Qantas Classic Reward & Upgrade Devaluation on 5 August 2025

[AFF Editor]

One aspect of the frequent flyer program changes that Qantas announced today was an increase in Classic Flight Reward, Classic Upgrade Reward and carrier charge prices taking effect from 5 August 2025.

This thread is specifically for discussion about these price increases.

You can read the full details here:

Qantas Devaluing Classic Rewards & Upgrades in August 2025

Qantas is increasing co-payments on reward tickets by as much as 91%, while also increasing Classic Reward and Classic Upgrade Reward prices. Read on to find out exactly what is changing.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[33kft]

Might as well kick this off with the obvious question: Did Qantas actually state that there are further changes in store for 2025, or is it assumed? The statement was that nothing else was announced, the speculation is based on what?

It will only start a third nauseating ongoing speculation thread if AFF don't provide some sort of explanation. Or maybe that's the outcome you wanted?

 

[WilsonM]

Might as well kick this off with the obvious question: Did Qantas actually state that there are further changes in store for 2025, or is it assumed? The statement was that nothing else was announced, the speculation is based on what?

It will only start a third nauseating ongoing speculation thread if AFF don't provide some sort of explanation. Or maybe that's the outcome you wanted?

Qantas hinted that there are future changes, but that's all they would give us. No word on what these changes are, what they will impact etc.

 

[elanshin]

I guess until they publish the full chart and partners its harder to gauge the difference here. Its a bit higher of a bump across the board but not an insane increase on the points side.

Carrier surcharge definitely hits a lot harder for long haul. Might end up incentivising AA, AY type redemptions more. Still given what we've seen on the market in recent times it's not as crazy of a change so far.

 

[CaptJCool]

How many extra points will be granted for actually flying ?
The base line has been 800 per flight. What’s the new figure likely to be ?

 

[elanshin]

So i wonder if this is more of a hit to ground based earners and keeping actual flying earning in line.

And if you're a status holder would that mean you're earning more points per flight than the increase in costs.

 

[justinbrett]

So i wonder if this is more of a hit to ground based earners and keeping actual flying earning in line.

And if you're a status holder would that mean you're earning more points per flight than the increase in costs.

Inflation since the last change has been around 20%, so for the majority of ground partners that award per $, they actually seem fair.

However I’m not happy that international QF or partner earn isn’t increasing, only domestic. Sure as an elite in a premium cabin, the removal of the cap will make up most of the difference, but for others that is a devaluation.

Happy to see HA become partners, HNL will now be a viable hub for US travel. Strange VA hasn’t announced the end of their partnership?

 

[Rayesfeg]

Carrier surcharge definitely hits a lot harder for long haul.

This. The example provided in Wilsons article was shocking. It will be interesting to see more analysis on the surcharges.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I'm not particularly surprised that they did raise the award costs (both in terms of points and the carrier surcharge). It'll be 6 years since the last such change has occurred and certainly with flight prices increasing during that period, it does make sense that the cost adjusts to reflect this. At the same time they also had a number of positive things to include such as the ability to upgrade JQ flights to BusinessFirst on international routes and increasing the points accrual of QF Group/AA revenue flights. If you compare it to the "enhancements" Virgin Australia just put into effect to their award chart (with limited notice I might add) this whole thing doesn't strike me as crazy or unreasonable.

So i wonder if this is more of a hit to ground based earners and keeping actual flying earning in line.

Not necessarily. There remains a number of great on the ground opportunities to earn points be it wine or gift cards. If Qantas wanted to penalize on the ground points earners they would have enhanced the Points Club program which you earn exclusively through on the ground accrual.

And if you're a status holder would that mean you're earning more points per flight than the increase in costs.

That's correct. Remember too that this should also apply to AA flights as well since AA and Qantas flights earn the same number of points on flights taken.

-RooFlyer88

 

[levelnine]

91% increase in carrier surcharges. Also in line with inflation ... if you're from Argentina .

 

[elanshin]

91% increase in carrier surcharges. Also in line with inflation ... if you're from Argentina .

Well its inline with the rest of their peers. Heck it's cheap compared to JL for example. QR increase recently was brutal too.

 

[levelnine]

Well its inline with the rest of their peers. Heck it's cheap compared to JL for example. QR increase recently was brutal too.

Depends who you count as their peers.

If you value points at 1c/point, Australia-London on Singapore first suites at the higher advantage level is in the same ballpark as a Qantas business class seat.

 

[justinbrett]

91% increase in carrier surcharges. Also in line with inflation ... if you're from Argentina .

On J to North America (from Matt’s article, I can’t see a QF source that says this).

LHR J is 35%, SYD-MEL J is 38%.

Y and Y+ haven’t changed.

I want to know why the North American routes have gone up so much?

 

[elanshin]

Depends who you count as their peers.

If you value points at 1c/point, Australia-London on Singapore first suites at the higher advantage level is in the same ballpark as a Qantas business class seat.

I don't think we in Australia can feasibility do that. Our cost per 1 qff point is on average can be a lot lower than 1c but lets just say 1c.

Our cost of acquiring KFF tends to be higher than QFF. By about 40-50% i would estimate.

 

[levelnine]

I don't think we in Australia can feasibility do that.

Plenty of us do.

 

[Lynda2475]

I want to know what the increase will be on a J OWA, since as I was planning to start process of booking next one later this year. And whether if I start the OWA pre increase date, whether changes will cap out at 318k or some new rate.

@admin @Mattg I think AFF need to amend the article as the author (Wilson) has used RTW (a term that relates to a cash fare with stricter rules) instead of OWA (which has no requirement to fly around the world) when talking about a 15% increase in the points cost of a whY OWA.

It should say "Oneworld Award (OWA) prices will also increase as a result of these changes. For example, we expect that Economy pricing for a round-the-world Oneworld Award itinerary which caps journey cost will increase from 132,400 Qantas points to 152,200 Qantas points.

 

[bussyboy]

Haven't had too much time to absorb this information but noted:

The taxes and charges on a return Melbourne-Dallas Business Classic Reward will soon increase from $681 to $1,301.

This is getting closer to a classic upgrade award than a classic flight reward isn't it?? As you'd be paying close to a sale economy to USA, and much extra to upgrade than normal...

 

[elanshin]

@AFF Editor can we confirm the MEL - DFW cost increases or is it conjecture?

Mainly because the QF example to London is nowhere near as expensive of an increase. ($473 > $648)

 

[pyramidforce]

Qantas OWA awards are honestly good value at the moment, on paper, if you can get the maximum value (which can be impossible). On paper, 318k points for 16x segments in J is a better deal than any other airline in the world is able to offer. SQ no longer offers their Star Alliance RTW-equivalent redemption, for example.

On this basis alone, a price increase, even something like ~30% is not entirely unreasonable, compared to local and international peers in pricing.

Finding 16x reasonable flights to take is another matter. For approx ~5 flights (the number of stopovers you are allowed) you could go "around the world" using Air Canada Aeroplan redemptions on a range of airlines in J class for a similar ~300-350k price range, with pretty much 0 carrier surcharges. For example SYD-SIN-ZRH (SQ) - US East Coast (LX) - US West Coast - SYD (UA)

Getting a competent agent to ticket 16 segment itinerary is the greatest challenge.

 

[levelnine]

@AFF Editor can we confirm the MEL - DFW cost increases or is it conjecture?

Mainly because the QF example to London is nowhere near as expensive of an increase. ($473 > $648)

It looks like they're aligning the taxes and fees with what is charged under CR+.

A CR+ MEL-DFW return in J is exactly $1301 in taxes and fees.

Indeed, this small fact really points to the long-term ambition with classic awards — to render them almost identical to CR+.