Some major changes are coming to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program over the next year. The changes are mostly negative, though there are also some positive adjustments. Let’s go over the details.
In this post:
Qantas Frequent Flyer hiking Classic Reward seat costs
As of August 2025, Qantas Frequent Flyer will increase the number of points required to redeem for a Classic Reward seat, which are the carrier’s version of saver level award seats. The airline emphasizes how this is the first increase we’ve seen to these award costs since 2019, and only the second increase we’ve seen since 2004.
We’re seeing the cost of many awards increase by anywhere from 5-20%, and on top of that, the fees are also increasing for premium cabin awards. Below is an example of some of the changes we’re seeing. 
Note that the program isn’t even providing a full update of the changes, but rather we’re told to expect those to be announced in the coming months. So the fact that the airline is highlighting the above changes suggests to me that there are probably some even worse ones that haven’t yet been highlighted.
Here’s how Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance describes these updates:
“A lot has changed in the last six years. These adjustments will ensure we can continue to invest in enhancing the program for the long-term and continue to grow the levels of Classic and Classic Plus Reward seat availability for members year on year.”
“With a number of airlines making changes to their loyalty programs recently, we wanted to give our members as much notice as possible so they can plan their future travel. That’s why our reward fare changes won’t come into effect for at least another six months.”
Qantas Frequent Flyer discounting Jetstar awards
As of August 2025, Qantas Frequent Flyer will be introducing what it refers to as the lowest one-way economy reward seat option in Australia. Specifically, Qantas’ low cost subsidiary, Jetstar, will offer short haul awards starting at just 5,700 points, allowing members to unlock award flights faster.
Qantas Frequent Flyer increasing partner award options
As of October 2025, Qantas Frequent Flyer will increase the number of partner award options that members have access to, with up to one million extra international Classic Reward seats annually. Specifically, we’ll see the introduction of premium economy awards on Air France, Finnair, Iberia, and KLM, as previously that cabin wasn’t bookable on those partners with Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
We’ll also see Qantas Frequent Flyer members get access to Classic Reward seats on Hawaiian, unlocking more opportunities to travel to and from Hawaii.
Qantas Frequent Flyer increasing points earning
As of July 2025, Qantas Frequent Flyer will be increasing the number of points that members can earn in two situations:
- The number of points that can be earned on Qantas domestic flights will increase by up to 25%, though we don’t know exactly how that’s broken down
- The Status Bonus cap for flying in premium cabins will be eliminated, meaning members can earn more points for first and business class flights
Qantas claims that these two changes will give members almost four billion additional points per year.
My take on Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes
On balance, these Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes are obviously negative. We’re seeing the cost of most awards on Qantas metal increase, both in terms of the number of points and cash required. In fairness, this isn’t the most unreasonable devaluation, in the sense that the program hasn’t touched award costs in around six years.
To me, the bigger issue is just that Qantas Frequent Flyer is an all-around crappy program, and there’s little reason to participate in it, unless you don’t have a choice:
- The increased award costs are a negative development, but actually finding premium cabin award availability on Qantas is incredibly challenging, so the implications are sort of limited
- While more redemption options on partner airlines are great, rarely does Qantas Frequent Flyer have competitive award pricing, so there’s not much reason to book those awards through the program
So I guess my take is that Qantas Frequent Flyer wasn’t very interesting before these changes, and it’s even less interesting after these changes. I do find it funny how Qantas is increasing award costs, while at the same time increasing the number of points that certain members earn, to increase annual points circulation by around four billion.
Bottom line
Qantas Frequent Flyer is making a series of changes throughout 2025. Most significant is that we’re going to see the cost of many Qantas Classic Rewards increase, in terms of both the number of points and cash required.
There’s some mildly positive news, like more partner award options, plus cheaper awards on Jetstar. But that doesn’t really make up for the negative aspect of these changes, in my opinion.
What do you make of these Qantas Frequent Flyer program changes?
The thing about QFF is that the point redemption rates are largely irrelevant. Points are really easy to earn (for Australians) if you put in a bit of effort. Credit card sign-up bonuses of 100,000 points or so are common. Australians can earn QFF points on your groceries, petrol, health insurance, home insurance, mortgage, and god knows what else these days.
The real problems with the programme are that:
1) Reward seats are almost...
The thing about QFF is that the point redemption rates are largely irrelevant. Points are really easy to earn (for Australians) if you put in a bit of effort. Credit card sign-up bonuses of 100,000 points or so are common. Australians can earn QFF points on your groceries, petrol, health insurance, home insurance, mortgage, and god knows what else these days.
The real problems with the programme are that:
1) Reward seats are almost impossible to find in international premium cabins in/out of Australia. Demand massively exceeds supply. They're quite difficult to find even in economy for much of the year.
2) The cash fees on reward seats are very high, destroying the value of the programme.
Personally I'd be OK with increasing the redemption rates if they also substantially increased reward seat availability. Sadly that doesn't seem to be the case here.
Alan JoyceED
Agreed qantas is a crappy program. It's a function of them having almost a monopoly. Like air nz does as well.
Overpriced awards. Will be looking to see if the hnl-syd on Jetstar gets cheaper. That would be the only award that would be of interest to me. Although I did get my son a jfk-akl award in Y for 51k points. But certainly nothing of interest in their premium cabins. They used to...
Agreed qantas is a crappy program. It's a function of them having almost a monopoly. Like air nz does as well.
Overpriced awards. Will be looking to see if the hnl-syd on Jetstar gets cheaper. That would be the only award that would be of interest to me. Although I did get my son a jfk-akl award in Y for 51k points. But certainly nothing of interest in their premium cabins. They used to release quite a few nz/au-us awards to Alaska in J but that seems to have dried up me. Just tells me they can fill their premium
cabins with paying customers.
The only use that program has is when they run the double status credit offer and you can get oneworld gold reasonably cheaply with a couple of nz-au flights in J if you plan the long way round.
I would say that the best use for qantas points is for those who want to fly elal to Israel especially since alaska ended their partnership with them. Do we know if these redemptions are being devalued?
"To me, the bigger issue is just that Qantas Frequent Flyer is an all-around crappy program, and there’s little reason to participate in it, unless you don’t have a choice."
^
This!
But, yes, I have to (sort of). And if lounge access and status abroad are among your objectives, the alternatives can be slower to achieve.
Ben, from an American perspective you are 100% right. QFF is crappy. I don't know why any American would even consider it.
But QFF isn't aimed at you. It's aimed at Australians.
It's not much use telling us Australians that AAdvantage or Aeroplan offer way better redemptions (which they do), when there is not a single credit card in Australia that allows us to earn AAdvantage, and there is exactly one that allows us to...
Ben, from an American perspective you are 100% right. QFF is crappy. I don't know why any American would even consider it.
But QFF isn't aimed at you. It's aimed at Australians.
It's not much use telling us Australians that AAdvantage or Aeroplan offer way better redemptions (which they do), when there is not a single credit card in Australia that allows us to earn AAdvantage, and there is exactly one that allows us to earn Aeroplan.
Really, our only choices are QFF, Virgin Velocity, and to a lesser extent Emirates Skywards and Singapore KrisFlyer. The last one would be fine, if only their miles didn't expire!