Qantas Frequent Flyers can now swap points for island-hopping adventures, North American connections and Manila stopovers thanks to a new partnership with Philippine Airlines.
The agreement opens up Classic Reward seat access across the entire PAL network, giving members the ability to use Qantas Points on flights to Manila and onwards to destinations across the Philippines, North America and the Middle East.
The move comes as Australian interest in the Philippines continues to surge, with new figures from the Philippine Department of Tourism showing Australian visitor arrivals jumped 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.
For travellers chasing tropical escapes, the partnership unlocks 15 new island destinations via Manila, including the white-sand beaches of Boracay, Cebu’s globally renowned diving spots and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed province of Palawan.
Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance said the partnership responds to the growing island-hopping trend among members.
“Many of our members want their points to take them further than just the major hubs. Partnering with Philippine Airlines opens up more of Asia and adds 15 destinations previously missing from our partner network,” he said.
“From the world-class beaches of Boracay to the limestone lagoons of El Nido, these are destinations that feel like a true reward. Members can now build an entire island-hopping itinerary using points, connecting through Manila to some of the most remote and beautiful spots in Southeast Asia.”
The expanded reward access also strengthens Qantas Frequent Flyer’s reach into North America, with PAL operating services from Manila to destinations including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto, New York and Honolulu.
The partnership is expected to appeal to both leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travellers, particularly as demand for alternative Asian hubs continues to grow amid shifting airline network strategies across the region.
Asia’s new travel hub
PAL’s Manila hub has increasingly positioned itself as a lower-congestion alternative to some of Asia’s larger aviation gateways, while offering extensive domestic connectivity across the Philippine archipelago.
The tie-up also reflects a broader push by airlines to deepen loyalty partnerships and give members more redemption opportunities at a time when travellers are placing greater value on points flexibility.
The Philippines has continued to gain momentum with Australian travellers thanks to improved air connectivity, strong value-for-money appeal and growing interest in experiential and island-based tourism.
Tourism operators say destinations such as Boracay, Cebu and Palawan have become increasingly popular with Australians seeking alternatives to more traditional Southeast Asian hotspots.
These new reward seats add to the 20 million seats available to book across Qantas, Jetstar, and 30 partner airlines, including Emirates, American Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. The number of Classic Reward seats booked through partner airlines has doubled in the last five years.
Members can search for availability in seconds using the new search tool on qantas.com, launched in March, which lets Frequent Flyers browse millions of seats by destination and cabin type across a 12-month booking window.
