Qantas Frequent Flyer Points: Best ways to spend them

With international flights the best way to use your frequent flyer points, yet overseas travel unlikely for the next year – how should you start spending?

The best value way to use Qantas Points has always been redeeming them for international flights.

However, that’s not an option frequent flyers will be able to use any time soon.

Qantas today confirmed in its annual results announcement that the earliest date it expects to resume international services is July 2021.

There’s an outside chance that flights to New Zealand will restart earlier, but that doesn’t seem at all likely during 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t dented Australia’s enthusiasm for frequent flyer points.

Qantas Frequent Flyer now has 13.4 million members, up 4% on the previous year.

But what should you do with those Qantas Points you’ve been piling up?

My first tip: Patience pays off.

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With international flights still off the cards, what will it mean for spending frequent flyer points. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

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Your Qantas Points won’t expire as long as you’re still earning points.

You can easily do that by using a credit card that earns points to cover your everyday expenses, and there are plenty of good options to choose from.

That way, you can keep earning points and hold off on spending them until international travel is once again an option.

In theory you could book a rewards flight for July 2021 using your points right now. There are return Classic Reward flights in economy from Sydney to London going for 110,400 points (plus charges) at that time right now.

Business class would offer even better value, but even that far out, there aren’t many options available any more.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce delivered the airline’s FY20 results today. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi.

With that said, I’d hold off on making any international booking right now, since it’s likely the schedules and aircraft will be repeatedly adjusted between now and July.

I’m keeping my points stash and thinking about international travel bookings for 2022.

If you want to fly before then, there are sweet spots to be found in Qantas domestic reward flights.

Flights to regional centres usually cost far more than those between capital cities, so they offer a good return on your points.

The big challenge there is ever-evolving border restrictions that apply when flying between different states.

Flights within your own state are less likely to be disrupted by future coronavirus outbreaks (though there are no absolute guarantees there, obviously).

Start looking at intrastate flights to use your points on. Picture: AAP Image/James Gourley.

In NSW, the best value for your points buck is for flights to smaller regional centres to and from Sydney.

Think Coffs Harbour, Ballina, Tamworth and Dubbo.

In Queensland, heading to the far north (Cairns, Townsville or Mackay) offers decent value, especially if you can find a business class rewards seat. The flights are long enough to make the extra comfort worth it.

In Western Australia, Broome is a prime candidate.

Even outside of the current restrictions, Victoria is so small doesn’t offer many Qantas options other than Mildura.

Hang onto those points and think about a Queensland holiday in 2021.

My final plea: Don’t make the mistake of spending your Qantas Points on appliances.

Coffee machines and sandwich makers only offer a fraction of the value you’ll get from even a simple domestic flight.

Angus Kidman is the editor-in-chief and travel guru for Finder.