Qantas releases an extra 100,000 reward seats for the holidays

Qantas is releasing 100,000 extra international seats for frequent flyers to book on the airline’s popular Classic Rewards tier.

The 100,000 seats are on top of the 5 million Classic Rewards seats Qantas already releases every year. Seats will be available to book from 2-6 December for select travel dates throughout 2026.

“We know our Frequent Flyers are already planning their dream holidays for 2026, and we’re here to give them a head start,” Qantas Loyalty chief executive Andrew Glance said. “January is often one of the busiest months for bookings with Qantas points, so by releasing this wave of extra Classic Reward seats now, we’re encouraging members to get in early.”

While Qantas has released seats on popular Paris, Bali and Santiago routes, the widest availability is on Jetstar leisure routes.

“100,000 reward seats is a significant inventory release,” Adele Eliseo from The Champagne Mile & Pointify told Travel Weekly. “But travellers need to look closely at the mix and compare the cash pricing and points outlay before booking a reward.

“Qantas’ long-haul business seats can return up to 5 cents value per point. That’s compelling value and roughly ten times higher than what you’d receive from cashing points out for gift cards.”

However Eliseo also points out: “Off-peak leisure routes, particularly Jetstar services to Bali, can fall into low-value territory. With sales currently in play, a cheap cash fare to Bali will often beat a Classic Reward seat, and in some cases Classic Plus can even price below Classic Rewards.”

The sale seats are available during the various destinations’ shoulder seasons, which not only helps Qantas fill premium cabins in a quieter period, but also allows travellers to get more bang for their buck as everything from accommodation, dining and car hire can be cheaper.

“This also allows travellers to combine a high-value redemption with cheaper hotels, easier dining and lighter crowds,” Eliseo said.

Earlier this year Qantas introduced a raft of changes to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program that expanded the number of reward seats on offer, but increased the points needed to secure a seat. The points required for economy seats rose by 5 per cent and 20 per cent for first class, while carrier charges for business and first also rose.

This was the first rise to Qantas’ Classic Rewards fares in more than five years. Typically, Classic Rewards have required the least number of frequent flyer points to book seats outside sale periods.