Major 2025 Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes

[Princess Fiona]

Absolutely... as a data point who has been able to get a premium (and I mean Business or First, not PE as QF like to cal PE a premium product) seat on a Qf service to Europe in the last 12 months?

Yes several

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes several

Do you think being P1 made a difference to that?

 

[33kft]

Do you think being P1 made a difference to that?

And that's unreasonable why?

Perhaps NBs with million points balances should adjust their strategies a little

 

[RooFlyer]

And that's unreasonable why?

So defensive. It was an actual question directed to Princess Fiona, thank you.

 

[levelnine]

My apologies for participating in a public forum

Where did RooFlyer suggest it was 'unreasonable'?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Do you think being P1 made a difference to that?

Absolutely, it’s the best benefit of P1 no question.

 

[Berlin]

as someone who only wants to use points to fly J or F long haul, being more generous for Y does not help at all.

Could not have said it better. This pretty much sums it all up for me too!

 

[justinbrett]

Some of my best rewards this last year were not through WP releases, but ones booked within 3 months of travel. Probably my best score was JFK-AKL in J in early Jan.

I think that’s the biggest difference, gone are the days when you can lock it in 11 months in advance, you have to be more agile. But they are most definitely still there.

 

[WilsonM]

Ah but you see, Qantas has seen the complaints of no availability on European routes, and decided to do a MASSIVE seat release of... three dates of 2 J seats on QF33 in February. <insert rant of if you want to fly to Europe in J, switch from QF>

 

[Cazwa]

Discussing on the radio last night the cost to obtain an Emirates reward seat. While it is second hand (MrP heard it) he mentioned $4000 in fees. Conclusion was to pay the fare and get the credits instead.

We fly between Singapore and Europe in BC. The taxes arent much less than buying the ticket on points. So we buy the tickets and use to use the points to get from Perth to Singapore in BC. I say use to. Since classic plus came in not a single classic seat on Qantas either out or into Perth. Not a single seat on their whole calendar. To me Qantas FF points have become a waste of time.

Post automatically merged: Jan 25, 2025

Discussing on the radio last night the cost to obtain an Emirates reward seat. While it is second hand (MrP heard it) he mentioned $4000 in fees. Conclusion was to pay the fare and get the credits instead.

We fly between Singapore and Europe in BC on Emirates. The taxes arent much less than buying the ticket on points. So we buy the tickets and use to use the points to get from Perth to Singapore in BC. I say use to. Since classic plus came in not a single classic seat on Qantas either out or into Perth. Not a single seat on their whole calendar. To me Qantas FF points have become a waste of time.

 

[Rich]

Its a pity we can't use points for lounge access.

Assuming buying lounge access is $50 (I have no idea how much it actually is) and a point = 2c, then 2500 points could get into the lounge.
Even at 1 point = 1c, thats 5000 points. Almost tempting!

So buy a revenue fare, even in whY, but use points to get into the lounge. I'd do that!

When you receive an invitation to buy a lounge pass I believe there is the option to use points to pay instead of $. I don't recall the prices though.

 

[Blacksheep]

Not sure if it's me, but the surcharges have increased dramatically compared to a booking I made last year for travel to Japan this year.
Biz JAL flying from SYD-KIX cost me $90 in charges, looking for next year's travel. SYD to cough flying JAL on Y is costing with charges $374 and the same flight SYD-KIX in Y is $363
Did Qantas or JAL increased the charges during 2024?
Also I'm feeling there are less Biz rewards seats for next Jan not sure if I'm paranoid!

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

I think that’s the biggest difference, gone are the days when you can lock it in 11 months in advance, you have to be more agile. But they are most definitely still there.

Now that the T-353 release dates are well & truly over, now it is pot luck if you chance upon the unicorn. Which means constant looking, basically daily (unless you sign up for seats.areo alerts) and it also means that planning anything & locking in annual leave with work & other commitments is nigh on impossible. You call it agile, I call it too hard. So yeah, those SYD-LHR CR seats might pop up (maybe with 2 to 3 weeks notice) but who can say to their boss "Hey, I'm flying to London in 2 weeks & I'll be gone a month."

Since classic plus came in not a single classic seat on Qantas either out or into Perth. Not a single seat on their whole calendar. To me Qantas FF points have become a waste of time.

Thing is, with QF releasing CR seats at random those ex-PER seats might be available tomorrow, next week, next fortnight, next month, who flipping knows?
Now it's plan ahead & use CR+ now, or wait & wait & wait (and search and search and search) for that maybe CR release.

Which brings up a plan I am pretty sure has been already mooted elsewhere on these forums...Buy now with CR+ to at least lock in your travel plans and until T-24, or lets be realistic much earlier, keep looking for CR seats. They may never drop, and if they do, just cancel the CR+ booking. QF never releases those seats? Hmmm, well I guess you've done your points.

Also I'm feeling there are less Biz rewards seats for next Jan

Another symptom of the random releases.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Perhaps NBs with million points balances should adjust their strategies a little

I think there's two sides to this point:

1) Those NB's with millions of points should be better informed about the price of both obtaining and using those points, which in turn may change their strategy

2) Qantas (or any airline) needs to be a little more honest about the value of points redemptions, that glorifying luxury flights just by earning points is not realistic.

 

[MelbFlyer]

From my experience award availability with VFF is much greater than on QFF!

Whilst that may be the case, it's much harder to search for those said reward seats on VFF!

At the very least, the Qantas' website has the below :
- A filter function to narrow down classes (economy, premium economy, business, first)
- A useful monthly calendar view of the above
- The ability to book multi-city / multi-leg rewards itineraries

VFF has none of the above - you can't selectively search for business reward seats, have to go through day-by-day and flight-by-flight.

 

[moa999]

Have Qantas actually published new earn tables for post July 2025, or just the examples?

 

[oz_mark]

Have Qantas actually published new earn tables for post July 2025, or just the examples?

AFAIK, just examples. The tables are going to be published later (May maybe)

 

[MooTime]

Whilst that may be the case, it's much harder to search for those said reward seats on VFF!

At the very least, the Qantas' website has the below :
- A filter function to narrow down classes (economy, premium economy, business, first)
- A useful monthly calendar view of the above
- The ability to book multi-city / multi-leg rewards itineraries

VFF has none of the above - you can't selectively search for business reward seats, have to go through day-by-day and flight-by-flight.

it can be as easy as breathing the Qantas search engine, but if there's zero award availability, well then I guess it's just a waste of time no matter how easy the searchability easy.

But if one prefers a better search interface then each to their own, know what I'd prefer.

 

[elanshin]

Not sure if it's me, but the surcharges have increased dramatically compared to a booking I made last year for travel to Japan this year.
Biz JAL flying from SYD-KIX cost me $90 in charges, looking for next year's travel. SYD to cough flying JAL on Y is costing with charges $374 and the same flight SYD-KIX in Y is $363
Did Qantas or JAL increased the charges during 2024?
Also I'm feeling there are less Biz rewards seats for next Jan not sure if I'm paranoid!

JL jacked up carrier surcharges in Apr 2024. It was a lot more than QF's increase.

 

[elanshin]

Now that the T-353 release dates are well & truly over, now it is pot luck if you chance upon the unicorn. Which means constant looking, basically daily (unless you sign up for seats.areo alerts) and it also means that planning anything & locking in annual leave with work & other commitments is nigh on impossible. You call it agile, I call it too hard. So yeah, those SYD-LHR CR seats might pop up (maybe with 2 to 3 weeks notice) but who can say to their boss "Hey, I'm flying to London in 2 weeks & I'll be gone a month."

CI, JL, MH, CX are all still available ~360 days out and yes as it has been for a while QFFs best use is not with QF as the Asian and ME carriers honestly have superior flying products.