New Qantas frequent flyer program will offer art, cars and handbags for sale with points

The airline has come up with new way to tempt ‘millionaire’ frequent flyers to part with the huge pools of points amassed during lockdowns.

Qantas has come up with a new way to get frequent flyers to part with big points balances built up over the Covid-19 crisis. Picture: Supplied.

Qantas is rolling out a new initiative to help frequent flyers part with huge points balances built up over the Covid crisis – an invite-only reward service for “points millionaires”.

The service will allow those eligible to buy luxury goods not available to other frequent flyers less flush with points through the Qantas online store.

Items such as designer handbags, jewellery, artwork, musical instruments and even vehicles with a cash value of between $5500 and $37,500 will be available, with sales to be facilitated by a dedicated service team.

Qantas Loyalty chief executive Olivia Wirth said it was a unique way to reward top-earning frequent flyers and provide even more ways to use points.

Qantas will offer musical instruments to purchase with frequent flyers points.

“This gives some of our most loyal members a one-time chance to go big and use their points on something that they have never been able to before,” Ms Wirth said.

“We know that throughout the pandemic frequent flyers have been stockpiling points they have earned on the ground and many of our highest points earning members will appreciate the flexibility to use their points in this way.”

Once a frequent flyer member had settled on an item, they would be provided with a points quote for consideration before proceeding.

As an example, a scooter might cost the buyer 1.6 million points, or the monetary equivalent of about $30,000 based on the Points Hack calculation that each Qantas point is worth 1.9 cents.

The initiative follows on from a points auction staged by Qantas in August, where frequent flyers bid more than 12 million points on five “money can’t buy” items and experiences.

They included two used A380 skybeds for 2 million points, a private charter flight for up to 30 people for 4.8 million, and a Queenstown holiday for four, that went for 3.76 million points.

Art will also be in the catalogue of what points can buy.

Virgin Australia has also increased opportunities for members of its Velocity program to use their points with airline partners including Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Etihad, Hawaiian and South African Airways.

Velocity points could also be redeemed for seats on Virgin Australia’s domestic and international services, with flights to Fiji set to resume on December 16.

Velocity CEO Nick Rohrlach said it was exciting to again have the chance to earn and redeem points on international travel.

“After being grounded for so long, many of us can’t wait to reunite with family and friends and experience new places – now Velocity Points will once again make it possible,” Mr Rohrlach said.

“Virgin Australia and its airline partners are determined to offer some of the best value fares on the market as we do our part to rebuild the travel industry and the millions of jobs it supports globally.”

Qantas frequent flyers boasts more than 13 million members, and Velocity has over 10 million, making them the most popular loyalty programs in the country.

Originally published as New Qantas frequent flyer program will offer art, cars and handbags for sale with points