Complete Guide: Qantas Frequent Flyer Points Rewards Program
Posted May 15th, 2010 and last modified December 28th, 2011
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The Qantas Frequent Flyer rewards program provides some amazing benefits to members. If you are thinking of joining the program then this guide is for you. We discuss the primary elements of the Frequent Flyer program, from earning points to the best way of spending them.
The Basics
To enjoy the benefits of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program you need to gather more points. You can earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points in a variety of ways. The most obvious method is to take more flights which qualify for points. But there are lots of points earning opportunities on the ground as well. Qantas Frequent Flyer members can receive points when they shop at any of the over 400 partners’ stores, ranging from supermarkets to cafes and restaurants. This includes the banks as partners to the program, since they issue special airline reward credit cards. These credit cards can accumulate Qantas Frequent Flyer points every time you purchase something through the card. Certain participating retailers and stores will even provide bonus points on these credit cards. This is one particular way to really accelerate point gathering, by using a direct earn credit card to shop in a Qantas partner store to gain dual points, both from the card issuer and the partner store.Membership in the program is tiered, with new members starting out at the Bronze Frequent Flyer level.
Table of Contents: Guide to Qantas Frequent Flyer Points Rewards Program
- Member Benefits and Privileges
- Status Credits
- Status credit thresholds for Qantas Frequent Flyer membership
- Platinum level Privileges
- Gold level Privileges
- Silver level Privileges
- Qantas tools for Frequent Flyers
- Compare Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
As you gain more airline miles in travel your membership status get elevated to Silver, then Gold, and finally to Platinum Frequent Flyer status. As you can guess, the Gold and Platinum level members enjoy extra benefits such as access to exclusive lounges, priority check-ins, preferred seating, extra baggage allowance, membership in the Qantas Club, and higher reward points per flight. Once you’ve collected enough Frequent Flyer points you can use them to buy a new flight (including Qantas & Partners Classic Awards or Qantas & Jetstar Any Seat Awards) or upgrade an existing booking to a better travel class. Points can also be redeemed for gift or travel vouchers as well as thousands of other items, ranging from electronics to sporting gear, at the Qantas Frequent Flyer store. If you’re a little short on the requisite number of points, the store allows for Points Plus Pay method of payment. Once a year you may also top-up your Frequent Flyer points by purchasing them or making a family transfer from another account.
Member Benefits and Privileges
We have talked about the varying levels of membership in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. Higher status levels imply greater benefits for the members. The following table provides detailed information about the privileges enjoyed by every level of members above the Bronze level.Member Status Privileges
| Privilege | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
| Status bonus | 25% points bonus |
50% points bonus |
100% points bonus |
|
| Qantas Club entitlements | One complimentary invitation |
Complimentary membership |
Complimentary membership |
|
| Complimentary Gold membership for your partner | - | - | At 2,100 Status credits in one membership year |
|
| Priority check-in (regardless of the class you’re flying) | Qantas Club/Business counters | Qantas Club/Business counters | Qantas Club/Business/First counters | |
| Priority waitlist/Airport standby | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Checked baggage allowance – Qantas international | Extra 10kg or on USA flights, one extra piece |
Extra 10kg or on USA flights, one extra piece |
Extra 15kg or on USA flights, one extra piece |
|
| Checked baggage allowance – Qantas Australian domestic | Extra 10kgs | Extra 10kgs | Extra 15kgs | |
| Priority baggage | - | Yes | Yes plus First class baggage tags on international flights | |
| Advance Seat Selection | Yes | Yes, with a range of preferential options | Yes, with a range of preferential options | |
| Preferred seating | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| On Departure upgrades within Qantas Club lounges. | - | Yes | Yes | |
| Priority Economy Seat Purchase | - | - | Yes | |
| Priority telephone reservation service | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Membership baggage tags | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Since Qantas is part of the oneworld alliance, Frequent Flyer members also get to enjoy similar benefits from the oneworld alliance programs. They have their own tiered structure of membership levels, a Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald level, as indicated by the symbol on your oneworld card. The following tables show the equivalence between the status levels in the two programs, and the benefits accorded to members in each level:
|
Qantas Frequent Flyer status
|
oneworld status
|
|---|---|
|
Bronze
|
-
|
|
Silver
|
Ruby
|
|
Gold
|
Sapphire
|
|
Platinum
|
Emerald
|
| Privileges when travelling on oneworld alliance airlines | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
oneworld privilege
|
Ruby
|
Sapphire
|
Emerald
|
|
Access to oneworld alliance airline lounges
|
-
|
Business lounges
|
Business/First lounges
|
|
Priority check-in (regardless of the class you are flying)
|
Business counters
|
Business counters
|
Business/First counters
|
|
Priority waitlist/Airport standby
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Preferred boarding
|
-
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Preferred seating
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Status Credits
Now that you know the additional benefits and privileges owed to members of higher status, you must be interested in the details of how to move up status levels. The answer lies in the number of your status credits. The more status credit you earn the higher your status level will be. Status credits are a measure of how frequently you fly with Qantas and participating airlines, and how far. They alone determine what level of membership you qualify for. It is important to note that status credits are completely separate from Qantas Frequent Flyer points. The only relationship between them is the loyalty bonus, which is the bonus 5,000 Frequent Flyer points you get every time you earn 450 more status credits.If you would like to know how many status credits you will earn in your next flight you may use the points calculator. The following table provides similar information:
| Status credits earned per one-way flight | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone | One-Way Miles | Discount Economy | Economy/Premium Economy | Business | First |
| 1 | 0-600 | 10 | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| 2 | 601-1,200 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 90 |
| 3 | 1,201-2,400 | 20 | 40 | 80 | 120 |
| 4 | 2,401-3,600 | 25 | 50 | 100 | 150 |
| 5 | 3,601-4,800 | 30 | 60 | 120 | 180 |
| 6 | 4,801-5,800 | 35 | 70 | 140 | 210 |
| 7 | 5,801-7,000 | 40 | 80 | 160 | 240 |
| 8 | 7,001-8,400 | 45 | 90 | 180 | 270 |
| 9 | 8,401-9,600 | 50 | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| 10 | 9,601-15,000 | 60 | 120 | 240 | 360 |
As soon as a member gains the required number of status credits they will automatically qualify for the next level of Frequent Flyer status, and start enjoying status privileges. Status promotions also require a minimum of four eligible flights (Qantas or Jetstar) undertaken in the membership year. Any status changes remain valid for the next year, after which the number of status credits are reset to zero. To retain those status benefits members need to earn the status credits every year. The following table shows you the exact number of status credits to qualify for, and retain each level of membership in the program.
Status credit thresholds for Qantas Frequent Flyer membership
|
Silver
|
Gold
|
Platinum
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Qualify
|
Retain
|
Qualify
|
Retain
|
Qualify
|
Retain
|
|
350
|
300
|
700
|
600
|
1,400
|
1,200
|
If the system of status credits being reset to zero every year sounds too harsh, then you would be glad to know of the lifetime recognition option. Qantas will keep track of the total number of status credits earned on any member account, and once the required lifetime level is reached the account will permanently achieve that status level, no matter how often they fly thereafter. The following table shows how many status credits you need for lifetime recognition:
| Status credits required for lifetime recognition | |
|---|---|
| Silver | 7,000 |
| Gold | 14,000 |
Platinum level Privileges
Platinum Frequent Flyers get to enjoy the maximum benefits of the program. Here is a list of the extra benefits and privileges that belong to Platinum members:
- Members earn 100% points bonus – All Qantas Frequent Flyers (starting from Bronze level) earn points when they fly on eligible Qantas or partner flights. Points bonus is the extra points gained by Silver members and above. In the case of the Platinum members they get twice as many points per flight as Bronze level members.
- Qantas Club membership – All Platinum members can get complimentary access to Qantas Club.
- If any platinum member earns 2,100 status credits in one membership year, they can add their partner to a Gold level membership for free.
- No matter what travel class you are flying, you can enjoy priority check-ins at Business or First counters, and Qantas Club counters where available.
- Platinum members can have an extra 15kg baggage allowance on Qantas flights.
- Members can purchase Priority economy seat for themselves, and on behalf of one other person.
- On some Qantas flights you can get to choose your preferred seat from a range of options.
- Extra baggage benefits such as priority baggage, and First class baggage tags on International flights.
- Get instant On Departure Upgrades on Qantas flights.
- Platinum members also enjoy oneworld Emerald status and all the associated benefits.
Gold level Privileges
Gold Frequent Flyers also get to enjoy most of the benefits of the program. Here is a list of the extra benefits and privileges that belong to Gold members:
- Members earn 50% points bonus – All Qantas Frequent Flyers (starting from Bronze level) earn points when they fly on eligible Qantas or partner flights. Points bonus is the extra points gained by Silver members and above. In the case of the Gold members they get 50% points in bonus per flight.
- Qantas Club membership – All Gold members can get complimentary access to Qantas Club.
- No matter what travel class you are flying, you can enjoy priority check-ins at Business or Qantas Club counters.
- Gold members can have an extra 10kg baggage allowance on Qantas flights.
- On some Qantas flights you can get to choose your preferred seat from a range of options.
- Extra baggage benefits such as priority baggage, and Gold membership baggage tags on International flights (the first time you qualify for a Gold status).
- Get instant On Departure Upgrades on Qantas flights.
- Gold members also enjoy oneworld Sapphire status and all the associated benefits.
Silver level Privileges
Silver Frequent Flyers start receiving the extra benefits of the program. Here is a list of the extra benefits and privileges that belong to Silver members:
- Members earn 25% points bonus – All Qantas Frequent Flyers (starting from Bronze level) earn points when they fly on eligible Qantas or partner flights. Points bonus is the extra points gained by Silver members and above. In the case of the Silver members they get 25% points in bonus per flight.
- Qantas Club invitation – All Silver members receive a complimentary invitation for a single visit to the Qantas Club.
- No matter what travel class you are flying, you can enjoy priority check-ins at Business or Qantas Club counters.
- Silver members can have an extra 10kg baggage allowance on Qantas flights.
- They receive priority phone reservation services, as well as priority airport stand-by services.
- Gold members also enjoy oneworld Ruby status and all the associated benefits.
Qantas tools for Frequent Flyers
Qantas makes a lot of tools – online and otherwise – available to their customers and members of the Frequent Flyer program. In demonstration of their commitment to the customer, they provide greater flexibility and choice in all aspects of the reward program. Here are a few areas where you see the customer commitment of Qantas put to practice:
- Getting in contact – Managing your Qantas Frequent Flyer account is made as easy as possible. You can access your account online from any location to book a flight or see your account details. If you prefer to speak to someone over the phone, you can always call the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre.
- Fast response times – Every time you make a query over the phone or via fax, it will be answered within 10 working days. Any request made online will be actioned within a month. Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centres are fully staffed and always ready for customers, in most cases you call will be answered within 60 seconds.
- Earning more points – Qantas makes it easy for customers to collect more points. Use the online calculator to see how many points you can earn with every flight. Couple your spending with a Qantas Frequent Flyer partner to receive accelerated points.
- Do more with your points – Members have an ever increasing set of options when it comes to redeeming their points. You can book a seat from Qantas and Partners Classic Awards, Qantas and Jetstar Any Seat Awards, or combine the two. You can also choose from 1,300 products and gift/travel vouchers from the Qantas Frequent Flyer Store. Members can also use Points Plus Pay at the Store or even when paying for flight bookings. Finally, points can be used for Flight Upgrades, or for Qantas Club membership.
- Stay current – Qantas will notify customers with all the latest special deals and exclusive bargain offers from the hundreds of partner stores and institutions.
This concludes our guide. Hopefully you have received a comprehensive snapshot of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. If you need more information about earning reward points, or making the best use of collected Frequent Flyer points, please consult our dedicated guides on those topics.
Compare Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
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