Qantas hops onto the tracks with Journey Beyond

Qantas Frequent Flyers can now earn and use points on premium train trips around Australia including The Ghan, the Indian Pacific and the Great Southern – marking the first time Classic Reward Seats have been offered on the ground.

Members can use points to book Classic Rail Reward seats or earn 1 point per $1 spent on Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions journeys.

Journey Beyond offers extended overnight rail holidays that traverse some of Australia’s most picturesque and iconic landscapes such as the Red Centre, Blue Mountains and east coast.

The all-inclusive, high-end expeditions include bespoke menus inspired by the places the trains travel through, and the opportunity for guests to explore beyond the tracks with immersive ‘Off Train Excursions’ before returning to their onboard accommodation.

Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said at a time when Australians are planning domestic holidays more than ever, the partnership with Journey Beyond provides even more choice for frequent flyers to use their Qantas points.

“Ninety per cent of our members want to use their points for travel, so the ability to explore the country by rail is an exciting alternative for frequent flyers and a real drawcard for our program,” she said.

“Whether members are redeeming points on flights, hotel bookings, holiday packages or now rail travel, we’re always evolving and innovating to meet the needs of our 13 million members and help bring them closer to their next dream trip.”

Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent said the partnership reflected a coming together of two great Australian brands.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Qantas Frequent Flyer and provide people who love to travel with greater value when they choose a premium rail holiday experience,” he said.

“Like Qantas, Journey Beyond is in the business of taking people to incredible places across the country and curating unique experiences that forge lasting memories.

“As the first travel partner to offer Classic Reward Seats outside of flights with the launch of our ‘Classic Rail’ Rewards, we look forward to growing our partnership with Qantas and sharing the joy of travel with our guests.”

Bookings are now available for rail travel next year, with the Great Southern’s second season being extended by two weeks into February, and the once-a-week Ghan service becoming a twice-weekly service from May to August.

Work is currently underway to see the Indian Pacific return with its weekly journeys from mid-February.