How to earn Qantas status credits with your credit card

Qantas status credits are the key to prized perks such as lounge access, priority checkin and boarding, higher checked luggage allowance, bonus frequent flyer points and a better chance of scoring an upgrade when seats are in short supply.

But until now, the only way to earn Qantas status credits has been to take flight – preferably in a premium cabin and booked under one of the airline’s more expensive fares.

That's now changed, with Qantas allowing travellers to earn status credits on the ground with a swipe of their credit card.

This special deal is currently limited to just two credits cards: the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card and ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Card.

New applicants to either the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card or ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Card stand to earn 75 status credits once you use the card to pay for any Qantas return flight booked by 1 May 2017, with travel completed by by 30 September 2017.

This one-off bonus is in addition to whatever number of status credits you'd usually earn for that flight – and it even includes the cheapest economy fare on a short trip such as Sydney-Melbourne, which would usually yield just 20 status credits as a return trip.

Furthermore, those 75 status credits also count towards your ‘lifetime’ balance if you’ve got your eye on Lifetime Silver or Lifetime Gold status – although they don’t count towards retaining Platinum One status or triggering your next Loyalty Bonus.

None the less, it’s an easy 75 status credits there for the taking.

Of course, you’ll also earn Qantas frequent flyer points with the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card or ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Card – with a meaty 75,000 point sign-up bonus to kick things off.

That’s enough for an upgrade from business class to first class on Sydney-London or Melbourne-London; or as many as seven upgrades from economy class to business class between Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and Perth.

Ready to grab those 75,000 Qantas points and 75 status credits? Apply today for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card or ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Card.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.