Qantas Frequent Flyers will be able to earn status through everyday spending – including credit cards – and roll over excess Status Credits for the first time, from 8 December.
In the most significant changes to earning and retaining status since the program began, members will be able to carry up to 50 per cent of their excess Status Credits into the next membership year, capped at 100 for Silver, 350 for Gold and 500 for Platinum and Platinum One, the first Australian airline to offer such a benefit.
Members will also be able to earn up to 140 Status Credits each membership year across 10 on-the-ground categories, such as 20 Status Credits from Qantas Points-earning credit cards or 10 Status Credits through Everyday Rewards at Woolworths. These will also count towards Lifetime tier balances.
Qantas Loyalty and Customer CEO Andrew Glance said the changes reflect how members engage with the program today.
“Qantas Frequent Flyer is stronger and more diversified than it’s ever been. Our nearly 19 million members now engage with us across almost every part of their daily lives, and two-thirds of all Qantas Points are now earned on the ground,” he said.
“Our co-branded credit cards continue to be the fastest and most rewarding way for members to build their points balance. Now with Status Credits part of the equation, members will unlock even greater value from their daily spend.”
Glance said the overhaul would also benefit the program’s coalition partners.
“Earning Status Credits on the ground will give members more ways to climb our tiers, while driving even greater engagement for our 700 coalition partners across banking, retail, insurance, travel and more,” he said. “These changes represent the most significant status overhaul in our program’s history, ensuring it remains Australia’s most rewarding and relevant loyalty program long into the future.”
Sub-programs Points Club and Green Tier will be retired on the same date, though members can continue attaining Points Club until 8 December. Further status updates – including the removal of separate attain and retain requirements, new Silver tier benefits and Lifetime milestones – will roll out in early 2027.
The move follows Qantas’ offering its third double status credits offer this year, and the increasing frequency suggests status credits are becoming a more active tool for driving bookings and loyalty behaviour.
“As the RBA changes make it harder for banks to fund generous credit-card rewards, Qantas has good reason to put more weight behind loyalty levers it controls directly,” Adele Eliseo of The Champagne Mile said.
Jetstar Classic Upgrades launching in September
Members will also gain more ways to redeem points for Business seats, with Jetstar Classic Upgrades launching in early September. The move coincides with Jetstar’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner refit, which more than doubles each Business cabin from 21 to 44 seats. Launch examples include 37,000 Qantas Points for a Melbourne–Singapore upgrade and 45,300 points for Sydney–Osaka, with 30kg checked baggage, in-flight meals and priority boarding included. Upgrade requests will be available via jetstar.com at launch, with qantas.com bookings to follow.
Glance said the addition reflected Jetstar’s growing appeal among points members.
“Jetstar has never been more popular with members, particularly families looking to make their points go further. The launch of Jetstar Classic Upgrades will offer even more value and choice across their growing network,” he said.
Glance added that a record number of flight rewards were booked with points in FY26, including 7 per cent more Business and First upgrades on Qantas International flights, with new partner airlines set to join the program in FY27 alongside Qantas, Jetstar and 30 other carriers.
Financial services remain core pillar
Members continue to earn Qantas Points every second through a credit card, home loan, personal loan, term deposit, share trading or banking transaction, with access to more than 30 Qantas Points-earning credit cards and rates of up to 1 point per $1 spent. Qantas cards account for approximately 35 per cent of all credit card spend nationally.
Qantas Loyalty has agreed revised commercial terms and extended agreements with its largest banking and financial services partners. Later this year, a select Qantas Points-earning credit card will offer members the chance to earn Status Credits on Classic Reward seat bookings for the first time – a benefit Qantas says makes it the only airline program in Australia, and one of few globally, to offer it on flight rewards.
