How to use Qantas Frequent Flyer Points

Whether you want to redeem free flights, upgrades or gift cards, discover all the ways you can cash in your Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.

As a Qantas Frequent Flyers you aren’t short of ways to use your points. From flights and holiday packages to car hire and products from the Qantas Marketplace, this guide takes you through all of the different ways you can spend your Qantas Points and how you can get the most from your rewards.

Flights

As a frequent flyer program, flights are the most obvious way to spend your Qantas Points. Read on to find out how you can use your points to redeem flights, upgrade existing flight bookings or use a combination of points and cash for your next trip.

Classic Flight Rewards

You can use your Qantas Points to fly almost anywhere with Qantas and its network of more than 50 partner airlines and affiliates. While there are many one-way, return and multi-destination Classic Flight Reward destinations available, these are subject to availability and you may need to be a little flexible with travel dates and flight times.

The number of points required will also depend on the fare class (for example, economy or business), destination, route and retail cost of the flwineight.

When browsing flights on the Qantas website, you can opt to search Classic Flight Rewards to compare available routes and the number of points you’ll need. But to give you an idea of how far your points could take you, we’ve provided a few examples below. Please note that we’ve given a few different domestic and international options, and we’ve varied the routes and fare classes to show you how the points cost can vary depending on these details.

Fare class
Return/one way
Departure
Destination
Number of points
Economy
Return
Sydney, Canberra
Brisbane
16,000
Economy
Return
Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra
Darwin
36,000
Business
One way
Sydney
Auckland
31,000
Business
One way
Brisbane, Canberra
Auckland
41,500
Business
Return
Sydney, Brisbane
Hong Kong
150,000
Business
Return
Canberra
Hong Kong
194,200
Economy
One way
Sydney, Brisbane
Dubai
50,300
Economy
One way
Canberra
Dubai
58,300
Business
Return
Adelaide, Hobart
Sydney
55,200
Economy
Return
Adelaide
Gold Coast
19,200
Economy
One way
Adelaide
Rome
61,500
Business
Return
Adelaide
Denpasar
62,000
Business
One way
Perth
Darwin
41,500
Economy
Return
Perth
Paris
149,400
Economy
One way
Perth
Dublin
65,200
Economy
One way
Darwin
Dublin
61,200
Economy
Return
Perth
Christchurch
45,500
Economy
Return
Darwin
Christchurch
40,600
Economy
Return
Darwin
Los Angeles
132,400
Economy
Return
Hobart
Phuket
63,000
Business
One way
Hobart
Las Vegas
276,000

Details sourced from the Qantas website and correct at the time of writing in July 2021.

It’s also important to note that additional taxes, fees and carrier charges may apply in addition to the points required.

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Our expert says

"Don't let the other choices fool you - using Qantas Points on Qantas flights gets you more bang for your buck. Partner airline flights are much harder to come by, and shopping redemptions are much lower value."

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Partnered airlines

While you can’t exchange your Qantas Points for frequent flyer points with another loyalty program, you can use your points to redeem flights with partnered airlines. You can redeem your points with airlines within the oneworld Alliance, including Jetstar, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. Other partnered airlines include Emirates and Alaska Airlines.

Points plus pay

If you don’t have enough points to redeem your chosen Classic Flight Reward, you can opt to pay with a combination of points and cash using “points plus pay”. You need a minimum of 5,000 points for Qantas flights or 3,500 for Jetstar flights to use points plus pay.

Classic Upgrade Rewards

If you’ve already booked your flights but would prefer to fly in luxury, you can also use your points to upgrade an existing flight to a higher fare class. The number of points you’ll need for a Classic Upgrade Reward will depend on the fare class you’re upgrading to and the route of the flight. However, you can log into your frequent flyer account and manage your flights to request an upgrade and compare your options.

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Qantas Club

The Qantas Club offers frequent flyer members unlimited access to the largest airline lounge network in Australia and overseas as well as exclusive check-in services and complimentary guest visits. The perks you can expect from your Qantas Club membership include:

  • Lounge access. Members receive unlimited access to the Qantas Club, Qantas International Business as well as selected lounges when travelling with partnered airlines
  • Guest visits. Members can invite one complimentary guest each time they travel.
  • On Departure Upgrade Rewards. You can use your Qantas Points to upgrade domestic Classic Flight Rewards on departure.
  • Additional checked baggage and priority check-in. You can take advantage of additional checked baggage when flying Economy and Premium Economy, plus you’ll receive priority check-in on Qantas flights.
  • Qantas meeting rooms. You can save with discounts on Qantas meeting rooms in Australia.

These perks don’t come for free, but you could save on the costs if you use your Qantas Points to cover your membership fees. Compare your options below:

Individual membership - New members

Type of membershipMembership feesRegular cost
One year
93,000 points
$600
Two years
170,000 points
$1,100
Four years
308,000 points
$2,000

As a new member, there's also a one-off 16,000 Qantas Points joining fee. This is valued at $99.

Individual membership - Existing members

Type of membershipMembership feesRegular cost
One year
78,000 points
$410
Two years
155,000 points
$740
Four years
285,000 points
$1,400

Partner membership - New members

As long as you both reside at the same address, your spouse or partner can also take advantage of Qantas Club perks at a reduced rate.

Type of membershipMembership feesRegular cost
One year
56,000
$360
Two years
102,000
$660
Four years
185,000
$1,200

As a new member, there's also a one-off 16,000 Qantas Points joining fee. This is valued at $99.

Partner membership - Existing members

Type of membershipMembership feesRegular cost
One year
52,000 points
$360
Two years
89,000 points
$620
Four years
155,000 points
$1,150

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Qantas Marketplace

If you don’t have enough points to redeem a flight or don’t have any travel plans coming up, you can also use your Qantas Points to redeem products from the Qantas Marketplace. When you visit the online store, you can browse rewards by categories such as electronics, travel, homewares, fashion and beauty, food and wine as well as gift cards.

The number of points you’ll require will vary depending on the retail price of the product, but we’ve provided a few examples to show you the potential of your points.

ProductCategoryNumber of points required
Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II
Electronics
69,390 points
Apple iPhone 12 256GB
Electronics
278,080 points
Fitbit Charge 4
Sports and fitness
43,300 points
Callaway APEX 21 Hybrid
Sports and fitness
76,340 points
Seiko Men's Coutura Black Solar Watch
Fashion
62,500 points (on sale from 104,170 points)
Pandora Signature Silver Hoop Earrings
Fashion
18,950 points
Jimmy Choo, Illicit - Eau de Parfum, 100ml
Beauty
28,860 points
Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer
Beauty
95,470 points
$100 Netflix gift card
Gift cards
19,330 points
$100 Woolworths WISH physical gift card
Gift cards
20,730 points

Details sourced from the Qantas Marketplace and correct at the time of writing in July 2021.

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Hotels

As well as flights, you can help save on travel costs by using your points to redeem accommodation. If you redeem your points for Classic Hotel Rewards, you’ll have over 200,000 choices to compare. Whether you want to cover the cost with points or points plus pay, you can compare options ranging from budget hotels to five-star luxury resorts in Australia and overseas. Some of the popular partnered hotels include Hyatt, Shangri-La and Rydges. When comparing your options, look out for the “Classic Reward” symbol and choose to view the prices in points.

Luxury Escapes

You can also redeem your Qantas Points for lavish hotel stays with Luxury Escapes. If you haven't already, join Luxury Escapes and follow the prompts to link your Frequent Flyer and Luxury Escapes accounts. You'll then have the option of using Qantas Points for all or part of your eligible holiday booking. You'll even earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent, even if you're opting to pay with points.

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Car hire

Whether you’re going on a road trip for the weekend or need a car for your overseas holiday, you can also use Qantas Points to cover the cost of car hire with Qantas’ car hire partners.

The number of points you’ll need will depend on the retail cost, but you can redeem your points to pay for vehicle rentals from Avis, Budget, Hertz or Thrifty in over 600 locations worldwide.

Use our guide on Qantas car rentals for more tips on earning and spending Qantas Points on car rentals.

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Qantas Wine

If you prefer the finer things in life, you can turn your points into pinot by redeeming your Qantas Points for wine, spirits and gourmet food from the Qantas Wine online store.

If you want to use your Qantas Points to buy wine, look out for the “Classic Wine Rewards” logo when you’re browsing the online store. This is because you’ll receive exclusive discounts of up to 55% off when you buy a Classic Wine Reward using your points. Then when you’re checking out, you can select to pay with Qantas Points.

See our guide to Qantas Wine for more information on how to earn and redeem points on your next wine purchase as well as the latest bonus points offers to check out.

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Qantas Insurance

While insurance is a grudge purchase for most of us, Qantas Insurance helps reward frequent flyers for protecting themselves. Whether you’re looking for health insurance or travel insurance, you can use your points to cover the cost.

The number of points will vary depending on your quote. If you have enough points to cover the cost of your premium, you’ll be offered the choice of paying with points at the checkout. Visit the Qantas website to get a quote and see if you have enough points to cover your insurance policy.

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Auto rewards

If you want to make redeeming your points even more convenient, you can opt to automatically convert your Qantas Points to WISH eGift cards up to four times a year. Once it’s landed in your inbox, you can either print the eGift card or download it onto your phone to present at any participating Woolworths, Big W, BWS or Dan Murphy's stores or when shopping online to save at the checkout.

On 1 February, 1 May, 1 August and 1 November each year, Qantas total up your points and emails you an eGift card depending on your points balance. You can compare the potential savings below:

Value of the gift cardNumber of points required
$5
750 points
$10
1,500 points
$15
2,250 points
$20
3,000 points

If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’re not strapped for choices when deciding how to spend your hard-earned points. Some rewards will offer better value for your money though, so make sure to compare your options before you start spending!

Earn more points with Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards

Product Bonus points Points per $ spent Purchase rate p.a. Annual fee
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
Finder AwardQantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card image
Bonus points
50,000
Points per $ spent
1.25
Purchase rate p.a.
23.99%
Annual fee
$450
Get a yearly $450 Travel Credit and 50,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card
Finder AwardQantas Business Rewards
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card image
Bonus points
150,000
Points per $ spent
1.25
Purchase rate p.a.
0%
Annual fee
$225 first year ($450 after)
Limited time offer: Earn 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a half off annual fee in the first year. ABN holders w/ $75k revenue.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black image
Bonus points
120,000
Points per $ spent
0.75
Purchase rate p.a.
20.99%
Annual fee
$370
Up to 120,000 bonus Qantas Points (90,000 points in year 1 when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days & 30,000 points after the first spend in year 2).
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Pictures: Qantas/Shutterstock

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53 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    JulieApril 25, 2016

    Can I use Frequent Flyer points to fly from Hong Kong to Qingdao in China?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 26, 2016Finder

      Hi Julie,

      Thanks for your question.

      Yes, you can use your Qantas Frequent Flyer points to travel between Hong Kong to Qingdao.

      According to the Qantas Points calculator, you’ll need 14,000 points for this trip.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

      Default Gravatar
      JulieApril 26, 2016

      How many points to fly business class on that route?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 26, 2016Finder

      Hi Julie,

      It’d be 26,000 Qantas Points to fly business on that route. I’ve emailed you a link to the Qantas Points calculator in case you’d like to see how many points you’ll need for any other routes or seat class options.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

    Default Gravatar
    JulieApril 17, 2016

    How many points will I need to fly from Qingdao to Hong Kong return with Dragonair?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 18, 2016Finder

      Hi Julie,

      Thanks for your question.

      According to the Qantas Points calculator, you’ll need 14,000 Qantas Points to fly Economy from Qingdao to Hong Kong.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

    Default Gravatar
    AlanApril 16, 2016

    Would like to bring young family relatives (5 persons over 8 years)from Melbourne to Perth Australia .return..how many FF points would I need and can I do this for non FF relatives….?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 18, 2016Finder

      Hi Alan,

      Thanks for your question.

      Unfortunately, you can only transfer your Qantas Points to family members who are also Qantas Frequent Flyers.

      You’d need 36,000 points for each family member for a return flight to Melbourne to Perth in Economy. If you multiply this by five, you’d need 180,000 Qantas Points.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

    Default Gravatar
    HuguetteApril 7, 2016

    How many points required to travel from Perth to Singapore?

      AvatarFinder
      SallyApril 8, 2016Finder

      Hi Huguette,

      Thanks for your question.

      How many points you’ll need will depend on the flight class you choose.

      According to the Qantas Points calculator, you’ll need at least 22,500 Qantas Points to flight one way in Economy from Perth to Singapore.

      If you’d like to calculate how many points you’ll need for other seat types, you can use the points calculator on the Qantas website.

      I’ve sent you a link for your convenience.

      I hope this has helped.

      Cheers,

      Sally

    AvatarFinder
    SallyMarch 29, 2016Finder

    Hi Jan,

    Thanks for your question.

    How many points you’ll need will depend on the status of your flight ticket (e.g. economy, business, first etc). Using the Qantas Points calculator, you’ll need 16,000 Qantas Points for a return economy flight between Sydney and Brisbane.

    I’ve emailed you a link to the Qantas Points calculator for your reference.

    Cheers,

    Sally

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