Latest news with #ClassicRewards
Sydney Morning Herald
12 hours ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Qantas just devalued your frequent flyer points, but there's an upside
Qantas has just raised the bar for its frequent flyers, requiring more points for its Classic Reward seats. Since last Tuesday a Classic Rewards economy seat aboard Qantas between Melbourne and Sydney costs 9200 points, an increase of 1200 points, or 15 per cent. The fees stay the same, at $55. In business class, a Classic Rewards seat on that flight now requires 19,300 points, an increase of less than 5 per cent, plus a $21 increase in fees. On a Qantas Sydney-London flight, a Classic Rewards seat in economy class now costs 63,500 points, which is also a 15 per cent rise on the 55,200 points prior to August 5. Fees remain the same at $263. Regardless of which class you're flying, a Classic Reward seat now costs about 15-20 per cent more points than it did before August 5. The exception is premium economy, business and first-class seats aboard flights between 600-2400 miles (965-3862 kilometres), which have only increased by about 5 per cent. The number of points required for an International Classic Upgrade Reward to business class has now increased by 10-20 per cent depending on the flight distance, with shorter flights around the 10 per cent mark. At the same time, Qantas has added a sugarcoating to the pill, announcing 400,000 more reward seats available across its domestic and international fleet in all cabins. Based on figures supplied in Qantas' 2024 annual report, those 400,000 seats represent about 0.6 per cent of seats on all the airline's flights. Most of those seats will be on dedicated Points Planes, where every seat across all cabins can be secured with points (the first release launched last week and finished on Saturday, but Qantas promises more to come). The deal includes almost 25,000 seats to Paris and Los Angeles on Qantas flights, more than 40,000 seats on Points Planes to Japan and Singapore on Jetstar flights. Also, almost 135,000 seats will be available on Points Planes for just 5700 points, the lowest reward seat fare in Australia and on Jetstar flights within New Zealand. However, the availability of reward seats on some of its most desirable routes is skewed towards off-peak periods. For example, those 25,000 reward seats to Paris are only available for travel in November 2025, to Los Angeles in February 2026. With excess capacity in those months, the airline is offering reward seats to soak up seats that might otherwise be empty. Another plus, Qantas flyers now earn more points when they fly with the airline. Effective from July 21, just over two weeks before this latest announcement, Qantas boosted the number of frequent flyer points earned on its domestic flights by 25 per cent. For the airlines' higher-tier frequent flyers holding Silver status and above the deal is even sweeter. A Qantas Platinum member flying business class between Sydney and Melbourne now earns 3500 Qantas points, an increase of 1500 points, or 75 per cent. On international flights the increase is not nearly as generous. A Qantas Gold member flying Sydney to Los Angeles in the airline's business class now earns 25,594 Qantas points, about a 20 per cent increase. Qantas has also removed the earn cap for tiered members travelling in premium cabins, set to deliver almost 4 billion additional points for members each year. Winners and losers
The Age
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Age
Qantas just devalued your frequent flyer points, but there's an upside
Qantas has just raised the bar for its frequent flyers, requiring more points for its Classic Reward seats. Since last Tuesday a Classic Rewards economy seat aboard Qantas between Melbourne and Sydney costs 9200 points, an increase of 1200 points, or 15 per cent. The fees stay the same, at $55. In business class, a Classic Rewards seat on that flight now requires 19,300 points, an increase of less than 5 per cent, plus a $21 increase in fees. On a Qantas Sydney-London flight, a Classic Rewards seat in economy class now costs 63,500 points, which is also a 15 per cent rise on the 55,200 points prior to August 5. Fees remain the same at $263. Regardless of which class you're flying, a Classic Reward seat now costs about 15-20 per cent more points than it did before August 5. The exception is premium economy, business and first-class seats aboard flights between 600-2400 miles (965-3862 kilometres), which have only increased by about 5 per cent. The number of points required for an International Classic Upgrade Reward to business class has now increased by 10-20 per cent depending on the flight distance, with shorter flights around the 10 per cent mark. At the same time, Qantas has added a sugarcoating to the pill, announcing 400,000 more reward seats available across its domestic and international fleet in all cabins. Based on figures supplied in Qantas' 2024 annual report, those 400,000 seats represent about 0.6 per cent of seats on all the airline's flights. Most of those seats will be on dedicated Points Planes, where every seat across all cabins can be secured with points (the first release launched last week and finished on Saturday, but Qantas promises more to come). The deal includes almost 25,000 seats to Paris and Los Angeles on Qantas flights, more than 40,000 seats on Points Planes to Japan and Singapore on Jetstar flights.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Qantas frequent flyer program is changing - here's how to still fly for free
The number of points it takes to fly on the most generous, old-school Qantas Classic Rewards scheme has now, in some cases, increased by 20 per cent. These cases are mainly for business and first-class seats. The amount is on a route-by-route basis – how this scheme is, statically, priced. Loading (The other main, newer scheme is called Classic Plus and seats are dynamically priced based on the prevailing dollar cost – the only thing that is set is a point-to-price conversion rate: one point per 1 cent cost of an economy seat and one point per 1.5 cents of a business class seat.) So, the problem is on the redemption side. On the earnings side, Qantas earlier in the year upped the points that you earn on some flights. It's a bit of a 'give here' and 'take away there' situation … but indisputably, most frequent flyers will be worse off. What you can do about it If you're still keen on collecting Qantas points, it's time to step up that collection. Here are the top four ways I'm doing it. My shopping When I go to buy anything online, I always check first whether I can get it through Qantas Shopping. It's essentially just an online intermediary that partners with thousands of retailers to offer boosted earn rates, like five points per $1 spent. You'll earn points regardless of payment method, even when using discounted gift cards. Then there is grocery and other shopping: Everyday Rewards points from Woolworths, BIG W and BWS convert into Qantas points at a rate of 2:1. Watch for promotions such as 10x points on select items or bonus points for meeting a spending threshold. Gift card deals, in particular, can unlock big points. My power Some electricity providers, including Red Energy and Origin Energy, offer thousands of bonus Qantas points just for switching. Ongoing, you can get points for every dollar spent on your bills (2-for-1 for both providers, with the Origin Energy conversion via Everyday Rewards). Some promotions mean 20,000 Qantas points annually. And talking fuel, purchases at Ampol and BP can also get you Qantas Points either directly or through Everyday Rewards. My card charging Frequent flyer credit cards typically offer a hefty sign-up bonus of circa 100,000 points, plus points-per-dollar spent. Switching cards annually – but no more often as it could otherwise affect your credit score – can keep the bonus points flowing. And, naturally, clear your balance in full every month, as interest payments can wipe out any benefit. Loading (Note: a further threat to your ability to earn points – a future one but regardless worth filing away – is the mooted crackdown on credit card fees … these help fund the credit card providers' points programs.) My health Of course, Qantas has also devised a type of virtuous points circle where you usually get bulk points for signing up for products with its subsidiary businesses such as travel insurance and health insurance. For example, the new-customer health insurance offer is currently 130,000 points. But the free Qantas Wellbeing app also lets you earn points for simply walking, sleeping well and completing health challenges ... without needing Qantas Health Insurance. If you do hold a policy, you'll earn points at a faster rate. Hitting 10,000 steps daily and meeting sleep goals can net you up to 1000 frequent flyer points in the first month, and policyholders can keep this higher earn rate going. What about at the redemption end of it all … when it comes to converting all your hard-earned, extra points to longed-for flights? Whatever you do, resist the Points Plus Pay option. And only use Classic Plus payment if there is a bargain-basement sale price. Typically, these remain worse value than Classic Rewards, even after the redemption recalibration. Instead, plan ahead and pounce on the seats 353 days before your desired fly date, when the first tranche of Classic Rewards seats are typically released.
The Age
a day ago
- Business
- The Age
The Qantas frequent flyer program is changing - here's how to still fly for free
The number of points it takes to fly on the most generous, old-school Qantas Classic Rewards scheme has now, in some cases, increased by 20 per cent. These cases are mainly for business and first-class seats. The amount is on a route-by-route basis – how this scheme is, statically, priced. Loading (The other main, newer scheme is called Classic Plus and seats are dynamically priced based on the prevailing dollar cost – the only thing that is set is a point-to-price conversion rate: one point per 1 cent cost of an economy seat and one point per 1.5 cents of a business class seat.) So, the problem is on the redemption side. On the earnings side, Qantas earlier in the year upped the points that you earn on some flights. It's a bit of a 'give here' and 'take away there' situation … but indisputably, most frequent flyers will be worse off. What you can do about it If you're still keen on collecting Qantas points, it's time to step up that collection. Here are the top four ways I'm doing it. My shopping When I go to buy anything online, I always check first whether I can get it through Qantas Shopping. It's essentially just an online intermediary that partners with thousands of retailers to offer boosted earn rates, like five points per $1 spent. You'll earn points regardless of payment method, even when using discounted gift cards. Then there is grocery and other shopping: Everyday Rewards points from Woolworths, BIG W and BWS convert into Qantas points at a rate of 2:1. Watch for promotions such as 10x points on select items or bonus points for meeting a spending threshold. Gift card deals, in particular, can unlock big points. My power Some electricity providers, including Red Energy and Origin Energy, offer thousands of bonus Qantas points just for switching. Ongoing, you can get points for every dollar spent on your bills (2-for-1 for both providers, with the Origin Energy conversion via Everyday Rewards). Some promotions mean 20,000 Qantas points annually. And talking fuel, purchases at Ampol and BP can also get you Qantas Points either directly or through Everyday Rewards. My card charging Frequent flyer credit cards typically offer a hefty sign-up bonus of circa 100,000 points, plus points-per-dollar spent. Switching cards annually – but no more often as it could otherwise affect your credit score – can keep the bonus points flowing. And, naturally, clear your balance in full every month, as interest payments can wipe out any benefit. Loading (Note: a further threat to your ability to earn points – a future one but regardless worth filing away – is the mooted crackdown on credit card fees … these help fund the credit card providers' points programs.) My health Of course, Qantas has also devised a type of virtuous points circle where you usually get bulk points for signing up for products with its subsidiary businesses such as travel insurance and health insurance. For example, the new-customer health insurance offer is currently 130,000 points. But the free Qantas Wellbeing app also lets you earn points for simply walking, sleeping well and completing health challenges ... without needing Qantas Health Insurance. If you do hold a policy, you'll earn points at a faster rate. Hitting 10,000 steps daily and meeting sleep goals can net you up to 1000 frequent flyer points in the first month, and policyholders can keep this higher earn rate going. What about at the redemption end of it all … when it comes to converting all your hard-earned, extra points to longed-for flights? Whatever you do, resist the Points Plus Pay option. And only use Classic Plus payment if there is a bargain-basement sale price. Typically, these remain worse value than Classic Rewards, even after the redemption recalibration. Instead, plan ahead and pounce on the seats 353 days before your desired fly date, when the first tranche of Classic Rewards seats are typically released.
AU Financial Review
6 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
First class to LA for $600 plus points? Qantas drops rewards deals
Qantas has delivered a consolation prize for frequent flyers, offering deals on seats in all cabins on dedicated 'points planes' on the same day contentious changes to the airline's loyalty program came into effect. On Tuesday, Qantas released 400,000 Classic Rewards seats to frequent flyers, which will be available for purchase over the next five days. Among the best deals was a first-class ticket from Sydney to Los Angeles in February 2026 that will only set you back $641 and 195,400 points.
