Qantas Classic Plus Rewards: a change for better or worse?
Qantas says its Classic Plus Reward platform is a win for travellers, but many frequent flyers beg to differ...
By Staff Writers, July 2 2024
Trumpeted by Qantas as “one of the biggest-ever expansions” to its frequent flyer program, Classic Plus Rewards is a new way to cash in your Qantas Points without first needing to track down a relatively scarce Classic Reward seat.
Now, almost three months after its debut and with first flights booked using Classic Plus lifting off from this week, it begs the question: ‘Is Classic Plus a change for the better or worse?’
For points-rich travellers willing to hand over a large number of points to secure a seat, and those rare instances when a sale puts the dynamically-priced Classic Plus fare below the fixed price of a Classic Reward, it certainly provides more opportunities to turn those points into a reward seat.
However, not everyone is convinced. Since Classic Plus came online in April, many frequent flyers claim to have observed a sharp decrease in the number of Classic Rewards up for grabs, particularly in business class.
This is at odds with Qantas loyalty boss Andrew Glance promising there would be no reductions to the number of Classic reward seats – a tally estimated at five million per year across all travel classes on Qantas domestic and international flights.
More than 80,000 passengers have purchased Classic Plus rewards so far.
In response to an enquiry from Executive Traveller, Qantas maintains there have been no changes to the availability of international Classic reward seats since Classic Plus launched.
Despite this assertion, a search from Sydney to Singapore shows no Classic Rewards on any Qantas flights for the entire month of February. The only Classic Reward options are via partners such as Emirates and Malaysia Airlines.
In place of the 68,400 Qantas Points (plus tax) needed for a business class Classic Reward seat on that route, all that shows are higher-priced Classic Plus Reward seats from 117,700 to 274,300 Qantas Points (plus taxes)
It’s a similar story from Melbourne to Los Angeles, where the only business class rewards throughout February are Classic Plus – starting from 485,600 Qantas Points, versus just 108,400 on Classic Rewards.
How are you finding Classic Plus? Share your thoughts as a comment below this article.
(Note: Please keep your comments constructive and ideally cite your own experience; comments which do not meet those criteria may be edited or not published.)
In this article:
What are Qantas Classic Plus Rewards?
Sitting alongside Classic Rewards, Classic Plus Rewards are a new way to exchange Qantas Points for a reward seat, but with the number of points needed tied to the commercial airfare, rather than a fixed rate.
The price of a Classic Plus fluctuates based on factors such as time of year and availability – some days it may be cheaper, others more expensive.
Domestic flights will lift off later this year.
Classic Plus Rewards are made available 353 days in advance, at the same time as Qantas releases Classic reward seats. That’ll be your first and best chance to snap these up, making Classic Plus seats a useful Plan B once Classic reward seats are gone.
For now, Classic Plus Rewards are only available on Qantas international flights departing Australia, with flights originating from the rest of the world to follow in the coming months, ahead of Australian domestic flights later this year.
In this sale fare, Classic Plus economy is lower than the 18,000 of a Classic Reward seat.
The airline reveals 10.7 billion points have been redeemed on Classic Plus Rewards since April, with Tokyo, London, Singapore, Queenstown and Bali among the most popular destinations booked.
On the table are seats across almost all cabins on most aircraft – Qantas-operated only, no codeshare or partner flights – with Classic Plus fares also upgradable, even to first class.
Fare conditions are also more flexible, meaning you could book a business class reward flight on one leg and premium economy on the other, which is not possible on Classic Rewards.
Qantas says only Points Club members will earn status credits on Classic Plus flights, as they do now on Classic Rewards.
Dynamic pricing
Like Points Plus Pay, which converts the cash price into a points value, Classic Plus is dynamically priced, meaning cheaper flights in off-peak times and more expensive during high travel periods.
However, where it deviates from the path is the rate – the points price is tied to the cash value of the airfare on a rate of roughly 1 Qantas Point per 1c for economy flights and 1 Qantas Point per 1.5c for premium economy, business class and first class.
This generally makes them more expensive than fixed-rate Classic Rewards, but require less than half as many points as a Points Plus Pay fare combo.
If you nab a sale fare though, you may end up paying less than a Classic Reward, as seen in this example between Sydney and Auckland:
How much are Classic Plus rewards?
The points required for a Classic Plus Flight Reward varies in line with normal commercial airfares – a simple case of supply and demand.
Fees and taxes for economy and premium economy remain on par with Classic Rewards, but will come in higher for business and first class under Classic Plus, with the airline explaining this is to offset the number of points required.
By way of example, a return business class fare from Sydney to London booked as a Classic Reward seat costs 289,200 points plus $1346 in tax.
In an off-peak time, that same trip as a Classic Plus could set you back 656,000 Points and $1064 in tax, or 711,800 plus $1799 in tax during a peak school holiday period.
While Australian domestic Classic Plus seats are yet to roll out, Qantas says indicative pricing would be:
- 10,800 points for Sydney to Melbourne
- 12,200 for Adelaide to Sydney
- 30,200 for Perth to Melbourne
Qantas Loyalty boss Andrew Glance says Classic Plus gives frequent flyers “more options to fly where they want, when they want and more often, using their points.”
Classic Plus vs Points Plus Pay
Points Plus Pay is a way of converting Qantas Points to a cash value at the payment stage of the booking process. This allows you to pay for some or all of your fare using a sliding scale (though generally at an unfavourable rate of 0.6 cents per Qantas Point).
Classic Plus works in a similar way, in that the cash price of a commercial fare is converted to dollar value, though the rate is much better – around 1c per Qantas Point for economy and premium economy, or 1.5c for business and first class.
In a way, it’s a retooling of the Points Plus Pay system. Classic Plus is also visible in the search stage of the process, allowing you to easily see the difference between the cash value and booking as a reward seat.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2013
Total posts 49
From my experience, there is always a Classic Plus Reward seat available for the flights I've booked (mainly Asian flights) but the cost in points is just so insanely high that it isn't worth it, in any class. While I haven't noticed a drop off in Classic reward availability, it been trash for a long time anyway. In my opinion, it is nothing but a way of paying lip service to FFs while taking more points for the exact same flights. A con, in other words.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
21 Jul 2019
Total posts 185
I constantly scan for Classic Rewards business class seat availability to SIN ex BNE, SYD, and MEL, which is how I normally use up my bank of QFF points.
Up till the introduction of Classic Plus, my experience was availability for that route using Classic Rewards was good/fair for a long way out.
Then along comes Classic Plus.
I keep scanning for many months ahead..thus far only one (1) Classic Reward popped up (which disappeared within two hours). I don't think I'm the only hallucinating that Classic Rewards have mysteriously melted away like snow...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Oct 2012
Total posts 46
I agree with the lack of availability of CR seats. Trying to obtain seats MEL - Sin return was difficult even in economy. All that was offered was Emirates at higher cost. Even domestically on high volume routes at certain times of the year (as a Plat FF) has become difficult.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 May 2018
Total posts 20
In Jan 24, I started searching for MEL - BKK for early Dec 24. On QF services, only Economy showed up for Classic Reward seats (MEL-SYD-BKK), and on JQ both Economy and Business Classic Reward seats (either MEL-BKK, MEL-PER-BKK, or MEL-SIN-BKK). Occasionally I would find a Classic Reward Economy in Emirates MEL-SIN then JQ SIN-BKK but the taxes and carrier charges were sky high.
In Apr 24, I started searching for BKK-MEL for early Jan 25 and nothing came up until early June when some JQ Classic Reward seats opened up in both Economy and Business. This availability lasted less than a week. Nothing has shown up since.
I don't recall any Classic Plus reward seats (in any class) simply because I was only looking for a Classic Reward seat. I was hoping more to get Classic Reward seats in Business on Malaysian than on Qantas, but even they didn't show up, even if I looked up BKK-KUL and then KUL-MEL (and v.v)
For the outbound journey I ended up booking the JQ MEL-BKK Classic Reward seat in Business simply because it's a daytime flight. For the return journey, I ended up booking a paid Business Class flight on Thai. For the record, i'm Qantas Silver, and back to Bronze in 6 months.
American Airlines - AAdvantage
13 Jul 2015
Total posts 273
I'm looking for flights from Singapore/Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur back to Melbourne in late September early October. 0 reward seats within 30 days. School holidays are finished by this period, so who exactly is booking this seat?
There's a couple economy seats on Jetstar, but none even on Qantas (or Emirates).
Class Plus Reward fits a TINY niche segment of Qantas customers who have way too many points through business - so in essence it's a worse change. I also wish there was a way to just permanently turn on class plus seats when searching.
08 Nov 2022
Total posts 6
QF Classic Reward availability for 7 months away on premium routes in J would be almost non existent even pre classic+. They would've been snapped up by now.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 110
I started searching for econ CR seats to USA in late April and early May for July and Sept periods. I realize there is less chance during school holidays so was trying before holidays started and return before holidays ended. This would be a repeat of a family holiday in 2022 which was booked right when everything was opening back up after COVID and everyone was trying to flood out of the country. There was definitely far more CR options then when we booked, than there are in this year for a similar plan. So I would say far less CR availability now than before in my experience. C+R is so expensive I didn't even consider those options... It feels like a con job to me.
07 Jan 2016
Total posts 37
Classic Rewards on Qantas International has definitely declined. Very disappointing given that the revamped Frequent Flyer program was trumpeted as an example of the new CEO's focus on customer satisfaction. I think it's time for the Federal Government to open up more traffic rights to airlines such as Qatar for the benefit of Australian consumers. Qantas is unlikely to take meaningful steps to improve customer satisfaction until a competitor enters the market with a superior offering that will entice rusted-on QFF customers to jump ship.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 394
I don't think anyone thought this would be a positive change. Just a normal Qantas "enhancement". My experience is that Classic Reward seats have evaporated and don't expect it to be available into the future.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 465
I have been watching Perth-Singapore for availability on release day. For flights up to 4 June 25 there were economy classic awards available daily, then it changed to classic plus. Don’t even dream of classic awards at the front! I am interest to see if it is seasonal but not holding out for that. Classic plus sounds like enhanced Classic, but it is degraded Classic. In the end it will be another embarrassment as most customers view it negatively.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
28 Oct 2014
Total posts 2
Totally agree Sydney to Johannesburg classic rewards flights have all but vanished on Qantas flights, some appear with Emirates, but the fees and charges make them underwhelming value
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 71
From what I have heard, read and experienced myself. I see no positives in regard to Classic Plus other than maybe, some increased availability of flights above the near impossible to obtain Classic Rewards redemptions, but at a significantly greater cost (our hard earned points). Is this deceptive conduct?
08 Jul 2024
Total posts 1
If you’ve got millions and millions of points yeh I guess it’s ok (but then, QF is just catering to the top end of town and the people who can afford to accrue that many points in the first place). For the average punter who wants to treat themselves to a once in a lifetime experience with probably more limited points it does nothing.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Oct 2012
Total posts 132
Great article . I've found it extremely disappointing. All I seem to do these days (everyday) is check EK or MAS for any availability . You have to be quick because they don't last . Loosing Qatar has made it even more challenging .
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Aug 2024
Total posts 1
I check multiple times every single day and J class classic reward flights to LA and San Fran are non existent on Qantas metal and a few via Fiji Air. Flights on Fiji are risky as you can end up on the old business config on the A330 which are uncomfortable compared to the 350 and you have a stop as well. Qantas are disingenuous with their spiel about classic reward flight availability.
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