaimed Covid travel credits worth about $400 million.

Virgin Australia also has about $400 million of unclaimed travel credits as a result of the pandemic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

She said this included non-refundable credits for people who booked flights prior to Covid, which never took place because of Covid.

“Those credits are credits that were incurred basically prior to the company going into administration … and there were about $700 million of those credits pre-Covid,” Ms Hrdlicka told ABC’s RN Breakfast.

“They’re down to under $300 million and those credits expire at the end of this calendar year, and we’re doing everything we can to get those credits worked down.”

Ms Hrdlicka said they were unable to be refunded because of the terms of the company’s administration.

“Then there were $1.2 billion in credits that occurred during Covid and that was basically during a period of borders opening and closing,” she said.

“Those credits are down to roughly 11 per cent of the total so roughly $100 million.

“We’re very confident they’ll get worked out through the end of this year.”