Qantas Frequent Flyer Just Got a Lot More Interesting

In the world of loyalty programmes, "big changes" is usually code for "we're quietly making things worse." So when Qantas Frequent Flyer announced what it's calling the biggest overhaul to its status programme in its entire history, I'll admit I braced myself. But having read through the details, this one is genuinely more nuanced — and in some areas, surprisingly positive. For UK-based points collectors who hold Qantas points or fly oneworld, it's worth paying attention.

Let me break down what's already happened, what's been newly announced, and what it actually means for us.

Before we get to the exciting new stuff, it's worth acknowledging that 2025 was a bit of a mixed year for Qantas Frequent Flyer members. From 5 August 2025, Qantas increased the points required for most Classic Flight Reward seats by up to 20%. The lowest-tier awards, for example, rose from 8,000 to 9,200 Qantas Points — a 15% jump.

On long-haul routes it stung a bit more. Qantas business class from Los Angeles to Sydney, for instance, increased from 108,600 to 130,100 points one-way, with carrier charges also rising. That's a meaningful hit for anyone sitting on Qantas points with an aspirational redemption in mind.

That said — and I'll give credit where it's due — Qantas handled the communication of these changes far better than many airlines we know. They announced it over six months in advance, published full details clearly, and actively encouraged members to lock in lower-priced awards before the deadline. Compare that to the overnight Avios devaluation we experienced not long ago and it's a masterclass in how these things should be done.

There were some positives too. Domestic short-haul awards in Australia and New Zealand actually got cheaper (down from 6,400 to 5,700 points), new partner availability was added including Hawaiian Airlines, and members can now book Premium Economy seats on Air France, KLM, Iberia, and Finnair using Qantas Points. The earning side also improved — members flying Qantas-operated flights now earn up to 25% more points on domestic routes from July 2025.

Just days ago, Qantas unveiled a new wave of changes that it's describing as "a new era" for Frequent Flyer — and with 18 million members and nearly 40 years behind it, that's quite a statement. These changes will roll out progressively from later in 2026, so nothing is immediate, but there's a lot to unpack.

This is the one that has people genuinely excited, and understandably so. Currently, like most airline programmes, any Status Credits you earn above your tier threshold are simply lost at the end of your membership year. From later in 2026, Qantas will allow members to roll over a portion of their excess Status Credits into the following year.

The specifics: Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One members can roll over up to 50% of their excess credits, capped at 300 for Gold and 500 for Platinum/Platinum One. Silver members can roll over 25%, capped at 100. This replaces the existing Loyalty Bonus, which currently rewards members for every 500 Status Credits earned on Qantas or Jetstar flights.

Honestly? I'd love to see British Airways introduce something similar. For frequent flyers who regularly overshoot their tier target, the current system is frustrating — all that effort, and any excess just evaporates. This kind of rollover changes the psychology of status chasing considerably. It also means people who have a slightly lighter year won't necessarily lose their status as abruptly as they might today.

This is where it starts to feel familiar to UK points collectors — because we've been talking about this concept for years with credit card spending and Avios. Qantas trialled on-ground Status Credit earning at the end of 2025, and they say it broke member engagement records. So from later in 2026, it becomes a permanent feature.

Members will be able to earn up to 140 additional Status Credits per year across ten everyday spending categories — things like credit cards, hotels, retail partners, and utility providers. To put that in context, you need 300 Status Credits to reach Silver status. So in theory, everyday spending could cover almost half your Silver requirement. That's not nothing.

The full list of the ten categories hasn't been published yet, but given that credit cards were part of the successful trial, it's safe to assume Qantas credit card spend will be front and centre. For Australian-based members, this is genuinely transformative. For UK members, it's largely academic — though it does signal a wider industry trend that loyalty programmes increasingly need to reward members beyond the aircraft door.

Launching in March 2026, Qantas is building a new reward seat search tool that will show availability across Qantas and 30 partner airlines, including fellow oneworld member American Airlines. With over 14,000 reward seats being booked through the programme every day, having a proper search tool sounds long overdue.

For UK collectors, this is one of the more relevant developments. If the tool is actually useful and surfaces real-time partner availability, it could make Qantas points feel like a more practical currency for booking oneworld flights — including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and others. We already have excellent third-party tools like Award Travel Finder and Roame.Travel for searching partner availability, but having the airline's own tool match that standard would be a welcome step forward.

Here's the less glamorous part: from 2027, the gap between what you need to earn a tier and what you need to retain it will be closed. Currently, you need 700 Status Credits to earn Gold but only 600 to retain it. That discount disappears. So while the new rollover benefit softens the blow, members should be aware that retention will become slightly harder on paper from 2027.

Qantas is phasing out its Points Club and Green Tier sub-programmes by the end of 2026. The benefits members valued most from these will reportedly be integrated into the main programme, though the exact details haven't been confirmed. If you're a Points Club member, keep an eye out for more information from Qantas on what's happening to your benefits.

For the programme's most loyal members, Qantas is adding a new pathway for Lifetime Gold members to work towards Platinum status. For every 10,000 Status Credits earned beyond the Lifetime Gold threshold, members receive a complimentary year of Platinum status, with up to five years banked and activated at a time of their choosing. This launches in 2027.

Let's be honest — most of the status-related changes are most relevant to frequent Qantas and Jetstar flyers who live in Australia. The on-ground earning, the rollover mechanics, and the tier threshold tweaks will have the biggest impact on people who are actively chasing and maintaining Qantas status day-to-day.

But as UK collectors, here's where Qantas points do come into play:

Qantas is a oneworld member, which means its points can be used to book Classic Flight Rewards on partner airlines — including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Iberia, and more. The programme uses zone-based pricing, which can offer genuinely competitive rates for certain routes. The new partner search tool arriving in March 2026 could make it significantly easier to find and book those seats.

Qantas points can be earned in the UK primarily through Marriott Bonvoy transfers (at a 3:1 ratio, with 5,000 bonus points when you convert 60,000 Bonvoy points). They can also be earned via American Express Membership Rewards in some markets, though the UK Amex partnership doesn't currently include Qantas. If you're a Marriott Bonvoy collector with points to spare, it's worth knowing this pathway exists.

And for those wondering what options exist for searching and booking award flights across multiple programmes — our Award Travel Finder tool lets you check availability and pricing across British Airways, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, and Iberia all in one place, which can help you compare whether your Avios or an alternative currency gets you further.

What strikes me most about this Qantas announcement isn't any single change — it's the philosophy behind it. Qantas genuinely consulted members, ran a trial before committing to on-ground earning, gave six-plus months' notice on the 2025 devaluation, and is rolling out positive changes alongside the less pleasant ones. That's rare.

Compare that to the way British Airways handled the introduction of spend-based status, or the way Qatar Airways has quietly tacked fees onto award bookings over the past couple of years. There's a real contrast in how programmes treat their members when delivering difficult news — and in that respect, Qantas sets a standard that others would do well to follow.

Status Credit rollover in particular is something I'd genuinely love to see BA Club introduce. For someone who puts in a solid year of flying and overshoots their Gold target by 200 tier points, those just disappear today. Being able to carry even a portion forward would change the calculation on whether to push for a status run or wait — and I suspect it would actually make the programme feel more fair to the majority of members.

For those curious about how tier points stack up on British Airways routes, our BA Tier Point Calculator can show you exactly how many you'd earn on any given flight and booking class.

Already happened (2025): Award prices increased up to 20% for most routes from August 2025. Domestic Australian earning improved by up to 25%. New partner availability added (Hawaiian Airlines, PE on Air France/KLM/Iberia/Finnair).

Coming in 2026: New reward seat search tool for Qantas and 30 partners (March 2026). On-ground Status Credit earning made permanent across ten spending categories (up to 140 credits/year). Status Credit rollover of up to 50% of excess credits for Gold and above. Points Club and Green Tier programmes retired by end of 2026.

Coming in 2027: Retention thresholds align with earn thresholds — the lower retention discount disappears. New Lifetime Gold to Platinum pathway introduced.

Whether you're an active Qantas points collector or just keeping an eye on the industry, these changes are worth knowing about. And if nothing else, they're a useful reminder that loyalty programmes — when run well — can still genuinely reward loyalty. That's not something we should take for granted.

Jack

P.S. If you want to keep tabs on award availability across oneworld and beyond, Award Travel Finder is free to use and covers BA, Qatar, Cathay, Virgin Atlantic, and Iberia. Worth bookmarking.