How to earn points to travel the world on Qantas frequent flyer card

CAN it really be done? Qantas has laid out how to get enough points on its frequent flyer card to fly around the world.

THERE is some sobering news for thrifty travellers trying to rack up enough frequent flyer points to take them around the world.

If you're using your Qantas Frequent Flyer card just to buy groceries, you will need to fill up your pantry with a staggering $280,000 worth of food before you can jet off at no extra cost.

That's according to the frequent flyer team at Qantas, who calculated the points needed on an around-the-world ticket travelling with the airline and its partners between Sydney, Singapore, London and Los Angeles.

Qantas crunched the numbers on its frequent flyer program after American man Steve Kamb claims to have bought all of his flights around the world for less than $500, predominantly by exploiting frequent flyer schemes.

HOW YOU CAN TRAVEL THE WORLD. FOR FREE

HOW STEVE KAMB EXERCISED AROUND THE WORLD

The number of Qantas points is a lot but the airline says there are many ways to accrue those rewards.

The most basic way is earning 1 point for every $2 spent on eligible purchases in Australian dollars, such as buying groceries at Woolworth's.

You can also earn extra points if you get a home loan with the Macquarie Bank or when you fly with Qantas or its partners (an around-the-world trip between Sydney, Singapore, London and Los Angeles will earn you about 170,000 points).

Kamb, a personal trainer in the United States with a zest for travel, revealed the secrets behind his cheap adventures on his blog, Nerd Fitness.

He said he brought his flight costs down to only $US418 ($433) using a bunch of "travel hacking" techniques, mostly by exploiting frequent flyer programs, a method he admits is convoluted and takes a lot of time and effort.

Kamb signed up to as many rewards programs as possible and researched each to work out where he could earn the most bonus points.

He says he never changed his spending habits, except to buy everything using his frequent flyer credit cards, which he would then pay off as soon as he had been rewarded with the points.

After figuring out the deals that would net him the optimum number of bonus points, he racked up as many as he could and eventually planned his trip using the most point-friendly flights.

"If you have a trip of a lifetime that you never thought you can afford, you'd be surprised how cheaply it can be done ... all you need is a few hours of free time, a desired location, and a little bit of hard work," Kamb says.

AROUND THE WORLD WITH QANTAS POINTS

Option 1: 140,000 points for economy flights, plus $1175 in taxes, fees and charges

Travelling Sydney - Singapore (Qantas) - London (British Airways) - Los Angeles (American Airlines) - Sydney (Qantas)

Option 2: 308,453 points for economy, including all taxes, fees and charges

Alternatively: 260,378 points for economy, plus $500 in taxes, fees and charges

Travelling Sydney - Singapore (Qantas) - London via Dubai (Qantas/Emirates) - Los Angeles (British Airways) - Sydney (Qantas)

Option 3: $1578 cash sale fare at qantas.com

Flying Sydney - Singapore (Qantas) - London via Dubai (Qantas/Emirates) - Los Angeles (British Airways) - Sydney (Qantas)

Without the sale: $2861.26, including all taxes, fees and charges

HOW TO EARN QANTAS POINTS

- Using your Qantas Card, you earn 1 point for every $2 you spend on eligible purchases in Australian dollars and for every $1 you spend on eligible purchases in foreign currency

- Home loans with the Macquarie Bank can earn 10,000 points for every $100,000 drawn down at settlement. And while the loan remains above $150,000, you earn 1000 points each month and an extra 25,000 bonus points at the third and fifth anniversaries of the loan

- On eligible Qantas flights (an around-the-world trip with Qantas will net you about 170,000 points)

- With Qantas partners when you book flights, hotels, shop and bank

Details: qantas.com.au/fflyer