Best frequent flyer programs
From flight upgrades to lifetime VIP status, we round up the leading frequent flyer programs for Australian travellers.
Initially launched to reward prolific flyers for their loyalty, frequent flyer programs have grown to become a unique business model spanning everything from retail and accommodation to insurance.
These days you don’t even need to step foot in an airport to benefit from the world’s airline loyalty programs, according to Daniel Sciberras, editor of Point Hacks.
Sciberras said while flying remains one of the best ways to accrue points, there are myriad opportunities to earn them every day.
“You don’t have to just fly frequently to get value with these programs, especially nowadays if you’re a ‘frequent buyer’, for example if you spend a lot on your credit card and earn points,” he said.
“Qantas actually recognised this by launching their sister program Points Club and Points Club Plus; these, in effect, were designed to reward people who spend a lot and earn points, but rarely get on a plane.”
The number of loyalty programs around is exhaustive. Deciding which to sign up for depends on a number of factors: how often you travel, the destinations you most regularly fly to, which airline you rate best for comfort, value and service and which allow you to get the maximum return on your spend.
While there’s no harm in signing up to multiple loyalty programs, the ultimate way to climb the status ranks and earn points towards upgrades, flights and more is relatively simple: be as loyal as possible, and you’ll be rewarded.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular loyalty programs for Australian travellers (and shoppers).
QANTAS FREQUENT FLYER
Overview
The flying kangaroo’s loyalty program launched 35 years ago, and now boasts more than 14 million members, making it Australia’s most popular airline loyalty program.
Qantas is also a member of the OneWorld Alliance and has partnered with more than 45 international Airlines with which members can use their points.
Being our national carrier, it makes sense to sign up to the program considering it’s free if you book a Qantas or Jetstar flight (to sign up usually costs $99.50, however it’s not hard to find free sign-up promotions through their retail partners at any given time).
Airline partners
As well as its low-cost carrier Jetstar, Qantas is partnered with airlines including KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Fiji Airways, Jetstar Asia, Finnair, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Air France and American Airlines.
Point earning potential
The ways in which members can earn points is extensive. Aside from the usual suspects – flights, accommodation, credit card payments and retail points programs (Qantas is linked with Everyday Rewards and BP) – there are some novel ways to clock them up. Qantas FF members who download the airline’s Wellness App can earn points by burning kilojoules, with a 30-minute workout earning about 12 points (even simply downloading the app will add 150 points to your balance). It’s good to be aware, also, that if you don’t earn or use your points within 18 months, they will expire. If you prefer drinking to dumbbells, you can also earn points through the Qantas Wine program. When it comes to accruing points for flights, Qantas does not base this on distance travelled, instead determining points by fare class, departure and arrival destinations and whether you’re travelling on Qantas or partner airline.
Status
Qantas offers numerous status tiers, which are also recognised by the OneWorld Alliance. Members begin with Bronze status, which offers few perks. Reach Silver status (or OneWorld Ruby) and you’re given one free entry per year into the Qantas lounge, extra baggage allowance, free seat selection where possible and the use of Business Class check-in counters. Gold tier (OneWorld Sapphire) gets you access to most OneWorld Alliance lounges whether no matter which class you’re travelling in, all the perks above plus more baggage allowance. Reach platinum – by earning 1400 status credits in four eligible sectors within a year – and you’re looking at First Class Lounge access. Manage to reach Platinum One status, and you also get free Platinum membership for a guest and access to a dedicated VIP team.
Members who earn 7,000 status points receive lifetime Silver status; double this number and you’ll reach lifetime Gold. The airline announced last year it would now also be awarding “lifetime Platinum” status to members who accrue a whopping 75,000 status points.
That’s a lot of international business class flights.
Related: Qantas business class review
VELOCITY FREQUENT FLYER
Overview
Virgin Australia’s loyalty program is the newer and second most popular of the major loyalty programs, with more than 11 million members. If you do a lot of domestic travel its worth signing up, simply because it flies to so many destinations around the country.
Airline partners
Include United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Hainan Airlines, Air Canada, South African Airways, Hawaiian Airlines.
Point earning potential
Travellers can earn five points for every dollar spent on certain domestic and international short haul flights, while those with higher status can earn up to double the points. It’s also linked with FlyBuys, so you can earn points via your weekly supermarket shop. You also have the ability to pool points with family members. If you’re short on points, you can buy them, but when you consider it costs more than $1100 to purchase 50,000 points – around the number of points needed for a one-way flight between say, Sydney and Melbourne – it’s usually not worth it, according to Sciberras.
The only exception is if you are one or two thousand points shy from bagging a business class upgrade or something similar. In terms of point longevity, you have 36 months to earn or use your points before they expire, which is longer than Qantas FF (18 months).
Status
Velocity has four status tiers – Red, Silver, Gold and Platinum. You need 1000 status points and to have flown eight eligible sectors to reach Platinum, which will get you up to four domestic business class upgrades per year, priority boarding, lounge access and boosted points-earning capability.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES KRISFLYER
Overview
Star Alliance is one of the world’s largest airline alliances, comprising airlines such as Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, Air China and Singapore Airlines.
With Singapore investing heavily in its Australian routes right now, signing up to its KrisFlyer loyalty program is wise if you regularly travel internationally throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Airline Partners
Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca. Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, Eva Air, Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, Shenzhen Airlines, South African Airways, Swiss, Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, United. You can also earn KrisFlyer points on non-Star Alliance carriers such as Virgin Australia and Scoot.
Point earning potential
It’s not as easy to earn ‘miles’ with KrisFlyer as Velocity and Qantas FF. The main ways to do so include booking Singapore Airlines flights or flights with Star Alliance member airlines, by signing up to a credit card, booking accommodation and car rental or using their Kris+ lifestyle rewards app. There are also no carrier charges so you won’t be lumped with excessive taxes and fees, and you get a lot of bang for your points bucks compared to many other loyalty programs.
Status
Members start at KrisFlyer, before reaching KrisFlyer Elite Silver then KrisFlyer Elite Gold. To reach elite silver, members much accrue 25,000 Elite Miles within a 12-month period, and 50,000 for Elite Gold.
Related: Singapore Airlines business class review
AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRPOINTS
Overview
It’s the country we travel to the most, so signing up to Air New Zealand’s AirPoints loyalty program makes sense. Even if you don’t travel there frequently, the carrier operates regular flights from Australia to the US and Canada.
Airline Partners
Airpoints Dollars and status credits can be earned with Air China, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines and Cathay Pacific, while only Airpoints Dollars can be earned with Etihad, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas.
Point earning potential
As well as flights, points can be earned by signing up and using credit cards from the airline’s financial partners, plus hotel accommodation and car rentals.
Status
You need to earn 450 points within a year to reach Silver, 900 to gain Gold status and 1500 for Elite status. Silver members receive two vouchers per year for lounge access plus one recognition upgrade and discounted business class fares.