Qantas Classic Reward & Upgrade Devaluation on 5 August 2025

[exLXCXFF]

No one on this forum (Australian Frequent Flyer) would think that no. But I have family members that have spent 100k+ points on Point Plus Pay from Sydney to Melbourne and a hotel for one night and literally said that and/or 'at least I'm saving money. One family member even texted me the AFR article talking about $600 each way to LA and literally said,' Sounds reasonable to me'.

Considering changing family \o/

 

[OATEK]

So not offering PE SYD-SIN following the devaluation??

 

[SYD]

So not offering PE SYD-SIN following the devaluation??
View attachment 463242

Visible for me. I can see at least 1x PE seat on 10 Aug.

 

[JB31]

I just booked Paris in J , there’s a bunch of business classic seats available, rarely ever see them before. Also looks like LA J is also availble for next year

 

[Catweazle]

To be fair to the media, for most punters the only time they’ll ever see a First Class Classic Award is when QF does a points plane dump. So it is newsworthy. ~$1,200 plus 400,000 points is still a good deal compared to $20,000 to LAX.

Yes, but most suckers out there probably collect points to make a cute little holiday instead of forking out the cost of a Y ticket.

Now QF charges that same cost just to use your points. I mean, sure, if you have millions of points to burn.

But at this rate I may as well just fork out $1400 return to the USA in Y and save the points for JQ flights.

I remember doing HNL-SEA-ANC, YEG-HNL for $12 once, albeit in Y. Gone will be those days!

 

[Kangol]

The media have taken the bait so easily.

View attachment 463182

Making $600 carrier charges seem like a bargain ...

$600 is a bargain in today's world.
Compare it to the $15-20k cash fare, or the cost of chartering your own plane (let alone buying one).
No point in comparing it to 2015 prices. Might as well compare to 2005 or 1995 and start complaining.

 

[levelnine]

$600 is a bargain in today's world.
Compare it to the $15-20k cash fare, or the cost of chartering your own plane (let alone buying one).
No point in comparing it to 2015 prices. Might as well compare to 2005 or 1995 and start complaining.

You don't have to go back to 1995. You only need to go back to 4 August 2025.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Whist the taxes may be "only" $600 - that is still a lot as a co-payment alongside points.

Also, how much money does one have to spend to earn those said points? Even if the majority of the points were earned from sign-up bonuses, that's still thousands of dollars spent even if it was required anyway (ie. car insurance, utilities etc).

150k points would be something like 2-3 sign-up bonuses or the likes.

You're still "paying" for it, just indirectly. But yes, it's better than paying $20k outright for it as a "single purpose" purchase.

 

[Kangol]

You don't have to go back to 1995. You only need to go back to 4 August 2025.

How much do you think the taxes for the same flight were 3 days ago, $6?!

 

[Dvg]

Done several (too many) positioning flights between SYD and CGK. The QF J is quite good IMHO. The o/n transit in a hotel (to be safe) on seperate tix is becoming a bore. The flight home is arguably too short to enjoy some F&B and lie flat! Last time, I just stayed up and watched movies. Flight time was like 6hrs!

I’ve been pondering MNL but keep seeing horror stories about the airport experience…

Have several CRs booked SYD-HKG, which will be a nice change.

Unfortunately, SIN and BKK are MIA as DIY options…

I’ve done Man/syd numerous times, I really think issues with NAIA are overblown. As a senior you just ask the security guard to let you into the VIP/govt lane , ( can’t remember what it’s called) then head straight upstairs to the Cathy Pacific lounge, it is very good.

 

[levelnine]

How much do you think the taxes for the same flight were 3 days ago, $6?!

Only in upside-down world (or 10 Bourke Rd Mascot NSW) would someone think a 20% increase in carrier charges is a 'bargain'.

 

[Ric]

I’ve done Man/syd numerous times, I really think issues with NAIA are overblown. As a senior you just ask the security guard to let you into the VIP/govt lane , ( can’t remember what it’s called) then head straight upstairs to the Cathy Pacific lounge, it is very good.

It's the Senior/PWD lane. No need to ask. Just go straight to it.
PWD = Persons With Disability

 

[Dvg]

It's the Senior/PWD lane. No need to ask. Just go straight to it.
PWD = Persons With Disability

No there’s another one, crew go through it I think it is ASEAN??? I made the mistake of lining up behind a dozen or so people rather than the 50 odd in the normal lane, got to the front and was then told to join the normal line lol. I was told later you have to ask a security/immigration officer to let you use it, I do that now and never been knocked back, but I am a senior citizen

 

[Ric]

No there’s another one, crew go through it I think it is ASEAN??? I made the mistake of lining up behind a dozen or so people rather than the 50 odd in the normal lane, got to the front and was then told to join the normal line lol. I was told later you have to ask a security/immigration officer to let you use it, I do that now and never been knocked back, but I am a senior citizen

ASEAN lane is next to it. Crew goes through another different lane.
BTW, I have never been knock back at the Senior's lane, though I have seen some obviously not so Seniors been told to go to the normal lane.
Perhaps you look too young for your age!

 

[Dvg]

ASEAN lane is next to it. Crew goes through another different lane.
BTW, I have never been knock back at the Senior's lane, though I have seen some obviously not so Seniors been told to go to the normal lane.
Perhaps you look too young for your age!

Maybe I’m not showing my age, I’ve tried to look after myself ……….

 

[Kangol]

Only in upside-down world (or 10 Bourke Rd Mascot NSW) would someone think a 20% increase in carrier charges is a 'bargain'.

Tell me you know nothing about running a business, or have been a failed business owner.. without telling me.

When people have been conditioned to getting something for almost nothing, then they get told they have to pay more, you can tell a lot about a person's character about their sense of entitlement.

Respectfully, you remind us of the irreversibly narrow minded people who complain about inflation, fail to understand that business costs go up, and then wrongfully believe that the business owner is pocketing all of the excess above the old price.
These people have no capability of improvement.

Notice how after two posts you still failed to compare it to the alternative

 

[levelnine]

Notice how after two posts you still failed to compare it to the alternative

Tell me you know nothing about the concept of a 'bargain' without telling me lol.

You keep talking about price rises — the very opposite of a bargain.

You keep talking about business owners — a bargain is something that is good value from the perspective of the customer, not the business owner.

Then you go on some weird rant about inflation, which has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

To answer your sad attempt to suggest there are no alternatives, the following alternatives constitute an actual bargain in the world of award redemptions (the topic at hand) ...

AA: 110K + $135 in QF First
AS: 130K + $143 in QF First

 

[flyguy77]

fail to understand that business costs go up, and then wrongfully believe that the business owner is pocketing all of the excess above the old price.

Business costs going up or Qantas profits going up?

There is such a thing in the Business world as being too greedy and there is a limit to what people will pay before looking elsewhere.....

Nearly doubling carrier charges on some routes + raising the points needed isn't just keeping up with inflation. It's being greedy and also a byproduct of issuing too many points into the market (again due to greed/profits)

 

[Kangol]

Tell me you know nothing about the concept of a 'bargain' without telling me lol.

You keep talking about price rises — the very opposite of a bargain.

You keep talking about business owners — a bargain is something that is good value from the perspective of the customer, not the business owner.

Then you go on some weird rant about inflation, which has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

To answer your sad attempt to suggest there are no alternatives, the following alternatives constitute an actual bargain in the world of award redemptions (the topic at hand) ...

AA: 110K + $135 in QF First
AS: 130K + $143 in QF First

The original post (QFF classic F to LAX) was about inflation - carrier charges have gone up. That's literally the topic, regardless of what you identify it to be.
Just because you wrongly thought it was about something else, doesn't make you right.

You dishonestly indicated I suggested no alternatives.. you literally quoted my post that contained some alternatives.

Business costs going up or Qantas profits going up?

There is such a thing in the Business world as being too greedy and there is a limit to what people will pay before looking elsewhere.....

Nearly doubling carrier charges on some routes + raising the points needed isn't just keeping up with inflation. It's being greedy and also a byproduct of issuing too many points into the market (again due to greed/profits)

Your question has the clear premise of indicating it has to be one or the other, business costs or profits.
Why do you think it must be one, and can't be both?

Interesting you mention greed, in that there is a level above which you consider it to be greed and below which you don't consider it to be greed.
What is that level you assign, and how does it align with QF's numbers of similar parameters?

In the same example, QF F to LAX, where else can they go?
AA stopped the 777 (and F) between AU and USA.
No other carrier offers a nonstop comparable F service, so people can't look elsewhere if there is no alternative.

 

[flyguy77]

Your question has the clear premise of indicating it has to be one or the other, business costs or profits.
Why do you think it must be one, and can't be both?

Interesting you mention greed, in that there is a level above which you consider it to be greed and below which you don't consider it to be greed.
What is that level you assign, and how does it align with QF's numbers of similar parameters?

In the same example, QF F to LAX, where else can they go?
AA stopped the 777 (and F) between AU and USA.
No other carrier offers a nonstop comparable F service, so people can't look elsewhere if there is no alternative.

They simply decide it's not worth the effort collecting points as it no longer makes sense economically factoring in the increased costs & limitations on reward seats. There are limits on price increases on an item people don't actually need - we aren't talking break and milk here.

They disengage with the loyalty program.
Pretty simple.