MASSIVE Qantas Points changes: What’s happening?
Key takeaways
- Qantas will soon allow customers to earn Status Credits via credit card spending and through purchases of other products, and roll over some Status Credits each year.
- The switch comes as many credit cards are dropping earn rates and bonus points offers in response to RBA regulatory changes.
- What's next: The existing Points Club and Green Tier options are being retired.
Big changes are coming to Qantas Points from December, with the ability to earn Status Credits via credit cards and other spending leading the charge.
"Credit cards do remain the most effective and one of the fastest ways to earn Qantas Points," Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance.
"Members will be able to earn up to 140 Status Credits a year across 10 categories," Glance said.
Qantas has previously trialled similar temporary promotions, but this is a permanent change.
On individual credit cards, you'll be able to earn a maximum of 20 Status Credits in a single year.
The changes kick in from 8 December this year.
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Qantas also teased the future launch of a new option on a current credit card which "will offer members the opportunity to earn Status Credits on Classic Reward seat bookings for the first time".
Qantas' changes come as earn rates for many cards are being reduced as a result of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) eliminating surcharges for credit card usage.
Because banks often use the funds raised from that to help fund frequent flyer cards, we've already seen that result in big changes to many cards.
Qantas says it has over 30 cards in market that earn Qantas Points, at rates up of to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent.
How will Status Credit rollover work?
Historically, Qantas Status Credits expired at the end of each membership year. If you didn't have enough to go up to the next tier, you'd have to start again.
Now, you can roll up to 50% of your Staus Credits into the next year (if you haven't managed to go up to a higher tier).
There are caps on the maximum number of points you can roll over: 100 for Silver, 350 for Gold, and 500 for Platinum and Platinum One.
The downside? From 2027, Qantas will no longer has separate "attain" and "earn" totals to move through tiers, meaning you'll have to earn at the higher "attain" rate every year to hang onto your status.
Earlier this year, Qantas confirmed it would eliminate its existing Points Club and Green Tier options.
That's now locked in to change on 8 December, though existing members in both schemes will keep their benefits throughout their current and next membership year.
Sources
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