Change to Qantas Lounge Pass Transfers Effective July ‘26

[LionKing]

I wonder if QF might remove the ability for credit card providers to supply lounge passes as part of their offering?

Why don't just get rid of Qantas lounge passes and replace with Plaza Premium lounge passes?

There are more Plaza Premium lounges than those Qantas lounges.

 

[oz_mark]

Can't transfer invites anymore except traveler on the same flight?
This seriously limit the use of lounge invite for gold and platinum who can already guest their +1 plus kids on Qantas operated lounge. Not impressed with this change.

The restrictions start in July.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Curiously though, passes received from Q as a PS are not explicitly called out. Likely just the poor wording, but at face value, it would suggest that those passes are exempt from the new rules

Considering that PS will get 2 passes come the recently announced changes @DejaBrew , think you are on the money.

 

[Falcs]

Curiously though, passes received from Q as a PS are not explicitly called out. Likely just the poor wording, but at face value, it would suggest that those passes are exempt from the new rules as only PC and CC have been called out.

On the qf website no differentiation between source of pass:

If you hold a Complimentary Lounge Invitation, they can no longer be used when travelling on international Jetstar (JQ) flights. In addition, they will only be transferrable to someone travelling on the same flight as you.

 

[maroonone]

Slightly OT. But I recently found a TAA flight deck lounge pass at home. It has no expiry date so I might try and pass that on instead.

 

[Aeryn]

For international QF lounges you can only guest 1 and kids over 2 need their own pass, so a family of 3 or 4 on the same trip can still use the passes if only 1 parent has status.

 

[DejaBrew]

Just read the relevant article on The Australian (obviously paywalled).

The very last sentence in the article -:

Qantas defended the changes as being “driven by feedback from customers and reflecting our commitment to a premium lounge experience”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-cracks-down-on-lounge-access-for-frequent-flyers-on-jetstar-international-flights/news-story/80cbd7783e2b208f8746ab1be1791eeb

 

[opusman]

Honestly anything that reduces the numbers in the Qantas pubs is a good thing IMO.
That said, they could at least allow transferring to family members.

 

[Himeno]

I think I've only ever used 1 lounge pass, back when I only had silver status (or had just fallen off silver?) Not even fully sure how to get them.
Only ever flown on Jetstar twice.
JQ MEL-NRT "starclass", back when they were using A330s, and 3K CGK-SIN almost 2 years ago.

How many JQ pax even use the lounges?

 

[arrow]

On the qf website no differentiation between source of pass:

QF responded to clarify (to Executive Traveller I think) according to one of the forums that only the P1 Passes were exempt

 

[Nate-Dawg]

Quite a devaluation for myself, as have QC via PCP and used to give passes from CC churning to family. I guess with PCP ending, I can use them for myself when QC runs out. Although there will likely be some overlap between 1st July and then, which means some lounge passes will expires unused.

Not that it is applicable to me, but for those who are WP and travel through airports with domestic J and/or international F lounges, these changes are even more punitive. I suppose for the WPs travelling with more than 2 guests, they can drop their least favourite guests at the QC/international J lounge before heading to the domestic J/international F lounge.

 

[Seat0B]

Agree totally. I gift them to my wife when she is travelling without me as I can guest her in when we're travelling together. Also, to the kids when they are travelling without us, especially to family events.
We get four invitations per year through our credit cards, so I'm now rethinking which cards I keep.

This is what we do too - gift to the kids when they are travelling separately. I too will be reviewing my cards as we have no need for passes for ourselves as both are LTG and currently WP.

 

[Seat0B]

So the passes become yet another completely useless "benefit" for anyone with status.
I already have so many unused rights to take guests into lounges.
The last thing I need is the right to take more people traveling with me on the same flight into a lounge.
Especially since I can take guests into First or OWE lounges.
So to use the passes to admit additional guests I would have to slum it in a Business lounge.
Such a typical Qantas "enhancement".

Totally agree with everything you said.

 

[Seat0B]

Just read the relevant article on The Australian (obviously paywalled).

The very last sentence in the article -:

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-cracks-down-on-lounge-access-for-frequent-flyers-on-jetstar-international-flights/news-story/80cbd7783e2b208f8746ab1be1791eeb

Of course, they would say that, wouldn’t they.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

Removing pass gifting was something I'm surprised didn't happen years ago. I'd have preferred they get rid of the convoluted pass linking system and 24h requirements, and simply have a number of lounge entries linked to your card/QFF account; scan it on entry and your 'balance' goes down by one entry.
It's a common complaint of my wife when travelling Y for work as a PS.
The JQ removal is a bit of poor form, and feels unnecessary. I can't imagine it makes up any noteworthy percentage of lounge patrons, and having been bumped from QF to JQ flights on more than one occasion, it would only make me even crankier about the whole experience.

 

[Daver6]

Why don't just get rid of Qantas lounge passes and replace with Plaza Premium lounge passes?

There are more Plaza Premium lounges than those Qantas lounges.

Other than Adelaide, I don't think there are any PP lounges in Australian domestic terminals. Actually maybe Darwin too.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

Other than Adelaide, I don't think there are any PP lounges in Australian domestic terminals. Actually maybe Darwin too.

I don't think the Darwin Plaza Premium lounge/Catalina club even exists anymore since the renovations, and I'm pretty sure it never reopened after covid.

 

[Falcs]

Just read the relevant article on The Australian (obviously paywalled).

The very last sentence in the article -:


Qantas defended the changes as being “driven by feedback from customers and reflecting our commitment to a premium lounge experience”.

It's technically accurate in a Utopia way...

Customer feedback was that lounges are overcrowded and should be more premium

The brains trust at Mascot comes up with the solution that removing Jetstar pax and reducing usage of single use passes will address that problem.

 

[kevrosmith]

Welcome to the VA world - VA passes have never been transferable but would be handy for me as a Plat to guest in a 4th person (lol - that’s never happened).

Its a major devaluation for status members and QF Club members who don’t regularly travel with many companions, or guests in colleagues after conferences/work meetings who may be going to a different port to you.

Yes this almost aligns QF with what VA have had for a long time. Can’t transfer passes and pretty much useless for Status pax with generous gifting allowances already.

 

[ellen10]

Oh that's a shame. I would often gift these passes to family or AFF members. It was nice to pay it forward.
I will have to make sure I transfer any unused passes before the 1st July.