Buy an iPhone 6, get Qantas & Virgin Australia frequent flyer points

UPDATE | The Qantas Mall and Virgin Australia Velocity eStore purchase conditions for shopping with the Apple Store have been amended since this article was first published, and now prohibit customers from earning frequent flyer points on the iPhone 6 Plus.

Qantas and Velocity Frequent Flyer points can still be earned on the iPhone 6 Plus through Optus and Virgin Mobile as detailed below, while purchases of the iPhone 6 do attract Qantas and Velocity points.

PREVIOUS | Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will go on sale in Australia on Friday September 19 – and if you've got your eye on this next-gen iPhone, why not add a haul of Qantas or Virgin Australia frequent flyer points into the bargain?

If you're buying your iPhone 6 off-contract at full retail price, here's what you'll be paying:

• iPhone 6: $869 for 16GB, $999 for 64GB, and $1,129 for the new 128GB model
• iPhone 6 Plus: $999 for 16GB, $1,129 for 64GB, and $1,249 for the new 128GB model

Savvy shoppers can turn those prices into 1,738 Qantas frequent flyer points right off the bat, through to 2,498 points on the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus.

How? The Qantas Mall lets you buy online through the Apple Store and earn two frequent flyer points per dollar spent.

With Qantas, that not only covers the iPhone 6 but also any accessories – as well as Apple’s full raft of gizmos including iPads, iPods, MacBooks and iMacs.

But, you won't earn any points on pre-orders, so if you're hankering for an upgrade to business class, it's best to order once after September 19 when it goes on sale officially.

(Note that if you're after most Apple kit – except for an iPhone – you're best off buying it through David Jones via the Qantas Online Mall, as online DJs spends pick up five Qantas Points per dollar.)

Of course, this all applies only if you do your shopping online rather than visiting an actual store.

Also read: iPhone 6, iWatch to launch new Apple rewards scheme?

Points for apps, music and more

You can also pick up Qantas and Virgin Australia frequent flyer points for every dollar you spend at Apple's iTunes Store, again by beginning your shopping at the Qantas Online Mall or with Virgin Australia, through the Velocity eStore.

Qantas has the edge here, serving up three points per dollar at the iTunes Store against Virgin Australia’s two points.

And earlier this year, Singapore Airlines also launched its own KrisFlyer Spree mall where members of the KrisFlyer loyalty program can earn miles on the Australian versions of iTunes and the Apple Store.

How to earn Qantas frequent flyer points on the iPhone 6

To get started, head to the Qantas Online Mall and login with your frequent flyer details.

Then, search the list of partners for either Apple Store (for buying your new iPhone or iTunes (to fill it with music), and click the 'Shop Now' button to begin your purchase.

(If you can't spot iTunes on the home screen, just click 'search' at the top right to find the magic link.)

You'll have to click that button to earn points, because this little 'digital detour' from the frequent flyer site to a partner's shppping site is how the airline keeps track of how many points to send your way.

If you don’t click the tracking link before dropping your coin, you won’t earn any points.

Earn Qantas, Velocity points on your iPhone 6 with Optus, Virgin Mobile

Another path for earning points on your iPhone 6 is with Qantas partner Optus or Velocity partner Virgin Mobile, buying the phone on a contract rather than coughing up for full retail price.

You'll also pick up two Qantas points for every dollar spent on your overall phone bill with Optus, including any separate repayments for your new iPhone 6.

Just browse Optus’ iPhone plans, join Optus Rewards once you’re all set up (it’s free), and then link in your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership to earn two points per dollar spent every month.

Or, head over to the Virgin Mobile site to grab your new iPhone 6 on a 12 or 24 month contract. Each month, you'll earn three Virgin Australia Velocity points on every dollar spent.

How to earn even more points through your credit or debit card

As you can use a credit card to buy your iPhone 6 through the Apple Store or to pay your monthly Optus or Virgin Mobile bill, you can ‘double dip’ on points – earning once through either Apple, Optus or Virgin Mobile, and once on your credit card spend.

Let's say you choose the mid-range 64GB iPhone 6 or the entry-level 16GB iPhone 6 Plus at $999 outright.

Buy it through the Qantas Mall that we've linked above and pay with a credit card that earns 1.5 points per dollar to score 1,998 points for shopping online and a further 1,498 points from your credit card.

That's a handy 3,496 points headed for your purse or pocket.

If you signed on the dotted line for an iPhone 6 contract with Optus, note that Optus waives its usual credit card surcharges when you pay your monthly bill by direct debit – even for American Express and Diners Club cards.

You’ll just want to avoid using any cards that only award half a point per dollar spent with telcos, such as the Qantas American Express Ultimate card and the American Express Platinum Edge.

Also read: iPhone 6, iWatch to launch new Apple rewards scheme?

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.