Australian airline Qantas has introduced a combined bag of modifications to its loyalty program. Some award charges and carrier-imposed surcharges will enhance later this yr, however the airline may also add extra award availability and new accomplice award tickets. Fortunately, these Qantas Frequent Flyer modifications will not take impact till Aug. 5.
Given the information, there are some redemptions it is best to ebook now and others that it is best to wait to ebook till later this yr. Here is what you have to know in regards to the modifications so you may plan accordingly.
Increased costs and surcharges for Traditional Flight Rewards
For bookings constructed from Aug. 5 on, Qantas will enhance the price of its least expensive saver-level redemptions (referred to as Traditional Flight Rewards) and saver-level upgrades for Qantas-operated flights by 5% to twenty%, relying on the route.
On the shortest home routes like Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Sydney Airport (SYD), charges for Traditional Flight Rewards will enhance from 8,000 factors every solution to 9,200 factors, with the charges, taxes and surcharges of 55 Australian {dollars} (about $34.50) remaining the identical.
The value enhance will likely be extra substantial on long-haul companies, similar to Qantas flights from Sydney to Europe. Bookings constructed from Aug. 5 on will rise from 144,600 to 166,300 Qantas factors every method, and charges, taxes and surcharges will enhance from AU$473 to AU$648 (about $297 to $406).
Traditional Flight Rewards are sometimes arduous to search out, particularly on long-haul routes in premium cabins. This has been particularly obvious because the airline launched dynamically priced Traditional Plus Flight Rewards in 2024. These award tickets are tied to the money value of a flight and are far more costly.
Verdict: Guide now.
Increased redemption charges for accomplice airways
For bookings constructed from Aug. 5 on, Emirates flights will likely be priced in keeping with the Qantas award chart (reasonably than the accomplice award chart). Due to this, award charges and surcharges will enhance for Emirates-operated flights, as with Qantas-operated flights.
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Qantas has not but revealed the value will increase of different accomplice airways, although it says it should achieve this in Could (for bookings constructed from Aug. 5 on). Presently, you may ebook home flights inside the U.S. on routes like New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) from simply 8,000 Qantas factors, an amazing deal provided that different Oneworld carriers have devalued short-haul home flights.
If you wish to redeem Qantas factors on accomplice airways, it is best to achieve this earlier than the costs rise in August.
Verdict: Guide now.
Associated: A step up out of your common financial system: Flying Emirates’ A380 from Dubai to Johannesburg
New premium financial system award choices
For the primary time, beginning in October, you may redeem Qantas factors for premium financial system seats on flights operated by Finnair, Air France, KLM and Iberia. Resulting from this alteration, this system guarantees that 200,000 new premium financial system award seats will likely be added.
If you do not have sufficient Qantas factors to ebook business-class award seats on these airways, you could want to wait till August to ebook premium financial system seats.
Verdict: Guide later.
Associated: Is Iberia premium financial system price it on the Airbus A330 from Madrid to Dallas?
New Traditional Flight Rewards seats on Hawaiian Airways
Prematurely of Hawaiian Airways’ entry into the Oneworld alliance, it is possible for you to to redeem Qantas factors for flights on the airline beginning in October.
Qantas guarantees 800,000 Hawaiian Airways award seats will likely be accessible to Qantas Frequent Flyer members.
Verdict: Guide later.
Associated: A brand new period for Hawaiian Airways because it launches Dreamliner service: TPG was on the inaugural
Decrease award costs for Jetstar flights
Jetstar is Qantas’ wholly owned low-cost subsidiary, similar to Europe’s EasyJet by way of passenger expertise, pricing, guidelines and restrictions. Jetstar will not be a Oneworld alliance member, so accomplice factors or miles can’t be used to ebook Jetstar flights (nor can you employ non-Qantas Oneworld standing).
You possibly can already redeem Qantas factors for Jetstar flights. Nevertheless, from Aug. 1 on, the price of Traditional Flight Rewards seats on Jetstar for widespread Australian routes like Melbourne Airport (MEL) to SYD will drop to simply 5,700 Qantas factors.
If you wish to get from level A to level B and are not fussed about touring on a full-service airline or utilizing your Oneworld standing advantages, this will likely be a cheap solution to fly domestically inside Australia.
Verdict: Guide later.
Adjustments to incomes factors
Along with the above pricing modifications, Qantas will enhance the variety of factors members earn on home money tickets by as much as 25%. The airline may also award extra factors on choose worldwide tickets.
Incomes Qantas factors through bank cards
Whereas there are not any Qantas-branded bank cards accessible within the U.S., you may switch rewards from three applications with transferable currencies on to Qantas Frequent Flyer:
Every has a switch ratio of 1:1, so 10,000 bank card factors equal 10,000 Qantas factors.
Moreover, you may switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Qantas Frequent Flyer at a 3:1 ratio, that means 3 Marriott Bonvoy factors turn out to be 1 Qantas level. Marriott may also add 5,000 bonus factors if you switch 60,000 Bonvoy factors to an airline.
Backside line
Devaluations are an unlucky actuality of accumulating factors and miles. We advocate incomes transferable factors for exactly this purpose; if one switch accomplice devalues, you may all the time ebook with one other.
These modifications introduced by Qantas characterize greater costs and surcharges for each flights operated by Qantas and its accomplice airways inside and outdoors the Oneworld alliance.
Nevertheless, there are some upsides. Qantas is giving members six months’ discover earlier than any value will increase. And, for the primary time, members will be capable to ebook Hawaiian Airways and premium financial system award tickets on a number of accomplice airways.
For flights that can enhance in value, it is best to contemplate reserving as quickly as attainable.
