Qantas brings back Status Credit earn on Classic Flight Rewards

Qantas will once again let frequent flyers earn Status Credits on points-based Classic Flight Rewards, but as a fresh benefit of a premium credit card partnership.

The ability to pocket valuable Status Credits when using Qantas Points to make a Classic Flight Reward booking – or the most expensive Classic Plus Flight Reward option – is a popular drawcard of the airline’s Points Club Plus program.

However, as previously reported, the Points Club concept is being axed as part of sweeping changes to the Qantas Frequent Flyer scheme.

At the time, Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance remarked the “clubs-within-clubs” approach was something “that members just couldn’t understand” – but said key benefits of the Points Club and Points Club Plus tier would become part of the ‘core’ Qantas Frequent Flyer program.

It was just a matter of determining exactly where it fitted into the broader Qantas Frequent Flyer status landscape, Glance explained.

“We are looking for a new home for that benefit. We’re aware that it’s a much-loved benefit and will look at a way to implement it again in the future.”

A new partner credit card benefit

Now it seems Glance has found that home.

Executive Traveller understands that earning Status Credits on points-based Classic Flight Rewards will re-emerge as a headline feature of a high-end Qantas partner credit card.

This could be rolled out by the end of this year, or in early 2027, after the Points Club is shuttered later this year.

The specific mechanism through which those Status Credits are hoovered up through a points booking is not yet known.

For example, it may or may not require using that card to pay the cash portion of the booking, such as taxes and surcharges; it could be as simple as holding that card and having it associated with your QFF membership number.

What is certain: this move illustrates how Qantas can continue to leverage the might of its loyalty program in the face of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s impending cap on ‘interchange’ fees.

From 1 October this year, those transaction fees charged by banks to businesses for processing a customer’s card payments will be slashed from 0.8% of the value of the transaction, down to 0.3%.

This has the potential to crimp the credit card market by reducing sign-up bonuses, points-per-dollar earning and associated perks such as complementary travel insurance and lounge passes.

Points Club perks remain, for now...

In the meantime, Qantas has qualified that Points Club members who reach or retain that tier before the axe falls will continue to enjoy their benefits through their current membership year and until the end of their next membership year.

The airline is also tipped to bring forward other aspects of the controversial revamp, such as the ability to roll over Status Credits from one year to the next and adding ‘banked’ Platinum years for Lifetime Gold members.

Meanwhile, the shift to having the same Status Credit target to earn and retain Silver, Gold and Platinum isn’t likely to happen until late 2027.

Read more: How the Qantas status changes will affect you