Rex Flyer: What’s the future for Rex’s frequent flyer scheme?

Well, this sucks. Regional airline Rex has gone into administration, and cancelled all capital city flights. Regional flights continue, but the airline's future is far from clear.

What is clear is that Rex Flyer, the frequent flyer scheme Rex launched in 2023, will be effectively inactive for some time.

"During the period of the voluntary administration, Rex Flyers will continue to be able to enjoy the normal benefits you receive under your membership tier," administrator Sam Freeman wrote in an email to Rex Flyer members.

"You'll also be able to continue to earn Rex Points as usual, including bonus point earn amounts for tiered members."

However, while you can earn points on regional flights, you won't be able to spend them in the near future.

"these points will be redeemable only in the event of a successful restructure of Rex that specifically seeks to maintain these points," Freeman wrote.

Until that happens, any Rex Flyer points are effectively worthless. This is common when airlines go into administration. The same happened with Virgin in 2021. That ended OK, as points became available again once Virgin was restructured.

But this could be a situation like Ansett, which collapsed in 2002 and took everyone's points with it.

We'll be keeping an eye on what happens and will update this guide again as we know more.

How to join Rex Flyer

Rex Flyer is free to join. You can sign up on the Rex site. You'll be sent an activation email, and you'll need to click on the link in that email to confirm your registration.

Signing up for Rex Flyer is free, but don't miss the activation step or your account won't work. Image: Rex/Supplied

Is it worth joining Rex Flyer?

Given there's no charge to join, it makes sense to sign up if you're ever going to fly with Rex - though we'll have to see how extensive its restructured network ends up being.

How can I earn Rex Points?

During normal operation, Rex Points are earned when you book flights with Rex, book extra baggage or pay to select a seat. The number of points per dollar varies depending on the type of fare. More expensive and flexible fares, unsurprisingly, earn more.

Here's an example of how much you would have earned on a typical one-way Sydney–Melbourne flight (specific fares will vary of course):

Can I earn Rex Flyer points through a credit card?

Right now, Rex doesn't have any credit card partnerships to earn Rex Points. That seems unlikely to change in the near future, but we're keeping an eye on it and will update this guide if that happens.

Are there any flight extras I don't earn Rex Points for?

Rex's terms and conditions note that you won't earn any Rex Points for these flight extras:

• Rex Bid Up upgrade offers (and if you do get an upgrade, you'll earn Rex Points based on the class you originally booked)
• Casual lounge access
• Food and drink purchases on board
• In-flight Wi-Fi

When do my Rex Points expire?

According to Rex's own terms and conditions, points will expire "on a rolling 36-month basis from when they were earned if there is no ongoing activity".

Activity here means either taking a flight or redeeming a reward. So that means you need to fly with Rex at least once every 3 years to stop your points from disappearing.

That's not too onerous, though the fact you can't earn Rex Points in any other way does make the scheme more limited than its chief rivals, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity.

Rex Flyer's online activity statement will highlight when you have Rex Points expiring soon. Image: Rex/Supplied

How can I use Rex Points?

When its not in administration, Rex is promising 3 ways to book reward flights.

Ultimate Rewards: Limited availability but low points

Ultimate Rewards will use the fewest Rex Points, but only a handful are expected to be available on each flight. If you want to change these flights, you'll have to pay 3,500 Rex Points or $33, and you have to do so before midnight the day before the flight.

The cheapest Ultimate Reward on offer is 6,900 Rex Points for short-haul Economy flights from Sydney–Gold Coast or Melbourne–Hobart. Regional routes have higher points totals (and are also likely to have fewer seats given the use of smaller aircraft on these routes).

• Full list of Rex Points Ultimate Rewards points totals: Regional

  Route	Ultimate Economy
  Sydney–Albury	12,500
  Sydney–Armidale	12,200
  Sydney–Broken Hill	21,400
  Sydney–Coffs Harbour	11,400
  Sydney–Dubbo	12,600
  Dubbo–Broken Hill	17,100
  Sydney–Griffith	13,200
  Sydney–Merimbula	13,200
  Sydney–Moruya	10,700
  Sydney–Narrandera	12,700
  Sydney–Orange	12,500
  Sydney–Parkes	11,900
  Sydney–Port Macquarie	12,400
  Sydney–Wagga Wagga	12,500
  Melbourne–Broken Hill	18,200
  Broken Hill–Mildura	10,600
  Melbourne–Burnie	12,400
  Melbourne–King Island	11,500
  Burnie–King Island	12,200
  Melbourne–Devonport	12,000
  Melbourne–Mount Gambier	13,000
  Melbourne–Merimbula	13,000
  Melbourne–Mildura	12,400
  Melbourne–Wagga Wagga	12,900
  Adelaide–Broken Hill	12,800
  Adelaide–Ceduna	13,100
  Adelaide–Coober Pedy	17,500
  Adelaide–Mildura	12,000
  Adelaide–Mount Gambier	12,900
  Adelaide–Port Lincoln	11,300
  Adelaide–Whyalla	11,400
  Cairns–Bamaga	17,400
  Cairns–Mount Isa	15,400
  Townsville–Cairns	10,400
  Perth–Albany	11,300
  Perth–Carnavon	13,300
  Perth–Esperance	11,900
  Perth–Monkey Mia	11,400
  Brisbane–Charleville	11,700
  Brisbane–Roma	10,400
  Roma–Charleville	-
  Brisbane–Wellcamp	8,400
  Brisbane–St George	12,000
  Brisbane–Cunnamulla	14,200
  Brisbane–Thargomindah	15,300
  Cunnamulla–Thargomindah	6,300
  St George–Cunnamulla	6,300
  St George–Thargomindah	8,800
  Wellcamp–Cunnamulla	9,900
  Wellcamp–St George	6,800
  Wellcamp–Thargomindah	11,800
  Brisbane–Wellcamp	8,400
  Brisbane–Charleville	11,700
  Brisbane–Quilpie	14,200
  Brisbane–Windorah	16,700
  Brisbane–Birdsville	19,100
  Brisbane–Bedourie	19,700
  Brisbane–Boulia	20,200
  Brisbane–Mount Isa	21,900
  Wellcamp–Bedourie	16,500
  Wellcamp–Boulia	16,700
  Wellcamp–Birdsville	16,200
  Wellcamp–Charleville	11,200
  Wellcamp–Mount Isa	19,200
  Wellcamp–Quilpie	11,800
  Wellcamp–Windorah	13,200
  Charleville–Bedourie	13,400
  Charleville–Boulia	13,700
  Charleville–Birdsville	12,000
  Charleville–Mount Isa	17,800
  Charleville–Quilpie	6,200
  Charleville–Windorah	9,300
  Quilpie–Bedourie	10,400
  Quilpie–Boulia	11,000
  Quilpie–Birdsville	9,300
  Quilpie–Mount Isa	15,100
  Quilpie–Windorah	6,200
  Windorah–Bedourie	6,300
  Windorah–Boulia	6,600
  Windorah–Birdsville	6,500
  Windorah–Mount Isa	13,100
  Birdsville–Bedourie	6,200
  Birdsville–Boulia	6,500
  Birdsville–Mount Isa	12,600
  Bedourie–Boulia	5,500
  Bedourie–Mount Isa	9,600
  Boulia–Mount Isa	7,100
  Burketown–Doomadgee	7,100
  Burketown–Mount Isa	12,300
  Cairns–Burketown	17,600
  Cairns–Doomadgee	17,800
  Cairns–Mount Isa	15,400
  Cairns–Karumba	15,200
  Cairns–Normanton	15,200
  Cairns–Mornington Island	17,600
  Mount Isa–Doomadgee	11,500
  Mount Isa–Karumba	13,500
  Mount Isa–Normanton	13,500
  Mount Isa–Mornington Island	14,300
  Normanton–Burketown	7,800
  Karumba–Burketown	7,800
  Normanton–Doomadgee	10,000
  Karumba–Doomadgee	10,000
  Normanton–Karumba	-
  Mornington Island–Burketown	7,700
  Mornington Island–Doomadgee	7,700
  Mornington Island–Normanton	10,000
  Mornington Island–Karumba	10,000
  Townsville–Winton	11,000
  Townsville–Longreach	13,200
  Winton–Longreach	6,100
  Townsville–Hughenden	8,800
  Townsville–Richmond	10,200
  Townsville–Julia Creek	12,200
  Townsville–Mount Isa	16,500
  Hughenden–Richmond	-
  Hughenden–Julia Creek	-
  Hughenden–Mount Isa	10,700
  Richmond–Julia Creek	-
  Richmond–Mount Isa	-
  Julia Creek–Mount Isa	-

One promising feature: Rex says any unsold seats on its flights will be made available as Ultimate Reward seats ahead of flight departure. That could make it a solid option for booking last-minute flights, when fares across all airlines are often higher.

However, the details here are fiddly. 2 days prior to the flight, all but 5 Economy seats on a service will be available as Ultimate Rewards. 1 day prior, all but 2 Business Seats will be released. And then at 00:01am on the day of departure, any remaining unsold seats will be released as Ultimate Rewards.

Getaway Rewards: Better flexibility and higher points

Rex has ramped up its competition with Qantas and Virgin. Image: Angus Kidman/Finder

Getaway Rewards promise a little more flexibility, but require more Rex Points. They require an average of 1.3 times the number of Rex Points for Economy or Business compared to Ultimate Rewards.

Economy Getaway Rewards bookings can be changed or cancelled free of charge up to 14 days before flying and for Business you can do so up to 7 days before. After that, you'll have to pay $33 or use 3,500 Rex Points to cancel (the same conditions as Ultimate Rewards).

Anytime Rewards: Widely available but high points

Any available seat on a flight can be purchased as an Anytime Reward. For Economy, the number of Rex Points needed is an average of 3.7 times more than for Ultimate Rewards on capital city routes. For Business, it's a slightly less punishing 1.8 times higher.

A handful of "Queensland Regulated Routes" only offer Anytime Rewards, with no Ultimate or Getaway options.

• Full list of Rex Points Anytime Rewards points totals: Regional

  Route	Anytime Economy
  Sydney–Albury	36,400
  Sydney–Armidale	33,900
  Sydney–Broken Hill	42,400
  Sydney–Coffs Harbour	34,900
  Sydney–Dubbo	34,400
  Dubbo–Broken Hill	32,400
  Sydney–Griffith	35,000
  Sydney–Merimbula	33,000
  Sydney–Moruya	28,900
  Sydney–Narrandera	34,400
  Sydney–Orange	33,000
  Sydney–Parkes	31,900
  Sydney–Port Macquarie	34,900
  Sydney–Wagga Wagga	35,000
  Melbourne–Broken Hill	39,100
  Broken Hill–Mildura	20,700
  Melbourne–Burnie	34,900
  Melbourne–King Island	29,900
  Burnie–King Island	29,900
  Melbourne–Devonport	34,900
  Melbourne–Mount Gambier	34,900
  Melbourne–Merimbula	33,000
  Melbourne–Mildura	34,900
  Melbourne–Wagga Wagga	33,000
  Adelaide–Broken Hill	32,400
  Adelaide–Ceduna	32,400
  Adelaide–Coober Pedy	34,900
  Adelaide–Mildura	32,500
  Adelaide–Mount Gambier	34,900
  Adelaide–Port Lincoln	30,400
  Adelaide–Whyalla	30,200
  Cairns–Bamaga	37,400
  Cairns–Mount Isa	34,900
  Townsville–Cairns	32,400
  Perth–Albany	19,500
  Perth–Carnavon	28,300
  Perth–Esperance	21,400
  Perth–Monkey Mia	27,000
  Brisbane–Charleville	28,200
  Brisbane–Roma	25,700
  Roma–Charleville	10,600
  Brisbane–Wellcamp	18,600
  Brisbane–St George	19,400
  Brisbane–Cunnamulla	26,400
  Brisbane–Thargomindah	32,300
  Cunnamulla–Thargomindah	9,600
  St George–Cunnamulla	13,200
  St George–Thargomindah	20,600
  Wellcamp–Cunnamulla	22,000
  Wellcamp–St George	16,100
  Wellcamp–Thargomindah	27,900
  Brisbane–Wellcamp	18,600
  Brisbane–Charleville	28,200
  Brisbane–Quilpie	30,700
  Brisbane–Windorah	35,300
  Brisbane–Birdsville	36,600
  Brisbane–Bedourie	40,600
  Brisbane–Boulia	44,500
  Brisbane–Mount Isa	46,600
  Wellcamp–Bedourie	37,100
  Wellcamp–Boulia	41,200
  Wellcamp–Birdsville	32,800
  Wellcamp–Charleville	20,600
  Wellcamp–Mount Isa	39,400
  Wellcamp–Quilpie	26,800
  Wellcamp–Windorah	32,000
  Charleville–Bedourie	27,500
  Charleville–Boulia	28,300
  Charleville–Birdsville	24,000
  Charleville–Mount Isa	34,500
  Charleville–Quilpie	7,100
  Charleville–Windorah	17,000
  Quilpie–Bedourie	22,400
  Quilpie–Boulia	23,100
  Quilpie–Birdsville	20,300
  Quilpie–Mount Isa	31,100
  Quilpie–Windorah	8,300
  Windorah–Bedourie	16,800
  Windorah–Boulia	18,200
  Windorah–Birdsville	9,300
  Windorah–Mount Isa	25,800
  Birdsville–Bedourie	6,800
  Birdsville–Boulia	14,700
  Birdsville–Mount Isa	24,900
  Bedourie–Boulia	6,800
  Bedourie–Mount Isa	20,300
  Boulia–Mount Isa	9,700
  Burketown–Doomadgee	7,900
  Burketown–Mount Isa	17,200
  Cairns–Burketown	26,800
  Cairns–Doomadgee	28,300
  Cairns–Mount Isa	34,800
  Cairns–Karumba	21,900
  Cairns–Normanton	21,900
  Cairns–Mornington Island	28,200
  Mount Isa–Doomadgee	17,600
  Mount Isa–Karumba	20,200
  Mount Isa–Normanton	20,200
  Mount Isa–Mornington Island	21,100
  Normanton–Burketown	11,800
  Karumba–Burketown	11,800
  Normanton–Doomadgee	16,000
  Karumba–Doomadgee	16,000
  Normanton–Karumba	8,100
  Mornington Island–Burketown	10,000
  Mornington Island–Doomadgee	10,800
  Mornington Island–Normanton	13,500
  Mornington Island–Karumba	13,500
  Townsville–Winton	21,300
  Townsville–Longreach	21,600
  Winton–Longreach	6,400
  Townsville–Hughenden	15,000
  Townsville–Richmond	18,300
  Townsville–Julia Creek	20,200
  Townsville–Mount Isa	34,900
  Hughenden–Richmond	4,400
  Hughenden–Julia Creek	6,600
  Hughenden–Mount Isa	18,300
  Richmond–Julia Creek	5,200
  Richmond–Mount Isa	8,000
  Julia Creek–Mount Isa	6,800

What's the best way to use my Rex Points?

Rex wants to encourage checking in and making changes online, especially for reward flights. Image: Angus Kidman/Finder

Assuming Rex Flyer returns, as with other Australian airlines, you'll get the most value from your points by choosing the Ultimate Rewards option – the one with limited availability but which uses the fewest points.

The flexible Anytime Rewards are likely to give a very poor value for your points (the same is true of Qantas Points Plus Pay and Virgin Any Seat).

What traps should I watch out for when booking Rex Points rewards?

You can book and change reward flights for free on the Rex site. However, if you book or make changes by phone, you'll have to pay $33 or 2,500 Rex Points. That won't apply if you're a Diamond flyer, but that's not going to be most people. Those fees are in addition to any change or cancellation fees that apply to changing the actual flight.

If you apply for an upgrade and want to cancel it, you have to do it by phone, and you'll have to pay either $33 or 3,500 Rex Points to do so.

One other trap: if you die, your account is immediately cancelled and closed. That's not unusual for frequent flyer schemes, but it still seems a little inflexible.

Which membership tiers does Rex Flyer offer?

Diamond Rex Flyers get free lounge access, but you'll need to fly a lot to reach that tier. Image: Angus Kidman/Finder

Rex officially launched its membership tiers in February 2024. There are 4, in ascending order of benefits:

• Opal (the starter level where everyone begins)
• Sapphire
• Emerald
• Diamond

You climb tiers and retain them by earning Status Points or taking Status Flights. Right now, you earn 1 Status Point per $1 spent on flights, regardless of class. A Status Flight is any non-reward flight on Rex.

Status Points expire 12 months after you earn them, which is similar to Qantas and Velocity Frequent Flyer. So you would need to earn the required Status Points in a year to reach or maintain a higher membership tier.

Here's a summary of the additional tiers, what you need to do to reach them and keep them and the main benefits they offer. Diamond fliers also get free Rex Lounge membership.

Broadly speaking, if you're not flying Rex at least monthly, you won't be hitting any of these tiers.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Angus Kidman

Editor-at-large

Angus Kidman is the international editor-at-large at Finder. He's an award-winning journalist who has reported on technology, travel, finance and other topics for over 30 years. Angus appears regularly on Sunrise, Today, The Project, Seven News and other TV and radio shows. See full bio

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