Qantas double Status Credits or double Points? My expert pick
Get more from your frequent flyer points by using this offer the smart way.
Qantas has officially launched its latest double offer, giving you the chance to earn either double Qantas Points (which you can use for free flights) or double Status Credits (which help you rise through the tiers from Bronze to Silver to Gold to Platinum) on bookings made over the next week.
Opting in is simple: you just open the Qantas app and choose between double Qantas Points or double Status Credits. Any bookings on Qantas services you then make between March 12 and March 18 will then score double the normal amount once you take them.
You can opt in to the offer through the Qantas app. Image: Supplied
But which one should you pick?
Much of the online frequent chatter focuses on Status Credits, because there aren't lots of ways to earn Status Credits other than flying. Conversely, you can earn Qantas Points via credit cards and Everyday Rewards
According to Qantas, the last time this offer ran, two-thirds of customers opted for double Status Credits.
But here's my take: unless you're already actively tracking your Status Credits with a goal of moving to a higher tier, double Status Credits isn't a good choice.
I call it the "spreadsheet rule". If you don't already track your Status Credits in a spreadsheet, then opting for double Status Credits probably won't pay off.
How Qantas Status Credits work in practice
Most Qantas Frequent Flyers are Bronze. To get to Silver, you'd need to earn 300 Status Credits during your membership year (and take at least 4 Qantas or Jetstar flights).
If you do that via double Status Credits, the figure effectively drops to 150. But getting 150 Status Credits still requires quite a lot of spending. You could do it with a return Economy trip to London and a couple of domestic flights, but you're looking at spending at least $2,500 to do that.
It's even tougher for higher tiers. I'm Gold, and I'd need 1,400 Status Credits to hit Platinum. Even with some clever flight choices, I calculate I'd need to spend at least $7,000 to hit that mark. It simply isn't going to happen.
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Conversely, there are a few flights I need to book soon-ish, and if I book them during this week, I'll double the number of Qantas Points I'll normally earn. With each Qantas Points worth 2 cents if I spend it on flights in the future, even a standard Sydney-Melbourne flight is going to be worth an extra $16 to me.
Even with that approach, choosing carefully makes sense. Just a fortnight ago, Qantas had a major sale on domestic seats. I booked a stack of trips during that time, even though I suspected the double points offer would launch soon (it normally happens early in the year). But the fares were so low that points earning just wasn't the main consideration.
My choices aren't your choices. But unless you're flying a lot and actively planning to move up a tier, double Qantas Points are likely to make more sense for you.
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