Qantas has quietly devalued Emirates Classic Flight Rewards with points costs increasing across all cabins, with first class rising 20 per cent, premium economy up by around 30 per cent, and economy and business class increasing by up to 10 per cent.
It comes as Emirates also makes it harder for Qantas Frequent Flyer members to access Classic Reward seats in First Class. Effective immediately, you can no longer redeem Qantas Points for Emirates First Class bookings for children under 9 years old. And from next month, only Qantas members with Silver or higher elite status will have access to Emirates First Class rewards.
“These changes come just five months after Qantas increased the cost of many Emirates award seats as part of its broader August 2025 devaluation,” said Adele Eliseo of The Champagne Mile.
Members have been given just over two months’ notice before the new points pricing takes effect.
“Qantas Frequent Flyer members will soon need elite status to book Emirates first class regardless of how many points they hold,” she said. “This is part of a wider trend where airlines are reserving their best redemptions for frequent travellers, rather than members whose points come mainly from credit cards or everyday purchases.
The 20 per cent points increase means some Emirates long-haul first-class redemptions will cost almost 300,000 Qantas points one way. Business class increases are more modest at around 10 per cent.
“When we factor in carrier charges that can exceed $2,000 and no points or status credits earned on award bookings, a revenue fare sometimes offers better value,” she said.
Partner airline reliance
Qantas relies on partner airlines to cover long haul premium demand where its own network falls short,” Eliseo said. “Emirates has played a key role here, particularly on popular European routes. Once first class award space is restricted to Silver and above, base-level members lose one of the most aspirational ways to use their points.
On broader moves in recent years, Emirates has raised costs, cut transfer value, and restricted access to premium rewards across both Skywards and partner programs like Qantas.
“This has resulted in a loyalty offering that has become harder to access and more expensive to use,” Eliseo said.
