The best perks of Qantas Platinum for domestic economy flyers
While Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold status provides many prized perks such as airport lounge access, priority check-in and priority boarding on domestic flights, travellers aiming for Qantas Platinum have even more to enjoy.
Here’s what you can expect when reaching Platinum-grade status and putting your perks to work on domestic Qantas flights, which your company’s travel policy could well mandate.
1. Access to Domestic Business Lounges, with an extra guest
While Gold members can stop by domestic Qantas Club lounges before their flight with one adult guest in tow, Platinum cardholders gain entry to Qantas’ Domestic Business Lounges as well, found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth.
Platinum members can also bring along two adult guests, compared to one guest as with Gold, and in both cases, guests don’t need to be travelling: handy when friends or family are seeing you off at the airport, or even when you’re being joined by colleagues who don’t have lounge access of their own (or, only have access to the Qantas Club).
2. You can now access lounges after your flight
This is a big enough upgrade that we’re counting it as its own perk: with your newly-minted Platinum card, you can now stop by Qantas Domestic Business Lounges and Qantas Clubs after arriving on your flight – great for a quick cup of coffee or a longer time to relax before continuing your day.
As when departing, Platinum members using their ‘on arrivals’ access can also bring two adult guests into the lounge who don’t need to be travelling, with this perk available after arriving on a Qantas or Jetstar flight, or a flight with an Emirates, China Eastern or Oneworld flight number (including codeshares operated by Qantas and Jetstar).
3. You can buy seats on fully-booked flights
Need to make a meeting but can’t find an available flight to get you there in time? As a Platinum member, you can buy up to two tickets on completely sold-out domestic flights – one for yourself, and another for a companion, if you’re willing to stump up the cost of a fully-flexible Y or B class economy airfare.
To make your request, you’ll need to call Qantas via the priority number on the back of your membership card no later than 12pm on the day before your intended flight, but take note: this isn’t available on non-jet QantasLink services, so if the flight you want is served by a Dash 8, for instance, you’re out of luck.
Qantas also notes that it “may occasionally have to restrict this facility without prior notice on some routes or under special circumstances”, and presumably, the 12pm cut-off time on the day before travel gives Qantas the chance to move another passenger to an earlier or later flight, or upgrade them to make space for your booking in economy.
4. You can book more flights using Qantas Points
When spending your hard-earned Qantas Points on a flight booking with Qantas (known as a Classic Flight Reward) and searching for options via the Qantas website, be sure to log into your Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum account before doing your search.
That’s because Qantas often makes extra points-based reward seats available to higher-tier frequent flyers, so in some cases, when a Platinum member and a Bronze member search for the same flights, the Platinum member may have the option to book with points whereas a Bronze member may not.
If you still can’t find anything suitable on the Qantas website, dial that number on the back of your card – it’s known that the staff may be able to help unlock flights for booking using frequent flyer points when you call, on a request-by-request basis.
5. Take home double points on most Qantas flights
As a Platinum member, you now qualify for what Qantas terms a “100% status bonus”, but in plain English, that means you can now earn up to twice as many points on eligible Qantas flights as a Bronze member taking the same trip.
There’s no difference when the Minimum Points Guarantee comes into play – so on short Sydney-Melbourne hops, you’ll still get 800 or 1,200 Qantas Points on your economy ticket – but on longer routes, there can be quite a difference.
Take Sydney-Perth, for example. While a Bronze member would get 4,400 Qantas Points at most from a return trip (and that’s on a flexible economy fare), a Platinum member would score up to 8,800 Qantas Points from the same flights: enough to book a one-way flight from Sydney to Melbourne, from one return journey.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
I have been able to get on earlier flights from Melbourne back to Sydney even when booked on a saver non flex fare. Service staff in the Melbourne lounge and also at check in have put me on earlier flights.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Sep 2013
Total posts 188
Only last weekend my wife with long term Platinum status was denied an early flight returning from Brisbane to Perth. It meant a midnight arrival in lieu of 2000. Seats were available on the earlier flight when I checked during the day.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2018
Total posts 15
In the business lounge, I was moved to an earlier flight from Melbourne to Sydney to give me a better International connection out of Sydney and more time in the Flirst class lounge. However, on my return leg, I went to the Melbourne business lounge to gain on arrival access, and the lady at reception had not heard of this benefit. She did say I was welcome anyway, but did check for her future reference.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Dec 2017
Total posts 18
Love on arrival access!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
You didn't mention priority boarding... Oh wait
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Dec 2017
Total posts 23
Ha ha!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Sep 2018
Total posts 2
My favourite gripe - never seen one person turned back and have seen plenty of tickets where they are obviously not FF and not flying business.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Jan 2018
Total posts 11
It’s rediculous, in Singapore the priority line is longer than the economy and as you say staff couldn’t care less. The only people in the world and only airline in the world where I see this happening
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Jan 2016
Total posts 89
I do question the 'value' of Platinum membership, but then, and only, 'then', in those very short hours of happiness it is all clear - pancakes for breakfast, or so my daughter says...!!!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Nov 2017
Total posts 113
VA's free Economy X leaves QF Platinum perks like "priority boarding" for dead.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jan 2015
Total posts 4
Couldn't get a reward flight in J or F for my wife out of LHR to SIN in July next year. Rang the number last night and asked nicely, they explained that they had to run it through their live inquiry system, sure enough they unlocked an F seat in the time frame required.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Dec 2016
Total posts 5
I agree wholeheartedly with earlier comments regarding separate boarding lines for economy and Gold, Plat etc. I have never seen anyone sent to other line regardless of status. They then often place their carry on luggage in front rows as they pass through to the rear of plane. Very annoying.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Apr 2018
Total posts 4
All of the above should be made available to Lifetime Gold members with over 40,000 lifetime status credits!!
15 Jun 2018
Total posts 1
I've been Platinum for five years now and there are so many inconsistencies. Some Cabin crew welcome you back, a lot don't. The business lounges are overcrowded and the food and beverage offering seems to be declining. The Sydney Qantas club is better than the business lounge sometimes I do like the perks of being upgraded using points compared to lower tiers. However I sometimes question if Platinum is worth it.
21 Apr 2017
Total posts 19
Platinum is great till if it suits Qantas. I have been platinum since 2002 and last year 2017 I did not qualify due to a medical reason. I had a round the world trip booked which would have given a continuation of platinum membership. My roll over date is 31st Oct, so I contacted Qantas, explained the situation, and guess what, demoted to gold after 16 years of being platinum. After many calls and explaining my situation, I was re-instated to platinum, but it cost me 120,000 FF points. Qantas goes on about loyalty, but it's a two way street, their way, not your way. Believe it or not I am replicating the same trip on the 1st Oct, so I will retain platinum and it won't cost me 120,000 FF points. So much for me being loyal, especially as Qantas don't give a stuff about people flying from Adelaide. I am now retired so airlines are my oyster.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Jan 2018
Total posts 11
Not sure if you get this with gold but one of the main perks I enjoy all the time is the premium call centre staff who are [mostly] fantastic and willing to go to great lengths to sort out an itinerary for me or find a cheaper route or dates. The number of times they have bailed me out of a difficult situation has, in itself, almost made the step to Platinum worthwhile.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
17 Feb 2016
Total posts 44
For me the best benefit is knowing I have a reasonable shot at at snaring any available Business Class upgrades on my HKG - SYD or MNL - SYD legs. (not sure if that works on Domestic)
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on The best perks of Qantas Platinum for domestic economy flyers