Qantas now offers confirmed upgrades, at a price...

In other words, Classic Upgrades are now even harder to come by.  QFF is becoming one of the more useless reward schemes for everyone except Qantas themselves.

ditto - forget the Qantas FF program. its now completely useless. They lost me when they branded classic plus as a benefit to customers....that was just rude......then when i thought it couldn't get any worse they upped the platinum  eligibility to 1400 status credits..... i am very happy travelling on other airlines that offer better service and better prices

What is the difference between a fixed dollar upgrade and just paying for a ticket to be changed from Economy to Business Class like has always been available?

Well this is bitterly disappointing (but not surprising from Qantas). 

Lufthansa does this but your status and points earning is in the upgraded class, not the original one.

If this route offers a discount on securing a business class seat (i.e. cheaper to buy economy + upgrade than buy business outright), then this will hugely diminishes the value of maintaining Platinum & Gold status, if anyone willing to pay can jump to top of upgrade queue. 

Even if its not a discount, it diminishes the value - e.g. business travellers required to fly Economy due to company policy electing to upgrade out of own pocket. 

Very disappointing. 

I reach Lifetime Gold later this year. I'd already been working the pros and cons of continuing to fly Qantas (loyally) and keep annual Platinum as a  more likely way of securing a Classic Upgrade Reward seat in Business. If this reduces the odds of me getting an occasional flatbed in long-haul business, it makes it much more likely I'll start shopping around for other carriers.

I gave up flying QANTAS business class three years ago because I was sick and tired of the way they were treating their customers in the frequent flyer program. I haven’t flown Qantas business ever since because I get much better value and a better service by trying out all the other business classes that fly out of the Australia. One of the great perks of retaining platinum was the ability to easily upgrade from economy to business if there was space now it’s not even worth it. What really cemented it for me was the last time I was at the first class lounge in Sydney. It was a second rate service and that’s what was the final nail in the coffin for me to want to retain platinum. This month I’m trying out China Eastern business class from Sydney to Milan and it only cost $5500 return. You still get champagne, you still got a lie flatbed. And it’s fantastic value. QANTAS, you have lost it.

So another thing I need to pay for to get the same access to benefits going forward.

This is just going to reduce the pool of available prem cabin seats so my points upgrades have lower probability of being granted. Thats after said upgrades already cost more points for the same routes.

The points game and gunning for Plat each year just arent worth it anymore. LTG and Ill just stay with that rather than shifting spend.

Don't worry about classic reward seats in J, we now have Philippine Airlines for that.

I (finally) reach Lifetime Gold next week. I never fly QF  business beyond New Zealand these days because the product is stupidly overpriced and the aircraft old and unimpressive. I retain Platinum through DSC offers (I'm retired and self-funding) because of the Sydney and Melbourne First Class Lounges, and the benefits of Oneworld Emerald when flying longhaul with my preferred carriers (usually out of Asia). This latest move by QF is another nail in the loyalty coffin, but at least I got to live through what I consider the glory years of Qantas premium travel. Very sad now…

In terms of flying premium (PE, Biz or First) for me having nice wines and nice food is... not very exciting. I can have nice wines and nicer food any day of the week. And food in the air is all reheated stuff anyway (give me a fresh cooked cafe meal over even a first class meal). The benefit is the hard product - the seat, the comfort of it when it becomes a bed, and now in 2026 the speed of inflight wi-fi. I flew Hawaiian Airlines recently across to North America and had 200Mbps internet from the gate at Sydney Airport, through to the gate at Honolulu, and then from there to the gate at LAX. No drop outs, no speed blips: a steads 200Mbps all across the Pacific. And that really really helped the time go by.

I was a loyal Platinum flyer for many years with both Qantas and also Virgin Australia.  I would keep my platinum between both airlines, but since Qantas have decided to treat their loyal customers poorly, i have just gone with Virgin Australia.  They are an airline that know how to look after their loyal customers.  Their food offerings are fantastic and also the Virgin lounge is so much better than the Qantas Business Lounge.  I haven't not flown with Qantas for over 2 years.  I fly with VA for Domestic and any other reputable airline internationally.  They just keep moving the goal posts and I see less benefits with them for being loyal.  Virgin Australia is my preferred airline. 

I only fly long haul once a year and I have QFF points to use.  I'm thinking of flying with Cathay Pacific next year, or possibly Finnair.  I've flown Emirates a few times and I like their business class, but I want to avoid the middle east.  This year I flew with Singapore airlines.  I don't think I've ever used points to fly, might have a look at hotels instead.  I don't think it's likely to save any money paying for an upgrade, so no point.

Yep.  A few J Class flights on SQ, ANZ and AC and now one step away from Gold Velocity.  

Goodbye QFF.  I still maintain Gold Life on QF, which will be exploited when necessary, just as QF have been exploiting us for years and treating us loyal Platinum members as second class citizens.  No more broken down A330s for me, just excellent service on A350's and modern Dreamliners.

Shame on you Hudson and the rest of your Customer focussed (not) Executive.

The ACCC should be looking at this and going back over 20 years of the QFF Classic flight rewards and the misleading enticements that have you believe that you can fly SYD to LHR in Business Class for 144,600 points + taxes.

However, whenever you try, nothing is available at that points level

If this is not unconscionable and/or misleading conduct, I don't know what is.