Qantas unveils the biggest changes to status in program history

[transpactraveller]

So much for the ‘having PC was too complicated’ justification in killing it.

Yeah I bet the replacement is even more complicated, but they'll market it as 'simpler and fairer'

Or it'll just be something like you need to earn 150,000 points on a credit card to activate it, or have to earn 100 SC on the ground or something like that.

Whatever it is, I'd bet it's linked to spending and not flying.

 

[clifford]

I suspect you'll see lower on-the-ground tiers/milestones.

I don't think so. It's not the Qantas way (unless they throw in some other unrealistic hurdles).

 

[justinbrett]

If QF makes it too easy to earn status from QF CR that may annoy partner airlines.

Other airlines hand them out with credit cards - gaining PC membership and then flying enough CRs to get any status of concern (OWE) is quite an effort! They deserve it IMO.

In order to get value out of the new home for earning SC from CR you will need points to spend on CR.

You earn a lot of points flying premium.

I can see a status + points requirement for the CR SCs but i can't see them applying to someone who only flies - they need to be earning QF $$$s through their ground partners.

 

[RooFlyer]

o, this feature will definitely be sticking around, just the way in which you can qualify for this benefit will change.

Is it an enhancement?

 

[Aeryn]

If QF makes it too easy to earn status from QF CR that may annoy partner airlines.

Why? Status would be from QF metal CR flights only.

Some hotel programs give status nights for points stays, so same ilk.

If its just for on the ground spend then its still points club.

 

[Mattg]

oh what a teaser!! But that sounds like it will be something to look out for. Any whispers about when we might know what's happening?

I don't know much more at this point, but I believe that whatever it is will launch either before Points Club gets axed or at the same time. So there wouldn't be a period in between with no way to earn SCs on reward flights.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

I don't think so. It's not the Qantas way (unless they throw in some other unrealistic hurdles).

The impression I get from their press release email is there will be a bit of effort to juice up silver and the sub-gold incentives. Right now silver is by far the weakest link in the QFF tiers, and a potentially lucrative market. The lack of credit cards offering complimentary lounge access, and relatively high price/low value of Qantas Club leave this cohort fairly underserved, and free from the loyalty trap.

"Status Credits on the ground
Earn Status Credits on the ground by collecting Qantas Points on everyday spend across cards and banking, utilities, hotels, fuel, shopping and more - getting you closer to the tier you want.
Launching late 2026
New tier benefits
Unlock more value across travel and program partners, with new vouchers and discounts for Silver tier and above and an extra lounge invitation for Silver members each year.
Launching 2027"

 

[Aeryn]

There are heaps of CCs that give QPub lounge passes, not sure why you think there is a shortage.

 

[justinbrett]

I don't know much more at this point, but I believe that whatever it is will launch either before Points Club gets axed or at the same time. So there wouldn't be a period in between with no way to earn SCs on reward flights.

They’ve said if you attain PC before they axe it later this year, you keep it for the rest of your membership year and then the next membership year.

So for example, my year starts 01 April, if I can attain PC in 3-6 months, I will have it until end of March 2028. So plenty of time to transition to the new system.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

There are heaps of CCs that give QPub lounge passes, not sure why you think there is a shortage.

Usually only two or so entries per year, not standard walk-in access like American cards commonly do.

 

[arrow]

Usually only two or so entries per year, not standard walk-in access like American cards commonly do.

CC lounge access in the US is amazing! I went to the Chase lounge in NY LGA and the lounge was streets ahead of any of the other airline lounges in the terminal

 

[Aeryn]

Usually only two or so entries per year, not standard walk-in access like American cards commonly do.

if you're SG or above or flying J you have lounge access anyway. If SG or NB you are not flying much so how many visits do you need?

Amex gives 2 entries to Amex Lounge and 2 Qantas Pub, add a Visa and get 2 more passes and a Mastercard for another 2 visits - those 8 visits probably enough for a PS/NB as you can easily earn SG with less than 8 flights booked during DSC.

Plus there are other cards that come with priority pass. And always SG and above gifting unneeded passes here on AFF.

 

[justinbrett]

if you're SG or above or flying J you have lounge access anyway. If SG or NB you are not flying much so how many visits do you need?

Amex gives 2 entries to Amex Lounge and 2 Qantas Pub, add a Visa and get 2 more passes and a Mastercard for another 2 visits - those 8 visits probably enough for a PS/NB as you can easily earn SG with less than 8 flights booked during DSC.

Plus there are other cards that come with priority pass. And always SG and above gifting unneeded passes here on AFF.

A credit card holder with points club membership would get 4 passes a year, 2 from the credit card directly and the other two indirectly via points club. If they were PC+ they got Qantas club membership.

I don’t expect these lounge perks to disappear. They’re getting rid of the program points club, I doubt they’ll abandon the concept of rewarding people who are big ground spenders.

 

[Vic]

Can you concoct some reason to the client to cancel it and then rebook?

Strangely enough, I don't need to concoct something... The US have started a "not war" that puts the flights in doubt...

I though the matters would work out by the time I fly, but emirates have now offered the option of a refund.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

if you're SG or above or flying J you have lounge access anyway. If SG or NB you are not flying much so how many visits do you need?

Amex gives 2 entries to Amex Lounge and 2 Qantas Pub, add a Visa and get 2 more passes and a Mastercard for another 2 visits - those 8 visits probably enough for a PS/NB as you can easily earn SG with less than 8 flights booked during DSC.

Plus there are other cards that come with priority pass. And always SG and above gifting unneeded passes here on AFF.

There is a massive gulf between two entries from a credit card or Silver membership, and unlimited access with Gold or from credit cards as is common in the US. Someone could be flying fourteen times a year and not even make Silver, someone could fly fortnightly and not even make Gold.

Racking up a half dozen credit cards for the two lounge entries each is not exactly a normal thing to do. Amex and a visa/mastercard? Sure. But there are often a host of limitations associated with them (especially Amex) which are often the Amex-specific lounges, which are highly airport-dependent of extremely limited use/value to many people.

I'm not sure why you're trying so hard to argue The Poors can hack their way into lounges and Qantas can't improve the product (joining a forum and getting stranger's passes is hardly a normal thing).

 

[Aeryn]

In Aus the Amex card comes with 2 Qantas lounge passes and 2 Amex lounge passes.

IME in the US sure the AA Flagship lounges (DFW) or Soho at JFK can be worth a visit but the average AA lounge is pretty woeful, then again yanks are used to not having lounge access on domestic itineraries (why it pays to have OWS or OWE status though a non-US airline like QF or BA) as you get more access than the locals.

If you want unlimited access via a CC in Aus then you need to apply for one with priority pass which can be used for lounge access or F&B credit in terminal where there is no lounge. Or buy a QPub membership (which is much cheaper and tax deductible if travelling for business than the CC fees to earn 250k points on CC spend).

If you are taking 14+ flights a year on Qantas and not making at least gold you aren't planning very well.

 

[Kangol]

In Aus the Amex card comes with 2 Qantas lounge passes and 2 Amex lounge passes.

IME in the US sure the AA Flagship lounges (DFW) or Soho at JFK can be worth a visit out your average AA lounge is pretty woeful but then again yanks are used to not having lounge access on domestic itineraries(why it pays to have OWS or OWE status though a non-US airline like QF or BA) as you get more access than the locals.

If you want unlimited access via a CC in Aus then you need to apply for one with priority pass which can be used to lounge access or F&B credit in terminal where there is no lounge. Or buy a QGPub membership (which is much cheaper and tax deductible if travelling for business than the CC fees to earn 250k points on CC spend).

If you are taking 14+ flights a year on Qantas and not making at least gold you arent planning very well.

14 SYD-MEL red-e-deal return trips with DSC won't get you to SG.

 

[Invisible Monkey]

Status and their perks should be earned from flying and shouldn't be easily awarded based on non-flying achievements. Qantas is an airline first and foremost that has subsequently leveraged the immense QFF membership to boost their revenue via OTG spending and we are all suckers for Qantas points and they know it.

That's why they have Qantas Marketplace, Qantas Wine, Qantas Shopping etc where they try and convince us to burn their points (via points discounts) on poor value purchases, those being non-flying related. They make points fairly easy to earn yet don't want us to spend them on flights as this is the least profitable outcome for Qantas. Classic Plus is a case in point and should be scrapped.

I won't miss PC. I never achieved PC+, rarely made use of the hotel and wine vouchers, always gifted the lounge passes to lower status colleagues and since its inception, I booked one CR return flight and earned status credits from that single booking that ultimately made no difference to my status retention.

Most perks that came through PC were not used and I doubt I'm in the minority. Qantas would know this and I'm sure it played a part in the demise of PC/PC+, rather than the excuse of it being over complicated.

The problem is those perks are now expected and they can't just take them away outright. How and where those perks are earned in the future will say a lot about who Qantas really values.

I'm clearly in the camp where lounge access (and status) should be earned based on the amount of flying you do and those that are Gold and above do a significant amount of flying & spend a meaningful amount of $$$ on actual flights.

Providing more lounge passes to Silver members will not help the over crowding issue but will it make Silver members feel more valued?

Silver members make up a significant portion of the QFF membership which Qantas has publicly stated so they have to target this group. It just can't be to the detriment of elite status holders that are the ones that contribute the most to Qantas' revenue and make full use of lounge access.

 

[TheCollecter]

Providing more lounge passes to Silver members will not help the over crowding issue but will it make Silver members feel more valued?

Will a few more lounge passes make Silvers fly more often, providing QF more revenue, and then getting them to Gold where they then have lounge access in any case, making the over-crowding a moot point?

 

[elanshin]

CC lounge access in the US is amazing! I went to the Chase lounge in NY LGA and the lounge was streets ahead of any of the other airline lounges in the terminal

In Aus the Amex card comes with 2 Qantas lounge passes and 2 Amex lounge passes.

IME in the US sure the AA Flagship lounges (DFW) or Soho at JFK can be worth a visit but the average AA lounge is pretty woeful, then again yanks are used to not having lounge access on domestic itineraries (why it pays to have OWS or OWE status though a non-US airline like QF or BA) as you get more access than the locals.

If you want unlimited access via a CC in Aus then you need to apply for one with priority pass which can be used for lounge access or F&B credit in terminal where there is no lounge. Or buy a QPub membership (which is much cheaper and tax deductible if travelling for business than the CC fees to earn 250k points on CC spend).

If you are taking 14+ flights a year on Qantas and not making at least gold you aren't planning very well.

Thew newer lounges are actually pretty decent. I'd rate AA's LGA Admiral club over almost every domestic business lounge in Australia.

But yes on average they're pretty meh.