50% off Qantas Classic Reward flights to Asia
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Osaka are all half points off.
If you've been stashing Qantas Points to use for an Asian holiday later this year, now is looking like a great time to redeem them.
Qantas confirmed in an email sent to frequent flyers this morning that Classic Reward bookings to Hong Kong, Tokyo (Narita), Osaka (Kansai), Shanghai (Pudong) and Beijing are being offered at 50% off normal points requirements. The Japanese destinations are available for flights between 25 June and 30 November 2018. The Chinese cities have a slightly wider window, with half-points seats on offer from 15 May to 30 November 2018.
One thing to watch out for: this is only available for economy seats on Qantas-operated services. If you're hanging out for a business class seat, there's no discount. That said, our Points Finder advice is that Qantas business seats are pretty rare and usually have to be booked close to a year in advance. Given the length of these flights, economy is not such a burden.
The following city pairs are eligible for the discount. For each, we've noted how many points you'll now need for a one-way flight with the 50% discount applied. Double that number for a return fare.
| Route | Points (discounted) |
|---|---|
| Sydney-Hong Kong | 14,000 |
| Melbourne-Hong Kong | 14,000 |
| Brisbane-Hong Kong | 14,000 |
| Sydney-Shanghai (Pudong) | 17,500 |
| Sydney-Beijing | 17,500 |
| Melbourne-Tokyo (Narita) | 14,400 |
| Brisbane-Tokyo (Narita) | 14,000 |
| Sydney-Osaka (Kansai) | 17,500 |
Note that this doesn't guarantee seats will be available, and popular dates and destinations will undoubtedly burn through available awards seats very quickly.
One strategy to consider is booking a rewards flight in one direction, and then paying for a return flight. On that front, Cathay Pacific currently has a Hong Kong sale.
And remember you'll still have to pay airport taxes and carrier charges. From that perspective, Hong Kong is again an appealing destination, since it bans fuel surcharges.
Learn more about Qantas' Frequent Flyer scheme and how to make the most of Classic Rewards in our detailed guide.
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