Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[MelbFlyer]

spend thousands of dollars on status runs

It is really worth it though?

I've seen a few posts about spending $2k+ on something like MEL to AKL via BNE and return purely as a status run.

A bit longing in the tooth IMO, but if people are willing to do this, each to their own.

 

[CaptJCool]

It is really worth it though?

I've seen a few posts about spending $2k+ on something like MEL to AKL via BNE and return purely as a status run.

A bit longing in the tooth IMO, but if people are willing to do this, each to their own.

It’s the JOY in the JOURNEY not the destination

 

[FlyandStay]

So if you’re a WP and only earn 1000 status credits and don’t retain … do you get no rollover, or do you get to rollover the 300 SC above the Gold attain/retain?

 

[levelnine]

So if you’re a WP and only earn 1000 status credits and don’t retain … do you get no rollover, or do you get to rollover the 300 SC above the Gold attain/retain?

You'll get 150SC to start your new year (50% of the 300SC above the 700SC Gold threshold).

 

[SYD]

So if you’re a WP and only earn 1000 status credits and don’t retain … do you get no rollover, or do you get to rollover the 300 SC above the Gold attain/retain?

Devils in the detail. Maybe @DejaBrew can start another Bingo board / FAQs list…?

 

[dylarr]

While this is formally being removed with the retirement of Points Club, I understand that Qantas is considering bringing back the ability to earn status credits on Classic Rewards through a different mechanism. This isn't yet decided or confirmed yet.

Very interesting - I hope they continue proving this ability.

 

[DejaBrew]

Devils in the detail. Maybe @DejaBrew can start another Bingo board / FAQs list…?

Well, I think we all know that the Bingo Board for the next DSC promo is already going to require an update.

 

[Flyfrequently]

My year is end of June and should be WP till June 2027.
I'm curious to see when the "late 2026" and "launching in 2027" dates will be and how much notice will be given.

 

[buggy00]

Would the change in Retainment/Attainment happen at the end of a membership year in 2027 or would it happen at a single point in time for everyone?

 

[Pcoder]

The increases to the points to qualify for the status levels is not surprising as I felt the amounts weren't going to last at the same amount forever. Kind of knew change was going to happen.

On the plus side, taking last year as an example where I earned 910 sc, means I would have got 105sc added to this year's total, so no extra effort to get the higher amount.

The underlying prioritisation seem to be use their frequent flyer earning services. This is basically the crux of the changes.

I could imagine they've calculated that with some of the changes, more people would qualify for higher statuses and that is why they have upped the amounts.

It would be a let down if the points club earn on reward tickets disappeared. I'm hoping some form of it is retained.

On the plus side I'm only about 100scs off lifetime silver, so having the extra lounge pass will be nice as I felt the one pass was a bit stingy.

If I can earn at least 100sc a year from my on the current ground activities, that would be a positive.

 

[CaptJCool]

When looking at the faster recognition chart, you need 10,000 SCs to snag one year of WP

So if you’re earning 1,400 per year you’re getting WP anyway… and if you’re not you’re hardly travelling this wasting your “free” year

Given the slow pace of 14,000 SC over 2 decades, that’s a BIG ask at 700 or so SCs per year. Equating to 15 years before one WP faux reward = forget it

 

[DejaBrew]

When looking at the faster recognition chart, you need 10,000 SCs to snag one year of WP

So if you’re earning 1,400 per year you’re getting WP anyway… and if you’re not you’re hardly travelling this wasting your “free” year

Given the slow pace of 14,000 SC over 2 decades, that’s a BIG ask at 700 or so SCs per year. Equating to 15 years before one WP faux reward = forget it

And don't forget, that bonus only kicks in once you reach 25K LT Status.

 

[levelnine]

Would the change in Retainment/Attainment happen at the end of a membership year in 2027 or would it happen at a single point in time for everyone?

They haven't said, but they roll things out by membership year.

My guess is they'll announce in 2026 that the new requirements commence at the start of your next membership year in 2027 (ie the first people to get hit with the requirement will be the people with January or maybe February renewals).

 

[LionKing]

When looking at the faster recognition chart, you need 10,000 SCs to snag one year of WP

So if you’re earning 1,400 per year you’re getting WP anyway… and if you’re not you’re hardly travelling this wasting your “free” year

Given the slow pace of 14,000 SC over 2 decades, that’s a BIG ask at 700 or so SCs per year. Equating to 15 years before one WP faux reward = forget it

I do agree, and if I need 10000 SC for a banked year, I might have gone to fly Air China or ANA for Lifetime Star Alliance Gold, which will open Central Europe for 20kg additional luggage for life.

 

[Aeryn]

Will need to wait to see what the ultimate impact for myself is; this will largely depend on exact timing of when these changes take effect; but on the surface it does seem I will be worse off.

I do feel it was extremely cheeky / bad form of Qantas to announce these changes after the DSC had started; I would have made some different choices with the bookings I made over the past few days had I known the requalification thresholds were increasing, and we were losing the loyalty bonuses and PC points earn on award flights.

Case in point, just yesterday I made the decision to use some points on domestic CR (something I would not usually do, my usual rule is international J or F only) for positioning flights because with DSC and PC the status earn would be just enough to get me over the line (with loyalty bonus).

But as those flights are in Dec and Jan; my PC benefit may not be available then and penalties for cancelling too high a % of a domestic points fare. So i might be left scrambling to find time to squeeze in more flights when had I known I could have paid for flights not used points for higher earn and taken an indirect route.

The 3 biggest negatives as I see them:

Removal of Loyalty bonuses, this was always an easy 50 SCs, some years 100 SCs.

200 SCs increase for WP requalification which is actually 250-300 extra with removal of loyalty bonus and even higher again if you also relied on PC earn on award flights.

Discontinuation of PC and ability to earn SCs on award flights. In years where I redeem a OWA or take CR flights where I am away for long periods, i naturally do fewer paid flights, so the earn on award flights helped compensate for this somewhat.

The changes that I don't care about because wont impact me:

Removal of Green Tier. IMO no great loss. Whilst I achieved Green Tier early on when it was simple and inexpensive, I didnt bother last year and am not bothering this year, as there are far cheaper ways to earn 50SCs.

Removal of PC+. I don't have enough CC spend to get there, and the cap on points from flights is way too low.

The changes I'm undecided about:

Roll-over. Seems good at first for the last few years I've exceeded my WP requalification by 150-250 SCs; so whilst this would have benefitted me had the requalification thresholds stayed the same it is unlikely to yield me more than 25 SCs so doesn't compensate for the loss of loyalty bonus.

Points on the Ground - I didnt earn in all the categories last round. Some categories just arent feasible for me like fuel when we don't own a car. And I missed out on others like energy because my power and gas spend was too low within 3 months.

If I have understood the changes correctly one would now have a whole year to reach the thresholds which is a positive. But i assume I will have to wait for my next FF year to try again for the Energy category, as this years round is closed.

 

[elanshin]

‘Simpler and fairer’ - 2026 edition

To be fair it is simpler this time. Fairer part I'm not sold on.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

You'll get 150SC to start your new year (50% of the 300SC above the 700SC Gold threshold).

Not how it works in other programs with rollover. Rollover is only above the threshold to retain your current level.

I'd also question Matt's comment about rollovers flowing through for multiple years. In programs that already have rollover the excess eligible for rollover specifically excludes amounts already rolled over from previous years.

Further comment- nothing in the changes for LTP

 

[elanshin]

I think my first impression takeaway is that silver might be easier to obtain if on the ground is similar to previous offering.

Gold will cost a bit more and platinum a lot more.

Overall, a lot of it will depend on the sc earn on award flight situation. If that is reintroduced, this will probably end up being a minor devaluation with some other sweeteners involved. If it isn't back this would be a very big devaluation.

 

[MELso]

More details here: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/program-changes.html

 

[Kangol]

The following year yes. So you'd need to earn 2400 SC in the first year, meaning an excess of 1000 SC's of which 50% will carry forward so you'll start the next year at 500SC's and then only need 3100SC's more in the second year to get to P1. Still a lot!

I was mostly joking - can't recall when they've made certain allowances for P1.
Even if that were the case, for many P1s it wouldn't make a difference.
In some P1 groups it's common that people are mentioning earning 4000-5000+ SC in a year.