Qantas rejigs reward bookings for Emirates, Cathay Pacific and more
By Brandon Loo, June 21 2019
Forthcoming changes to the Qantas Frequent Flyer scheme will not only require more points to book premium seats with Qantas – there's a similar uplift ahead for partner airlines including Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, JAL and many more.
The revised rates kick in from 18 September 2019, and will see an increase of up to 13% if you're looking to trade your Qantas Points on a seat in premium economy, business class or first class.
Changes to partner airlines on the Qantas Flight Reward Table
Qantas' own flight rewards table also applies to Emirates, American Airlines, Fiji Airways, Air Vanuatu and Air North.
Key premium-heavy routes for business travellers include Australia to Dubai and Europe, as well as Australia to Los Angeles and beyond. A business or first class redemption will increase by 12.5% on average.
|
Cabin class / route length (Figures in Qantas Points) |
Medium (3,601 – 4,800 miles) |
Longer (7,001 – 8,400 miles) |
Longest (9,601 – 15,000 miles) |
|
|
First |
(currently) |
90,000 |
144,000 |
192,000 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
102,600 |
162,800 |
216,900 |
|
|
Business |
(currently) |
60,000 |
96,000 |
128,000 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
68,400 |
108,400 |
144,600 |
|
|
Premium |
(currently) |
45,000 |
72,000 |
96,000 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
51,300 |
81,300 |
104,400 |
|
|
Economy |
(previously) |
28,000 |
45,000 |
60,000 |
|
From now |
25,200 |
41,900 |
55,200 |
|
'Medium' includes Melbourne to Singapore with Emirates or Qantas. 'Longer' includes Sydney to Dubai with Emirates, or to Los Angeles direct with American Airlines or via Nadi with Fiji Airways. 'Longest' includes any route from Australia's east coast to Europe, one-stop, with Qantas or Emirates.
Emirates flights in premium cabins will see a bump in Qantas Points needed
Changes to the Partner Classic Flight Reward table
All other Qantas partners (excluding Jetstar) sit under the Partner Classic Flight Reward table. This includes Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Malaysia Airlines, with business or first class redemptions will increase by 13% on average.
|
Cabin class / route length (Figures in Qantas Points) |
Medium (3,601 – 4,800 miles) |
Longer (7,001 – 8,400 miles) |
Longest (9,601 – 15,000 miles) |
|
|
First |
(currently) |
95,000 |
152,000 |
203,000 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
107,700 |
170,800 |
227,500 |
|
|
Business |
(currently) |
65,000 |
104,000 |
139,000 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
75,000 |
119,200 |
159,000 |
|
|
Premium |
(currently) |
52,500 |
84,000 |
112,500 |
|
From 18/9/19 |
59,000 |
93,500 |
124,800 |
|
|
Economy |
(previously) |
35,000 |
56,000 |
75,000 |
|
From now |
30,200 |
50,300 |
66,200 |
|
'Medium' includes Sydney to Singapore with British Airways, to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific, or to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines. 'Longer' includes Sydney/Melbourne to Doha with Qatar Airways. 'Longest' includes any route from Australia's east coast to Europe, one-stop, with a Qantas partner airline on this table.
Soon you'll need more Qantas Points to fly Qatar Airways' Qsuites
Qantas hasn't yet revealed if airline-imposed 'carrier charges' will decrease for partner airline redemptions, although these have been immediately reduced for Qantas-operated economy flights and will also drop for Qantas premium cabin reward bookings from 18 September 2019 onwards.
Obviously, if you're planning travel with Qantas partner airlines it's best to lock in your Qantas Points reward booking before 18 September 2019 and enjoy today's reduced 'exchange rate'.
To check how your next booking might be affected, look at the updated Classic Flight Reward tables here.
Also read: How the Qantas Frequent Flyer overhaul will affect you
Based in Perth, Brandon enjoys tucking into local delicacies, discovering new cocktails, and making aeroplane food look good on camera.
American Airlines - AAdvantage
13 Jul 2015
Total posts 274
The Qantas marketing team is actually fantastic - they've managed to disguise a devaluation of points within other announcements so as to not bring an overly negative attention to it. Some people might say "oh but 12-14% isn't too bad a devaluation" - well it is when Qantas charge more points than most of their One World major partners already and this just pushes it even further.
It remains to be seen if this change actually means more Premium seats actually open up on Qantas, since it won't affect partner seat numbers. Especially disappointing with Amex having such a large devaluation which means we earn less and have to spend more - bad news for consumers generally.
27 Apr 2017
Total posts 39
Exactly. Classic Qantas. A few tiny positive changes to the least valuable part of the program (economy redemptions) outweighed by larger negative changes to the most valuable part of the program (premium redemptions).
Expect more negative changes to be drip fed without media fanfare over the coming days.
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 12
If you base the points redemption on the Qantas points shopping. 2000 Qantas points is equivalent to $20 Aud. So if you look at how the fees have come down in booking by 30%to 50% and increase by 12%-14%. It roughly balances out. They listened to Qantas frequent flyers who said they would rather spend points than real money. So all they really did was shift it more towards points. While making economy seat bookings more in reach for families
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
20 Jun 2019
Total posts 10
Yep, total con Job as usual... fees will go down a little and pts up +15% - still a rip off compared to partners.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
20 Jun 2019
Total posts 10
ps I always fly Latam to Sth America, Cathay to UK (and even BA if i have to). The problem are Africa trips - stuck on Qantas metal with just the worst service.....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Nov 2018
Total posts 118
In my humble opinion; BA is Nothing compared to Qantas.
I recently did a trip:
J MEL BNE B737 BNR HKG A330 QF
F HKG LHR A380 BA
Y VIE LHR A320 BA (cos J is a joke in EU)
F LHR SIN B777 BA
F SIN MEL A380 QF
BA vs Qantas A380: Qantas
BA vs Qantas staff: Qantas
BA vs Qantas lounges: Qantas
For a number of reasons I'll never fly BA again unless I have no other option.
Note: I used to be Gold BA Ex (equivalent to Qantas Plat). I switched to Qantas when it was clear I'd never be able to retain my BA status living in Australia.
I'll admit it's easier to earn Avios living in the UK than QantasPoints living in Aus. I don't have too many problems in redeeming either... I'm just more flexible than most.
We are spoiled in Australia when it comes to our top two airlines. But we do really pay for it $$$$
QF
02 Oct 2012
Total posts 45
I actually really like QF and am not someone who loves to be negative about them, however I agreed with levelnine and there are zero positives in all of the changes for customers. The reduction in the airline fees are not dramatic and time will tell if they actually release any extra seats on their own metal. For me SQ KrisFlyer with lower points levels, great premium cabin availability and no carrier charges (just taxes) is my go to.
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
I initially didn't think the devalue was too bad.
23 Oct 2014
Total posts 239
Ouch, look around at other rewards programs.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
15 Nov 2017
Total posts 49
Is the 18 September changeover for the booking or travel date?
10 Jul 2018
Total posts 104
It's the booking date changeover. Any bookings made from now until then will still be at the old rates. Travel can be at anytime from now.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 153
Booking date but if you need to change your booking after that Sep18, you'll have to pay the higher rate
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
I gather most people use points for economy tickets. But as I generally use mine for premium seats and I don't have issues getting extra points, I really prefer the lower fees. So I'm OK with the changes, but still think charges are too high and I'm not confident QF will release more premium seats.
24 Dec 2013
Total posts 97
It would be interesting to revisit this in 12 months time to see if the fees are still the same or if Qantas has gradually increased them.
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
Yeah they may add another fuel surcharge and call it a mandatory 'carbon offset'.
American Airlines - AAdvantage
13 Jul 2015
Total posts 274
You're not thinking correctly, it will be a future 'enhancement'.
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
Haha yes.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Very true! Can see QF raising them again next time the fuel price rises.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Nov 2014
Total posts 358
I love how QF can sugar coat such devaluation. This is from their email under “Better Value”:
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
Hehe sometimes all the stress with points is worth saving by just using cash.
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
Yeah it’s a funny email how the ‘increase’ part if you look closely is a smaller font.
13 Feb 2015
Total posts 70
Interesting that Qantas is trumpeting a greater amount of availability of economy seats. Which is weird because I've never had a problem with economy class availability. It's the Premium/Business/First availability I'm more interested in. Qantas seems to have remained very quiet about this...
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 26
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 26
It bears thinking about, but like Flying High mentioned, they have not witnessed many economy reward seats being unavailable, which is the same experience I have, except on maybe very high demand periods. So, how many of the extra 700,000 economy seats will actually be taken up, if there are plenty already going wanting?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Jan 2015
Total posts 17
30% of zero is still ...... zero!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Mar 2013
Total posts 6
Does anyone know if the Lifetime Platinum status credit count starts now, or is there a count back to when I gained lifetime gold?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 467
It's your total lifetime SC count.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1224
...though realistically you'll probably need the SC count from your next lifetime too.
QF
02 Oct 2012
Total posts 45
Here is the idea. Cancel all of your Qantas branded and linked credit cards and replace them with Amex cards where your points can be converted to SQ (or Bank of Melbourne Visa if you must use Visa). Then book SQ to Europe - Melbourne-Zurich for example is 116k points one way business class plus taxes/surcharges of $96.44. Or stay with QF and pay 144,600 points and $450ish one way and good luck finding a seat ever in business class unless you have Platinum status.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Whatever works for the individual and their earn and spend patterns. I have use QF points for domestic economy redemptions when flights are too expensive or use the points for Oneworld awards (now 318k up from 280k). Given the trips I have taken and airlines I have flown using that, I still think it provides good value.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Nov 2018
Total posts 118
I used points and managed to get J/F seats return to LHR & beyond using points and in the middle of the “high” season
29 Jan 2016
Total posts 12
Hi everyone,
31 Jul 2012
Total posts 20
First they increased the cost of points to banks who reduced the earn on the card products (devalue), then they increased the number of points to redeem premium awards (devalue).
11 Nov 2017
Total posts 11
Ha ha. All this speculation "it'll be good, it'll be bad" ..... two nights ago.
06 Jun 2017
Total posts 3
To get luv and hutch, you have no idea re points, qualifying, time spent flying, loyalty etc. In 2007 I was Qantas most ff for the year, received 2 bottles of grange as a reward. I have demanded for years that it was absurd that there was not a Lifetime Platinum. "reason given was "too great a cost by management". Management would not get a job at a cashier anywhere. I think earning 40,000 Status credits earned warrants Lifetime Platinum
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
@27560gnp - actually, I know enough about airline loyalty schemes to extract the benefits I want and not expect the airline to do anything other than make things more expensive... Cause that's what airlines seem to do.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 69
My take on the changes that airlines are making to FF programs is that they do not want you to make it easy for you to use points for premium seats, either they severely restrict the seats or they will gradually keep increasing the points required. Qantas is not alone in this , Singapore did this twice and they all will keep going further. Add to this the devaluation of points awarded by credit cards, and soon a premium seat using points will be almost impossible for most people. So the best strategy for us consumers is to forget airline loyalty and loyalty programs, and just pay for the cheapest business class deals that come by , it could be on an airline that’s not your first preference, but that’s the way it is. Dump all but 1 credit cards, save on fees as well. Stop purchasing via the airline website to earn points, stop using Qantas hotels and other inducements. It will bring Alan Joyce to his senses when he sees non travel related revenues dry up.
22 Jun 2019
Total posts 1
It is also worth noting that there has been increase in the Qantas RTW award rates as well. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere yet. Business RTW awards have gone up 13.6%. You now need 318,000 points to the previous 280,000.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Aug 2014
Total posts 22
Hey Brandon, any news on the RTW points per class?
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Economy went down. Premium went up - business is 318,000
09 Jul 2016
Total posts 30
If availability for bronze status improves I don't mind the slight increase in needed points
05 Oct 2011
Total posts 195
I laughed when QF last week said "it was a long time since the cost (in points) increased for redemption. They seem to forget that the points are only earned by paying increasing cost for the paid seats. Remember when it was 36,000 RETURN Trans Tasman with QF??? That's what they get for economy and they slug you for fees as well. OH FOR THE OLD DAYS !!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Jun 2019
Total posts 2
I also find it amazing that Qantas can increase the number of frequent flyer points you need to book a seat, and reduce the benefits of the Frequent Flyer program as a whole, and say that that it's benefiting all Frequent Flyers.
09 Jul 2016
Total posts 30
DrFazz I admire your loyalty.. hats off to you :)
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