Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[serfty]

So… what does your digital card indicate as your expiry date? Wouldn’t be surprised if it currently states 31 October 2026 which, if using weasel words, could be construed as a “natural expiry”. Maybe they’ll honour it into 2027 as well, but who knows at this stage?

I doubt they'd do that given this ... a screen shot from the Qantas App logged into my account:

 

[Aggi]

Overall, the changes are negative for me. Self funded travel so just scrape into platinum with DSC, PCPlus etc so the higher requal threshold will impact me.
On the plus side have already requalified for WP in 2027 with planned travel and sitting on 24, 764 SCs so can get the comp WP in 2028 and then will probably drop back to gold.

 

[Invisible Monkey]

Having had time to digest these changes and looked at the info provided, once I've achieved LTG, there's not much keeping me from shifting my international flying to CX. Their recent announced changes make moving up the status ranks much easier than Qantas' appear when trying to retain Platinum once the changes take place.

 

[ChrisMars]

Complimentary Qantas Club loss for PC+ will be annoying for many (maybe not on this forum).

 

[LionKing]

I don't know if you're referring to the same point - which is: for some P1s, they are going to fly so much anyway that their BIS SC will exceed the threshold. Rollover will change nothing for requal - they already do the flying.
In a post about this very topic, someone in a P1 group posted a current tally of 8000+ SCs.
Clearly those people don't post here, so you may not know they exist.

I agree rollover will do nothing. For myself, I am already on 2200SC, and I can only bank 500SC after my membership year ends.
I actually wonder if they need to fly 8000SCs worth of flight, why don't diversity onto different airlines to make you Gold or Platinum on muliple airlines and ensure every time you travel you can enjoy all the lounges and extra baggage etc.?

 

[burneracc]

In a weird way I’m somewhat less incentivised to fly qf - previously I’d been willing to fly more qf at a higher cost when I was aiming to bank lifetime SC towards ltg, and platinum each year requiring 1200 meant I’d make meaningful progress each year towards that, whereas now I’ll have to rethink my strategy.

 

[DejaBrew]

I doubt they'd do that given this ... a screen shot from the Qantas App logged into my account:
View attachment 499006

Fair enough - that certainly adds more weight to the argument of the benefit "grandfathered" into the new year. I'm PC+ and have earned enough to requalify for PC, but my app still shows Sep 30th 2026 (presumably with specific regard to PC+). The only concern remaining is that Qantas can obviously change the benefits of status and clubs at a moment's notice. Obviously they're meant to offer 3 months' warning, but we know this doesn't always happen in practice.

 

[serfty]

I doubt they'd do that given this ... a screen shot from the Qantas App logged into my account:
View attachment 499006

I double checked the Digital card:

 

[QF WP]

Interesting news, just read it after a client meeting. Already emailed the Qld Regional GM:
<snip>
" Lifetime Milestones - that’s giving us Lifetime Gold members something worth trying to achieve, given the gulf between LTG @ 14K status credits and Lifetime Platinum @ 75,000. Clever marketing. I’m sure there’ll be lots of good press on these initiatives."

Can you imagine the chat around the table in the Qantas Business Lounge if we’d known about these on Saturday (when a group of us met there)

 

[justinbrett]

So… what does your digital card indicate as your expiry date? Wouldn’t be surprised if it currently states 31 October 2026 which, if using weasel words, could be construed as a “natural expiry”. Maybe they’ll honour it into 2027 as well, but who knows at this stage?

I think it’s quite clear you can continue qualifying for PC until later in the year when it’s closed, and then you keep your benefits for the year you’ve earnt.

Anything short of that would be a quick trip to the ACCC.

 

[PineappleSkip]

I think I'm going to need a new spreadsheet.

 

[DejaBrew]

I think it’s quite clear you can continue qualifying for PC until later in the year when it’s closed, and then you keep your benefits for the year you’ve earnt.

Anything short of that would be a quick trip to the ACCC.

Don't disagree there. I guess what I'm questioning is whether they'll ultimately change the definition of said benefits/inclusions (which they're entitled to do at any point in time after providing relevant notice) such that folks who earn/retain PC won't see out the full extent of what's currently on offer?

 

[SYD]

Don't disagree there. I guess what I'm questioning is whether they'll ultimately change the definition of said benefits/inclusions (which they're entitled to do at any point in time after providing relevant notice) such that folks who earn/retain PC won't see out the full extent of what's currently on offer?

As per @Mattg ’s article, they’re still pondering what might replace (if anything) some of those PC/PC+ perks. So letting those of us with it run down as Grandfathered status probably isn’t a biggy?

They won’t be losing money if I lurch over the PC+ line and leave my comp QP membership swinging in the breeze (as an existing WP/LTG…)..

 

[Aeryn]

Complimentary Qantas Club loss for PC+ will be annoying for many (maybe not on this forum).

This will help address over crowding.

Im guessing QF has had many a complaint from those holding free passes from CCs not being able to use them when they need to travel; and keeping people signed onto those CCs is very profitable for QF.

 

[Johnxx]

I wish they had released this before I spent 4k on flights that I would normally pay less than 1k for a few days ago for DSC. The lure of getting Platinum for the first time was how easy it would be to retain for a few years (and use my multitude of rewards points I have never been able to use as bronze)
but now....
extra 200 to retain
no 50 point bonus
no 100 point PC+ rollover (PC+ far easier for me to attain than points on the ground)
no points from CR flights with PC+ (considering I have 1.8m rewards points to use this is huge)

I would have only been aiming to scrape to retain Platinum so new rollover is useless

 

[Kangol]

I agree rollover will do nothing. For myself, I am already on 2200SC, and I can only bank 500SC after my membership year ends.
I actually wonder if they need to fly 8000SCs worth of flight, why don't diversity onto different airlines to make you Gold or Platinum on muliple airlines and ensure every time you travel you can enjoy all the lounges and extra baggage etc.?

Without knowing individual circumstances, it may be due to where they have to travel (eg for work purposes) and the competition on those routes.
eg. if you were in MEL/SYD and had to go to LAX often, there aren't many other airlines competing.
The QF F product has a monopoly using this example.

 

[DejaBrew]

This will help address over crowding.

Does make me wonder how many QFF members out there hit PC+ without also attaining SG or higher? I'm sure they exist, but even for many folks here on AFF playing the game who know how to maximise their chances of hitting PC+, it's still widely acknowledged as a high bar short of churning a few credit cards each year (which has become increasingly difficult for those going down that particular path). So whilst it may help reduce over-crowding, I wonder how much of an effect it would have day-to-day?

 

[JohnM]

The two banked WP years I would have already give me until the end of 2029 in any case. I'd be approching 72 years of age.

And this is where I am now thinking? Earn WP for another two year to have the benefit of WP for three?? (Assuming I could keep travelling up to the age of 75 ...)

If I can (actually beyond that), I'm sure you can @serfty...

I'm in a similar boat to you, sitting on 41K SCs. Two, or maybe even three, years re-acquainting myself with WP could be a handy incentive when dreaming up future travel.

As a LTG with a decent stash of SCs, I think this Milestone bonus is an innovative idea by QF.

 

[ChrisMars]

This will help address over crowding.

Im guessing QF has had many a complaint from those holding free passes from CCs not being able to use them when they need to travel; and keeping people signed onto those CCs is very profitable for QF.

Overcrowding is bad for you (well, us), but Qantas will want to maximize lounge usage one way or another, as long as it brings revenue. Something else will come up to monetise those empty seats. Co-branded credit card like Virgin is doing?

 

[levelnine]

Im guessing QF has had many a complaint from those holding free passes from CCs not being able to use them when they need to travel; and keeping people signed onto those CCs is very profitable for QF.

PC+ members are also credit card churners, so it's more of a straight devaluation for these people. Instead of getting Qantas Club, they now get a few lounge passes.