Can you use Qantas FF points on other airlines?

[stevenaive]

I've got upwards of 500,000 FF points with Qantas.

Planning to fly from Sydney to London around May/June with my wife and two boys aged 8 and 10.

Qantas is still really expensive, with exorbitant surcharges. I'm also very concerned that if we need to change anything their call centres will make this impossible.

Is there a way of using Qantas FF points on other airlines? I've heard it is possible but not been able to find out how to do it.

Cheers in advance......

 

[Vic]

Not really. You can fly with other airlines using Qantas points. But you still need to redeem the points with Qantas, and hence pay basically the same cost.

There are some slight difference in price depending of being a oneworld award, oneworld airline, or a partner airline (not oneworld).
But basically you're stuck with spending your points with qantas.
(you can't, for example, spend your qantas points with British airways, but qantas could put you on a british airways plane)

I'm sure someone here might be able to help with getting the best value.

 

[Lynda2475]

The cash component for classic rewards redeemed via Qantas varies depending on the airline you are flying and the airports you fly to/from. Any itinerary including LHR will be more expensive than if you fly into other UK airports.

 

[serfty]

Any itinerary including LHR will be more expensive than if you fly into other UK airports.

To be clear, any itinerary including Departures on flights starting UK airports, excluding Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands region can be more expensive (unless on a transit). This is due to UK Air Passenger Duty.

 

[BD1959]

I'm also very concerned that if we need to change anything their call centres will make this impossible.

Is there a way of using Qantas FF points on other airlines? I've heard it is possible but not been able to find out how to do it.

As others have stated, if you use your points to book flights on other airlines Qantas are used to facilitate this. QF are then acting as the pseudo Travel Agent and any changes still need to be made through them with the relevant change fees also payable to QF.

Regards,

BD

 

[AIRwin]

Is there a way of using Qantas FF points on other airlines?

Your options using Qantas points may include Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, Japan Airlines via Tokyo, Qantas/Finnair via Tokyo and Helsinki (which my friend booked recently), etc

 

[RichardMEL]

There's also Sri Lankan (UL), Malaysian (MH) and Royal Jordanian (RJ) you can throw into the mix.

 

[adenda]

All their partners are here:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines.html

Book using the same multi city booking page as Qantas' own flights:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/book-a-trip/flights/multi-city.html

 

[Matt_01]

If you are looking to use the least amount points use QF metal but the taxes will be higher. If looking to save cash but willing to burn a few extra points it is likely at JL, MH or UL would be options as their taxes are among the lowest.

 

[dajop]

The other option is to use them on Qantas Vouchers and use these to pay for a Qantas flight.

Sounds crazy, but depending on dates, award cost in points (110,000 + $688) is about the same as redeeming the same amount of points for Qantas vouchers and using it for a sale fare (i.e. using the vouchers to pay for some of that fare) . But wth the regular fare you then earn more points once you fly (80,000 pts for a family of 4) which then can be used for more flights or something like Woolies vouchers in the future (about $500 worth!). But this is very complicated and ultimately all you get out of it is 80,000 extra points.

 

[Matt_01]

The other option is to use them on Qantas Vouchers and use these to pay for a Qantas flight.

Sounds crazy, but depending on dates, award cost in points (110,000 + $688) is about the same as redeeming the same amount of points for Qantas vouchers and using it for a sale fare (i.e. using the vouchers to pay for some of that fare) . But wth the regular fare you then earn more points once you fly (80,000 pts for a family of 4) which then can be used for more flights or something like Woolies vouchers in the future (about $500 worth!). But this is very complicated and ultimately all you get out of it is 80,000 extra points.

Whilst I do not disagree with the points you raise, the last sentence is the most important. Complicated is an understatement, given the OPs comments he has north of 500K but who knows how many, knowledge of redeeming flights or preferred travel class is unknown. A random search SYD-LHR return within the time frame proposed a revenue fare would/ maybe in $1200-1300 p/p range. Also I seem to recall QF GV are sold in fixed amounts, the $1000 GV is around 175K, so p/p 175K +$200-$300 to get the cheapest flight that comes with hefty change and cancelation fees hardly seems worth it for around 20K QF points p/p. Redeeming via points is still cheaper, using QF points wth JL leaving from SYD would burn 132.4K QF points return p/p + $410 from LHR or $265 from CDG vs 110,000 + $688 p/p if on QF metal.

Better still prior to booking, apply for a new CC and charge all the fees and taxes to the new card, collect the QF points and pocket 100K+ QF points depending on the card offers at the time.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Don't fly into or out of the UK in any business/first class if you do in the end get seats.
They APD is very expensive.
Bring the kids on EuroTunnel.
Maybe via DXB then CDG with EK?
500,000 is still a bit low going that far though, esp for 4 people.
If you were going to Asia instead, 550,000 would probably be enough for BKK.

 

[QF_Flyer]

Don't fly into or out of the UK in any business/first class if you do in the end get seats.
They APD is very expensive.
Bring the kids on EuroTunnel.
Maybe via DXB then CDG with EK?
500,000 is still a bit low going that far though, esp for 4 people.
If you were going to Asia instead, 550,000 would probably be enough for BKK.

I wouldn't say very expensive in the grand scheme of things, but it does add to it (my recent J reward MEL-LHR return included around $1,300 in fees, APD formed £180 of that.

Also "UK" as a blanket term is incorrect, NI is not included, nor is the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland, for APD purposes (INV-LHR-xx_, for example attracts no APD, providing the "stay" at LHR is <24h).

Flying into the UK also attracts no APD - it's departing flights only (and only where a connection/stay exceeds 24 hours - connecting DXB-LHR-LAX, with only 4 hours at LHR, for e.g., would also attract no APD).

 

[onemore]

There's also Sri Lankan (UL), Malaysian (MH) and Royal Jordanian (RJ) you can throw into the mix.

Could you use your points to upgrade to business class on MH?

 

[BD1959]

Could you use your points to upgrade to business class on MH?

Although supposedly a future oneworld benefit at this point you cannot use QF points to upgrade on partner airlines.

Regards,

BD

 

[onemore]

Thank you.

 

[RichardMEL]

As above flying INTO the UK (eg: London) is fine. APD does not apply to arrivals.. it's just being smart about departures to minimise the taxes. Of course time,$$ spent to avoid it (eg: travel up to Inverness, or over to DUB or something) may be more than it's worth, but there are options if one doesn't want to wear the extra costs (specially with the extra weighting for premium cabins).

 

[stevenaive]

Some really great points and information on here so far. Many thanks to all!