Qantas auctioning A380 business class seats, private flight for points

Ever wanted to deck out your den with a pair of A380 business class seats, charter a private plane for the day or learn how to pilot a Boeing 787 in a state-of-the-art flight simulator?

Those are some of the items going under the hammer when Qantas kicks off its new Points Auction initiative, with five unique experiences being sold for Qantas Points across the week commencing Monday August 2.

The online auction comes at a time when lockdowns prevent most of the estimated 14 million Qantas Frequent Flyer members from actually flying – although they're still continuing to pile up the points through on-the-ground activities such as groceries and online shopping.

"Whilst travel remains the number one thing frequent flyers want to use their Qantas Points on once borders open up, we know that many are keen to use some points on unique, big-ticket items," reasons Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth.

"Points Auction gives members the chance to bid on special experiences, and we expect these items to create a points bidding frenzy."

One item will be auctioned off each day from August 2 to August 6; bidding will start at 8am (AEST), and closes with the highest bid placed by 9pm.

So what's up for grabs?

Bidding opens 9am Monday August 2 for the Qantas Boeing 787 flight simulator experience.

This 2.5 hour session for two people is under the personal instruction of one of the airline's most experienced captains (Qantas Fleet Operations Manager Lisa Norman or  Qantas Chief Technical Pilot Alex Passerini, both seen below on a real Boeing 787 flight deck).

Qantas says this has a nominal value of over $3,000; bidding will take off from 50,000 Qantas Points, and it's sure to be fierce!

There's also a pair of Airbus A380 Skybed II business class seats – yes, the original Qantas superjumbo seats designed by Marc Newson.

In the interest of full disclosure, Qantas warns "the built-in screens don't work outside of the plane, but picture this: reclining on a Skybed in your media room, sipping champagne, watching the latest TV series. They’ll be the hottest seats in the house." Bidding opens at 350,000 Qantas Points.

Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries or a getaway without any reason at all, there's also a one-day return trip on a Qantas Dash-8 turbo prop for up to 30 people. There's full hospitality onboard, with lounge access prior to your departure, and a choice of three itineraries: Sydney to Byron Bay, Melbourne to Devonport, and Brisbane to Hamilton Island.

The starting bid of 1.2 million Qantas Points may sound steep but it works out to be just 40,000 points per person.

Rounding out the Qantas Points Auction launch week is a luxury holiday for four people to Queenstown including business class flights, three nights in the penthouse of the five-star Eichardt Private Hotel overlooking Lake Wakatipu and a three-hour superyacht private dining cruise.

Qantas values this glam getaway at over $50,000, but bidding opens at just 300,000 Qantas Points.

Finally, up to 20 kids can enjoy a coaching clinic with Socceroos' head coach Graham Arnold, with bidding kicking off at 100,000 Qantas Points.

Qantas says that based on the success of this first Points Auction, it will look at "sourcing more unique items exclusive to its members to be auctioned off throughout the year."

For full details, visit the Qantas Points Auction website.

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.