Qantas is hiding cheap points flights on Airbnb
50,000 Qantas Points for First Class to LA? Sign me up!
Qantas has just announced the follow-up to its first Points Plane, and I wouldn't have picked it.
For the next fortnight, international Classic Rewards seats will be "hidden" on Airbnb as accommodation listings. They will be described in typically OTT Airbnb style:
Want unparalleled views of the clouds from a sanctuary in the sky? A private one bedroom suite at 35,000 feet? A cosy cabin at cruising altitude with sensational sunset views from the deck (flight deck that is).
It's tough scoring First and Business reward seats as it is, but the real appeal is that the number of points needed will be lower than usual. For instance, a pair of Melbourne to Los Angeles First Class seats will be offered for 50,000 Qantas Points, rather than 144,000. A pair of business class seats for Sydney to London is also being offered for 50,000 Points, which is less than a fifth of the normal price.
Qantas has offered the ability to earn points on Airbnb since 2016, but this is a fresh twist.
The airline hasn't released full details of the seats available, but says that Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles and Santiago will all feature. Single, double and four-seat deals are being released.
"We know our members love to redeem their points on travel, so we're excited to be able to give them new ways to access these rewards," Qantas Loyalty manager Olivia Wirth said in a statement announcing the promotion.
To book the flights, customers request a booking on the Airbnb site. If they're successful, a Qantas representative will phone them to complete the booking. I expect this means lots of veteran frequent flyers will be haunting Airbnb over the next two weeks. And yes, I'll undoubtedly be one of them.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
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Picture: Qantas
