Qantas clamps down on lounge pass selling & sharing
Get ready for new restrictions on how you can use lounge invitations.
By David Flynn, March 18 2026
Qantas is making it harder – much harder – to share lounge passes with family, friends and colleagues.
Formally known as Complimentary Lounge Invitations, these are digital passes issued to Qantas Silver frequent flyers and also included as a benefit of Qantas credit cards.
They allow one-off entry to a domestic or international Qantas lounge, ahead of a Qantas or Jetstar flight.
Lounge invitations can be used by any Qantas Frequent Flyer member, not just the recipient, with the Qantas website providing an easy mechnaism to transfer passes.
But that’s about to change.
Qantas is rolling out two significant changes to how complimentary lounge passes can be used, beginning July 1.
New rules for using Qantas lounge passes
Firstly, the airline now says that “Complimentary Lounge Invitations will only be transferrable to someone travelling on the same flight as you.”
This pretty much puts an end to widescale sharing of Qantas lounge passes, such as what’s now done on several Facebook groups – including not-uncommon offers to swap a lounge invitation for a $50 Qantas Wine voucher.
Passes are also sold on websites like eBay and Gumtree, where they often fetch around $50.
The airline will reposition complimentary passes as being intended to be shared between people who are travelling together.
Also read: This card gives access to over 1,000 airport louges worldwide
Platinum One exceptions
However, Qantas notes that “this change does not apply to Platinum One Lounge Invitations” which are issued to Platinum One frequent flyers (two invites per year).
The prized Platinum One Lounge Invitations permit entry to the Qantas First Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Los Angeles, along with Qantas Business and Qantas Club lounges.
In addition, Qantas lounge passes will no longer be valid for international Jetstar flights – although they can still be used for “Qantas codeshare flights operated by Jetstar.”
This will rule out a visit to any international Qantas lounge – such as those in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland – for Jetstar passengers, unless they are booked on a QF codeshare or are flying on a Jetstar Business Max fare.
Again, the airline says “this change does not apply to Platinum One Frequent Flyers.”
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Mar 2016
Total posts 22
Excellent news.
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 607
I can understand why so many people are annoyed at this, being able to 'gift' somebody a lounge pass has always been nice, but I also understand how Qantas sees this as being abused with passes swapped or sold. In the end if it means the lounges are less crowded AND get better, then I am all for it.
13 Jun 2017
Total posts 3
As someone who splits up my travel between QF and JQ, it’s disappointing to see the JQ being removed for any status level or lounge passes.
03 May 2013
Total posts 711
As usual the few abusers ruin it for the rest. Gifting a lounge pass was always a nice way to share one of the perks with someone else. Oh well.
08 Feb 2018
Total posts 184
I think my husband has spoken to Vanessa Hudson and asked for this change so that now I HAVE to fly him in business class rather than economy with a lounge pass.
08 Feb 2018
Total posts 184
Given the Oneworld rules allow for 1 guest anyway, doesn't this mean the lounge passes are worthless unless there's more than two of you travelling together?
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 122
In fact it's actually worse as they state you get a plus one with any QF, JQ or oneworld flight (ie doesn't have to be same flight) on the same day. This is limited to the same flight.
Most of my travels are by myself, with the occasional second person. This change is terrible for people who already have lounge access as they could gift the passes to family members. Will make the financial products less desirable.
If they were worried about overcrowding they could have always used things like waitlists and even blackout periods as although I have been in many busy Qantas lounges, I've also been in lounges when virtually there is no one around.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
I am trying to work out what to do with my annual passes that I get from my credit card as I generally travel independently and haven't had more than one other person I have invited into the lounge ( and rarely on the same flight as most flights are on Dash so limited friends travelling with me). I give the passes to family members who ordinarily have no hope of getting access to business class or to close friends who have helped me as a thank you.
27 Mar 2019
Total posts 58
Not for those without Sapphire/Emerald status.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Jan 2016
Total posts 96
Have just e-mailed the kids who live in different cities to see if there is any interest before the passes 'expire'.
07 May 2015
Total posts 76
Gifting a lounge pass is great, but as usual it's the opportunistic losers who are selling these passes online who have now spoiled it for the rest of us.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 221
If Qantas management is so concerned about overcrowding in their lounges, then stop overselling memberships - but then we all know this won't happen. They either 1. redesign the lounge rules so that only J passengers can access them as once used to be the way, 2. increase the membership fees making it financially exclusive - rather than an average cost of $7 per visit (based on 2 visits per week per year which many customers do) and at the same time improving the service levels within the lounges, or 3. increase their sizes of the lounges to accommodate the vast number of members QF keep signing up for that ever important revenue with no regards to comfort levels within the lounges.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Aug 2013
Total posts 7
Well might as well get rid of the Qantas credit card only got for the lounge passes I enjoyed gifting them to my friends and family. Most people travel singular or in a pair as Gilflyer says.
13 Nov 2015
Total posts 9
What a joke, especially since new program changes later in the year was to increase the number of lounge passes given out.... Understand that selling them needs to stop. Only to share among family members would be a better compromise.
23 Aug 2014
Total posts 2
We are both platinum and travel together. We only gift our passes to our grandchildren. Our credit card passes are now useless. Not happy!
23 Jul 2017
Total posts 97
This giving of "complementary" passes is rapidly becoming a rort. You see "beggars" posting on fakebook wanting someone to give them a pass or two where the potential giver is in no way, family or friend, connected to the "beggar". Somehow I get these passes through the Point Club. Don't need them so they expire as none of my connections want or would use them. They're certainly NOT for sale. Doesn't that abuse the Qantas rules? It's certainly time for a revision for acceptance into Qantas lounges. (Maybe I'm an old grouch, but I remember the 1990s when the lounges were elegant, comfortable and never crowded. Entry was restricted. Times have changed.)
10 Feb 2012
Total posts 12
I understand the qantas decision. However, the decision that the person has to be flying on the same flight as you? If you're a gold, platinum, platinum one, they already can come in with you. I can understand if you're flying with a big family/group or are a red/silver member. For the rest? Wont be worth having.
With all these free lounge passes I get from Qantas affiliated Business cards, they'll just sit there and won't get used. It was nice to give to family and close friends as a treat over the years (especially for those who don't fly a lot). Now that that's squashed, I just hope our qantas affiliated Credit card companies give something else in replacement for the lounge passes not used. As it's just a waste in giving them out. Should have never started them in the first place.
Maybe they should link your qantas tier to your credit card and if your'e red, silver or qantas club you get passes, but if your'e gold and above you can get travel vouchers, upgrades, bonus points/stats that can be used/gifted. Just some alternative ideas.
Your Qantas tier should be linked to the credit card company, so perks can be upscaled etc to your needs. Eg, if already Gold, you don't need lounge passes, but a travel voucher, bonus stats/points, upgrades etc that would be seen as better value.
In regards to jetstar? WHY not only allow entry for just redemption & Max Fares (Business, Economy) that are bought through the qantas website, and for Jetstar Max fares bought through Jetstar. As they are paying/earning/using the qantas program.
Anyway, as a lifetime gold member, such a waste of passes just sitting in my profile. What ever happens, seems like a waste of passes. When it comes to the lounges, if you're not platinum one, there's always the Amex and priority lounges.
20 Apr 2015
Total posts 10
Appalling decision. Makes the comp passes completely pointless. Why shouldn't my wife or daughter or friend have the small benefit of a lounge if they travel on their own? It's not much in return for all the times I've been away to generate the status.
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