Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[oz_mark]

Curious....


From the Program Changes FAQs -:


So Loyalty Bonus is being replaced by Status Credit roll over, but Loyalty Bonuses etc will be available (but not triggered by Status Credits On The Ground)?

I think it may be a timing thing. The One the ground things starts late 2026, but the the Loyalty Bonus is not removed till 2027

Are the Loyalty Bonus’ changing?​

In 2027, we will be retiring the existing Loyalty Bonuses that are offered for every 500 Status Credits a member earns on eligible Qantas or Jetstar flights up to four times each Membership Year.

 

[clifford]

I guess everyone’s situation is different. I honestly don’t think any program is perfect but you need to consider your travel/spend patterns and weigh up the pros and cons. I closed my QF account and went to BAEC but their changes hurt big time so I’m currently QRPC and that works but is far from perfect

Yes, indeed, but I think the issue is that what works for you now may not after your FFP's upcoming changes (whatever they may be).

A bit of a coughshoot generally. Just a generic comment....

 

[jase05]

Yes, indeed, but I think the issue is that what works for you now may not after your FFP's upcoming changes (whatever they may be).

A bit of a coughshoot generally. Just a generic comment....

Absolutely, when I left Qf I jumped over to BAEC and had a good few years there but their changes killed the program for me so I had to move again.
Any program can be changed at a whim so I just have to roll with it

 

[TeaKozy]

They want people to still aim for lifetime status, but take longer to get it or not reach it at all

I would love to know fhe proportion of WP’s that just scrape by every year vs. those that have a use for rollovers. With the exception of last year, my prior five years (excluding COVID) were remarkably consistent. Can’t help but feel the bean counters felt there was a little juice left to squeeze…

 

[aweingar]

I'd encourage you to consider those alternatives

I agree, a careful consideration is needed before making the switch.
From my point of view however, the program is becoming less valuable as the threshold to reach your milestone each year is substantially increasing.
Especially once you reach LTG, the distance to LTP is so vast that for most people it's not worth worrying about. Having those new lifetime milestones - a year of platinum every 10,000 SCs is not that attractive: if you only reach gold each year, it will take you over 15 years to reach this milestone. If you reach platinum every year, yes, you will get to your first milestone in only 7 or 8 years, but you already have platinum anyway so what's the point.

SCs on the ground might compensate you for the additional 50 SCs needed to retain silver, but definitely not the additional 200 you need to return platinum. Even assuming you managed to tick all categories, the most you can get is 110 SCs, based on the one they ran last year. But this is unrealistic, it's very unlikely that you will engage in all those categories.

So overall, the program becomes less attractive, making other competitor programs look better.

 

[clifford]

I would love to know fhe proportion of WP’s that just scrape by every year vs. those that have a use for rollovers. With the exception of last year, my prior five years (excluding COVID) were remarkably consistent. Can’t help but feel the bean counters felt there was a little juice left to squeeze…

I imagine that your travel may be funded by your employer. If so, that's fine, as I've been in a similar situation in the past too, and then lost everything (almost) with Ansett. But from the perspective of people like me (self-funded travellers), things may look a little different.

Just an observation on my part.

 

[MelbMatt]

I do agree something needed to be done with the platinum tier from 1200 to 1400. The first class lounges in Sydney and Singapore are always packed and overrun whenever we go. The first class lounge in Sydney also needs a total refurbishment it’s so worn from the tables to the bathrooms.

 

[MitchGC]

So just business as usual for Qantas then, make it harder to accumulate points, while never having reward seat availability for the points you did manage to accumulate.

Points Club Plus was a definite advantage, QC membership, and 50% additional points on Qantas hotel stays, but that's going to be a thing of the past.

They do like to screw down their loyal customers every chance they get.

You never see them *adding* value to their points program, it's always about what they can take away, all in the name of "simplifying" the experience?

20 years has been a good run, maybe it's time to chase those Velocity points instead.

 

[33kft]

You never see them *adding* value to their points program, it's always about what they can take away, all in the name of "simplifying" the experience?

20 years has been a good run, maybe it's time to chase those Velocity points instead.

You should probably go read a bit more of the forum while you're here before you go switching programs....

 

[TheCollecter]

So just business as usual for Qantas then, make it harder to accumulate points, while never having reward seat availability for the points you did manage to accumulate.

Points Club Plus was a definite advantage, QC membership, and 50% additional points on Qantas hotel stays, but that's going to be a thing of the past.

They do like to screw down their loyal customers every chance they get.

You never see them *adding* value to their points program, it's always about what they can take away, all in the name of "simplifying" the experience?

20 years has been a good run, maybe it's time to chase those Velocity points instead.

Hi, I never got close to PC+ so never knew about the 50% hotel perk, does sound good tho

And welcome aboard AFF, Mitch

 

[RooFlyer]

20 years has been a good run, maybe it's time to chase those Velocity points instead.

Welcome to AFF; the grass can be a bit patchy on the other side, too.

 

[serfty]

Well, I've just requalified for PC+ until Sep 2027. Seems that it's down the gurgler now. Thanks Qantas. Talk about stringing people along.

No - check your app, I deliberately did not requalify PC in my previous year, losing PC on Nov 1st. I then qualified anew for PC in December and have it until October 2027.

Post in thread 'Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history'

Yesterday at 12:46 PM

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:

• serfty

• 
• 
• 

 

[pyffii]

Hi Guys just booked a return CR with DSC using my points club membership for December/January will I still be entitled to DSC's ?

 

[DejaBrew]

Hi Guys just booked a return CR with DSC using my points club membership for December/January will I still be entitled to DSC's ?

Provided you are PC/PC+ at the time of travel, then yes.

 

[aweingar]

Hi Guys just booked a return CR with DSC using my points club membership for December/January will I still be entitled to DSC's ?

Unless there is another "enhancement" in the pipeline...

 

[pyffii]

Provided you are PC/PC+ at the time of travel, then yes.

thanks

 

[kangarooflyer88]

You should probably go read a bit more of the forum while you're here before you go switching programs....

The other thing people forget is that switching alliances isn't an Apples to Apples comparison either. So what you will about OneWorld, but they offer decent benefits not just with the airline you are a frequent flyer with but across the board such as complimentary seat selection, additional baggage allowance and of course lounge access. Even at the bottom Ruby tier (QF Silver) you still get noticeable benefits like business class check in and seat selection across partners. If you look at SkyTeam you can't access lounges when travelling domestically. Star Alliance, on the other hand, does offer lounge access irrespective of itinerary but seat selection benefits are generally limited to the airline you are a frequent flyer of. And don't get me started with Star Alliance Silver status which effectively just gives you a higher waitlist priority.

-RooFlyer88

 

[jase05]

If you look at SkyTeam you can't access lounges when travelling domestically

Simply not true.
Domestic lounge access at selected airports started around this time last year and eventually all lounges should be accessible

 

[Duffa]

Too tired to read 14 pages.
Yadda yadda
It will still take the average punter 270 years to earn enough status credits from Woollies to get to Silver and the same to earn a business class flight to USA/Europe.
Bernie Madoff springs to mind

 

[LionKing]

So just business as usual for Qantas then, make it harder to accumulate points, while never having reward seat availability for the points you did manage to accumulate.

20 years has been a good run, maybe it's time to chase those Velocity points instead.

Was it really never having reward seat availability for the points you did manage to accumulate?

I can leave Australia for Asia this weekend on Business Class on points, and Qantas reward seats were readily available for trans-Atlantic, intra-Europe and Asia services.

Perhaps they should introduce more partners such as China Southern, Starlux, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Garuda Indonesia, otherwise I cannot see why Qantas points are useless.

Rather than chasing Velocity Points, perhaps you should have been chasing after Krisflyer Miles, which is more useful, or maybe Air China phoenix miles and 1 million kilometer mileage for a lifetime Star Alliance Gold.