Qantas boosts points, status credits on international flights
By Chris C., October 25 2017
Qantas Frequent Flyer members will now earn more frequent flyer points and status credits on some international premium economy and business class Saver fares, with the number of points needed for a business class or first class upgrade also pleasingly decreasing on some ticket types.
On the earning side, the biggest winners are Qantas passengers bound for the likes of New York and London, with earning rates on Business Saver fares increasing from 18,600 to 20,150 Qantas Points and from 280 status credits to 295 status credits, one-way.
That’s an extra 3,100 Qantas Points and 30 status credits in your goody bag per return trip.
Business Saver tickets on flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Dubai are similarly boosted from earning 13,500 to 14,625 Qantas Points and from earning 180 to 190 status credits each way: an extra 2,250 Qantas Points and 20 status credits per round trip.
On Dallas flights, the haul climbs from 14,700 to 15,950 Qantas Points and from 200 to 210 status credits, each way, while to Johannesburg and Santiago, earning increases from 11,250 to 12,200 Qantas Points and from 160 to 165 status credits, one-way, on those same Business Saver tickets.
Closer to home, most Qantas flights to Asia now offer 8,450 Qantas Points plus 125 status credits on Business Saver fares – a welcome increase to the previous rate of 7,800 Qantas Points and 120 status credits – while trans-Tasman Business Saver flights now deliver 85 status credits, up from 80.
Snagged a Qantas Business Suite to Singapore? You can snag extra points and status credits too...
Passengers booked on Premium Economy Saver fares will also earn an extra 5-10 status credits per one-way flight, depending on their destination, while continuing to earn the same number of frequent flyer points.
There’s no change to the number of frequent flyer points or status credits earned on any other international fare types beyond Premium Economy Saver and Business Saver, or on domestic flights.
Some lower-cost Sale fares will now be considered as Discount Premium Economy or Discount Business, however, but the number of points and status earned on these tickets, and the number of points required for an upgrade, remains the same as before.
Improved upgrade rates to business class, first class
As a ‘double win’ for travellers, the number of points needed for an upgrade to business class or first class is also being reduced on some fares – so not only do a range of tickets now earn more points than before, but an upgrade can now be secured for fewer points too.
On Qantas’ flagship Sydney-London and Melbourne-London routes, passengers on Business Saver fares can now upgrade to first class for 67,500 Qantas Points: decreased from 75,000 Qantas Points previously.
(Passengers on the lowest-cost fares now categorised as Discount Business will continue to be charged 75,000 Qantas Points for an upgrade, while those on the most expensive Flexible Business fares can still upgrade for 60,000 Qantas Points.)
On those same routes, an upgrade from Flexible Premium Economy to business class can also now be had for 54,000 Qantas Points, down from 60,000 Qantas Points before.
Between Australia and Los Angeles, the cost of a first class upgrade also decreases from 56,500 to 50,750 Qantas Points on Business Saver fares, while an upgrade from Flexible Premium Economy to business class now requires 40,500 Qantas Points as opposed to 45,000 Qantas Points.
As part of Qantas’ remapped Kangaroo Route via Singapore from 2018, passengers travelling on the airline’s Airbus A380 Sydney-Singapore and Melbourne-Singapore routes will face lower first class upgrade rates than anticipated on Business Saver fares, nudged from 31,500 to 28,250 Qantas Points.
An upgrade from Flexible Premium Economy to business class on those flights will also set you back 22,500 Qantas Points, as opposed to 25,000 Qantas Points as before.
In line with the changes to earning rates, the number of points needed to upgrade from all other fare types remains the same, with the lowest-cost Economy Sale tickets remaining ineligible for points-based upgrades to premium economy and business class on international flights.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 5
When does this start from?
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
From the first paragraph of the article: "now". ;)
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 5
Right... missed that word :)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 317
Will this affect flights that have already been booked and ticketed but haven’t been flown yet?
Qantas
01 Jun 2016
Total posts 28
The current (yesterday) business saver fare is 31000 Status points and 280 status credit. The Qantas FF calculator has not been updated.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
Hi Stephen, the rates given in our article are the standard earn rates as apply to Bronze frequent flyers (i.e. any frequent flyer). Higher tier members like Silver, Gold and Platinum continue to earn a 'status bonus' on flights in addition to the standard number of points earned by everybody else.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Mar 2016
Total posts 20
Calculator updated about 15 minutes ago
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
08 Jul 2014
Total posts 58
Two 'enhancements' that live up to the name ... a pleasant and welcome change.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Aug 2016
Total posts 54
great to see that premium economy will now be awarded more status credits than flexible economy
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2014
Total posts 112
Just ran my December/January bookings through the calculator and it reflects the new earning rates for SC (I don't actually care about the points). Nice!
Now, just need to find another 30 SC to jump back to Plat... shame I forgot about a 50% SC bonus offer and booked my flights 3 days too late, not meant to be.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jun 2017
Total posts 37
For those who recently booked flights under the double points promotion I’m assuming that’ll now be double points off the new rate? If you don’t find out in the interim, I’ll see in a week or so what comes through.
26 Oct 2017
Total posts 2
Chris, great article - I'm a little confused though. You seem to indicate that there are no increases to upgrade rates as a result of these changes. However, according to the table on QF website, upgrades from "flexible Y", "discount PE and "discount biz" in all zones now all require more points than previously. For example, an upgrade from discount PE (used to be flex Y) to biz in zone 10 used to be 60,000 points, it is now 66,000. Similarly, an upgrade from "discount biz" to first in zone 10 is now 75,000 points, up from 60,000.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
Hi mbflyer, the figures you've quoted are for upgrades granted prior to February 20 2017, when Qantas last changed its upgrade rates and which we reported on when first unveiled. From that date, upgrades for the examples you mentioned did indeed increase to 66,000 points and 75,000 points, respectively, but as part of the February change, not the change this week.
(For whatever reason, Qantas' website is currently displaying the 'pre-February 20' chart and the 'post-October 24' chart with regard to upgrade costs, but the chart covering upgrades processed between those two dates has been removed. Fortunately, we keep these charts on file for reference (and to help when this kind of thing happens), so are in a position to compare the rates charged last week versus the rates charged this week, for example, and can confirm that no rates have increased beyond those changed in February.)
26 Oct 2017
Total posts 2
Aha! Qantas IT interns strike again. Thanks for the clarification. I guess I should be "relieved" that it's just a restatement of the previous "enhancement".
QantasFF
16 Nov 2012
Total posts 57
Amazing to get a QF enhancement which actually enhances. Together with a restoration of the Kangaroo route, I can go back to using QF at least to some European destinations. Still have Business Saver and PE fares higher than other OW, however.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Mar 2013
Total posts 6
Hi Chris. This is not my recent experience. On Wednesday Nov 1st (well after the "now" mentioned above), I received a text from Qantas advising that my upgrade from Business to First had been confirmed for QF 10 London to Melbourne, departing Nov 2nd. My account was docked 75,000 points, not the 67,500 points you mention. Perhaps I should call the service centre. The flight was fabulous, as always.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
This would depend on your fare type and the number of points you agreed to when requesting your upgrade. Qantas is your best contact point here.
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