Qantas Group announces major change for Frequent Flyer members

After months of heat from frequent flyer members, Qantas has announced a major change for millions of flyers.

Qantas has announced sweeping changes across the group’s frequent flyer program, following “ongoing pain points” for millions of members.

At a major announcement at the airline’s headquarters in Mascot, Sydney on Monday — Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson and new Loyalty boss Andrew Glance delivered an update to both media and select members of the frequent flyer program.

The overhaul will mean frequent flyer members will now have access to more than 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.

Ms Hudson said the change is one of the “biggest ever” expansions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program in its 35-year history.

Qantas Airways chief executive Vanessa Hudson announces major changes to the Frequent Flyer program. Picture: David Gray / AFP

“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.”

Qantas have revealed the major change to the new frequent flyer program, unveiling the existing rewards compared to the new changes.

The airline claims the introduction of “Classic Plus Flight Rewards” means frequent flyer members will be able to access places like London, Tokyo, New York and Singapore far easier with Qantas Points, even during peak times.

The biggest advantage is the amount of seats available to members, being 20 million per year compared to “Classic Flight Rewards” which is just 5 million each year.

The disadvantage is the Classic Plus will require more points to book, however there will be more availability compared to the original program.

“Classic Plus will unlock 20 million more rewards seats,” Ms Hudson said on Monday.

“That’s four times the amount.”

From today, members will be able to book international seats via the new program — and by the end of the year, domestic seats will become available.

Qantas Group have announced a major frequent flyer change. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Last month, the airline hinted at a major revamp of its frequent flyer program by suggesting it would allow customers to fly more using fewer points.

At the time, according to the Australian Financial Review, the new membership tier would allow customers to convert a single frequent flyer point to 1c on economy flights.

Previously, one frequent flyer point was worth only about 0.5c.

Until now, the value of one frequent flyer point varies on how they are redeemed, either through the Classic Flights Rewards or Points Play Plus memberships.

The Qantas Frequent Flyer program has been under the spotlight. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

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.”

Qantas have announced some major changes to the airline’s frequent flyer program. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

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

In one submission, a 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 another submission 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 Chantelle Francis