Qantas unlocks worldwide frequent flyer seats on China Airlines
There’s a new way to use your Qantas Points, with plenty of business class seats available if you move fast…
By David Flynn, March 15 2023
Many Qantas loyalists sitting on a stash of frequent flyer points remain frustrated by the limited availability of ‘reward seats’, despite the airline’s efforts to release more of those across domestic and international routes.
But a new option has just opened up, and it’s put plenty of international business class reward seats on the table.
Qantas is expanding its frequent flyer partnership with Taiwan’s China Airlines to encompass the carrier’s entire global network, rather than the previous limitation of flights between Australia and Taipei.
China Airlines flies to more than than 75 destinations across 23 countries including London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Vienna, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Rome – plus of course scores of cities throughout Asia.
And the SkyTeam member has a superb business class offering, with well-appointed flatbed seats arranged in a passenger-pleasing 1-2-1 layout, plus world-class lounges at its Taipei hub.
China Airlines' A350 business class.
A one-way business class trip with China Airlines from Sydney to New York, Melbourne to Amsterdam or Brisbane to London will set you back only 159,000 Qantas Points, while the modest fees and taxes on those routes span from $180-$250.
China Airlines' A350 business class.
Business class to Japan via Taipei lobs in at just 90,000 Qantas Points, with a cash co-payment of around $170 – and many of these regional routes feature an Airbus A321neo with its own lie-flat business class.
China Airlines' A321neo business class.
And with bookings now open through the Qantas website, this is the best time to make your move and snare your pick of dates and destinations at those low Classic Flight Reward rates – at the time of writing August and September are wide open in business class and premium economy between Taipei and London, for example.
“We receive great feedback from our members who have travelled to Taipei with China Airlines, and we know that having access to their full and expansive network will be welcome news” says Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth.
More to follow…
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 113
Can you earn SC and points on China Airlines money bookings?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 113
Update. Answering my own question. Yes you can but only between Australia and Taipei where there is a QF flight number.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 317
Disappointing that they did not update their reciprocal Status recognition. As a Platinum flying in Economy on a QF flight number on CI (paying a premium price), you get no status recognition/lounge access or any other benefits other than Points/status credits... Not even seat selection =0/
China Airlines - Dynasty Flyer
22 Sep 2012
Total posts 73
Now just wondering what benefits or access do CI dynasty members get from this?
For Qantas members (gold level and above) planning to fly premium economy /economy the big question should be are they able to access the lounges when flying any CI route?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 317
Under the current arrangement the answer in No. having a look through the updated QF website, it looks like it's No too. Lots of X's
https://www.qantas.com/tw/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/china-airlines.html
19 Oct 2018
Total posts 7
Dam and I have already booked flights directly with CI lol
03 May 2013
Total posts 677
Instead of getting their relationship with Qatar as a oneworld partner on better ground they pursue ad hoc airlines in desperation. Another useless airline for Classic RTW redemptions.
27 Aug 2018
Total posts 10
I would have booked an upcoming flight with them to Vancouver but the timing of connections from Australia is just terrible. Didn’t seem any better with their flights to UK/Europe.
I guess it’s still better than not being able to book their flights out of TPE to elsewhere but not a first choice.
China Airlines - Dynasty Flyer
22 Sep 2012
Total posts 73
I think the London timetable is more accomodating to kangaroo route passengers. True it is not the best but far from as bad as you make it out to be.
I see a 3 hour stop over in Taipei from Australia to London (BNE-LHR) which is perfect for say getting a shower and having an hour or so in the lounge relaxing before the next leg of the flight without rushing about.
The return is a bit too long however at being a 7 hour stopover. But again it is far from horrible. Personally I would just go through immigration and take the metro to the end of the line (15 min ride) to the Taoyuan night markets to have a walk around.
China airlines unlike other airlines like CX or SG have only 1 flight per day and their main customer base is people flying directly to and from Taiwan and from other parts of Asia.
CI sacrificed the local asian market (excluding Taiwan)for the LHR as a morning flight as it currently is almost impossible to make even from Hong Kong unless you stopover night in TPE.
My personal gripe with them is the poor value of tickets for those of us flying out of HKG to Australia or etc, their prices seem far higher than if say I was purchasing a ticket from Australia.
Amazingly even Qantas is cheaper usually at the moment.
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