Qantas moves to digital passes for Qantas Clubs, business lounges
By David Flynn, June 12 2018
Qantas and its credit card partners will no longer issue physical lounge passes for travellers to tuck inside their wallet or hand to a colleague, family member or friend.
In their place: digital lounge invitations stored in your online Qantas Frequent Flyer account, which like their paper counterparts provide access to domestic Qantas Club lounges and international business class lounges.
(There's one notable exception in the LAX business lounge, as despite being operated by Qantas it's officially a Oneworld lounge run in partnership with British Airways and Cathay Pacific.)
Read: Where can you use Qantas Club lounge passes?
Qantas some time ago shifted to digital lounge passes for Silver-grade Qantas Frequent Flyers and its own-branded Qantas Premier credit card, and most banking card partners have followed suit.
Westpac's Altitude Black card is making the changeover from July 2, although previously-issued physical lounge invitations will of course remain valid through to their expiry date.
A spokesperson for Qantas confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that "all credit card partners - AMEX, ANZ and most recently, Westpac - have now transitioned" to issuing digital passes.
Qantas' shift from paper to pixels should also stymie the sale of lounge passes on trading sites such as eBay and Gumtree, where the 'complimentary lounge invitations' fetch between $30 and $75 depending on how far its expiry date stretches into the future.
Digital invitations can be shared with fellow frequent flyers by transferring the invite to their QFF account.
However, the electronic lounge passes are less flexible than their paper predecessors.
The process of redeeming a pass requires that it be linked to an upcoming Qantas or Jetstar flight (via the 'Complimentary Lounge Invitations' section on your QFF account page) but this has to be done "at least the day prior to flight departure" rather than deciding on the day if you want to use the invitation or save for a future flight.
For example, if a hiccup in your schedule on the day of travel sees you arrive at the airport much later than planned, you might decide it's not worth redeeming the invitation if all you'll have time for is a cup of coffee. That's an option you have with a paper lounge pass but not its digital equivalent.
And should you change or cancel your booking within 24 hours of its scheduled departure, "the linked Complimentary Invitation becomes invalid, cannot be linked to another flight, cannot be reinstated and will be forfeited", Qantas says.
If Qantas cancels the flight within 24 hours of departure, you're entitled to have a linked lounge pass 'unlinked' and made available for re-use, but this doesn't happen automatically – you'll have to "request for the Complimentary Invitation to be reinstated to unused status through the Qantas Refunds form," according to the airline.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
20 Jan 2017
Total posts 33
Only critism though is I think it's a little rough that it must be linked to a certain flight and if you decide you don't need to use it on that day then it is forfeited.
In addition it means for anyone to use it they must be a QFF member. Last two years in a row I've given my in-laws the passes and they're not regular flyers who sign up to any programs. So be sure to see membership numbers grow over the next 12 months.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2014
Total posts 226
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
31 Oct 2016
Total posts 70
Qantas - WP Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2013
Total posts 42
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 107
The fact you cant unlink them on the day is a draw back. Also my ANZ ones used to last 2 years before expiry. The new ones only 1 year. So when i got my new ANZ digital ones they expired before my previous year ones. Go figure.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 May 2017
Total posts 17
It is annoying how the recipient does need to link it to a flight in advance. Removes the flexibility. I don't see why it cannot just be linked to the recipients QFF account in general to make the choice when they are at the airport to redeem or not.
These digital passes were originally offered to combat people selling the physical passes, but I have also seen plenty on Gumtree and eBay - so I don't think its going to help with that unfortunately. I imagine if Qantas starts suspending seller's QFF memberships that might curfew this process a little...
22 Dec 2017
Total posts 22
Also I’ve experienced technical issues where despite linking the pass to a flight I have had to show lounge staff the confirmatory email to get in. Nothing is less welcoming than being grilled at the door. Has anyone else had this issue?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 107
Qantas
15 Jun 2016
Total posts 14
13 Jun 2018
Total posts 3
I have called QFF Customer service and have been given differing reasons that are clearly incorrect - firstly, The Qantas International Transit Lounge is under re-development (i should think not) and secondly, the International Transit Lounge is accessible to all travellers - again not correct. I have also attempted to resolve the issue through the online portal email without success.
Has anyone else experienced issues trying to link the invitation to a 2nd Leg?
Any advice on how to escalate the issue would also be appreciated.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Nov 2015
Total posts 35
13 Jun 2018
Total posts 3
is the Qantas Club, Qantas International Lounge or Qantas International Business Lounge at the departure port of the Eligible Flight and on the Type of Complimentary Invitation. Complimentary Invitations are not valid for use at Domestic Business Lounges, the Perth Transit Lounge, the Los Angeles (Tom Bradley Terminal) International Business Lounge, or any Associated Lounges. Associated lounges are operated by, or on behalf of, other airlines in selected airports to which Qantas operates.
I’m at a loss now to understand why ... if capacity is a concern then call it on the day ... very disappointed - i had booked Brisbane-Perth-London based on the whole experience including the Transit Lounge (with the Invitation).
23 Feb 2015
Total posts 261
13 Jun 2018
Total posts 2
23 Feb 2017
Total posts 1
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
25 Sep 2017
Total posts 4
QF
21 May 2014
Total posts 24
I had a friend lose out on one as they couldn't unlink the pass and had a change in plans.
If they can improve the user experience, these will be a winner.
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