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If you took advantage of the recent Qantas Frequent Flyer status match, you’ll need to earn 100 status credits within 90 days to retain Qantas Gold status until the end of your next membership year.
This guide explains how to earn 100 Qantas status credits and the easiest ways to do so. Right now, you don’t even need to set foot on a plane!
This guide could also be useful if you need a few more status credits to upgrade to a higher Qantas status tier.
You would normally have to fly at least 4 Qantas or Jetstar marketed flights during each membership year to qualify for Qantas Frequent Flyer status. But Qantas has waived this requirement for eligible members taking part in the current Qantas Gold status match & fast track promotion.
Earning Qantas status credits
Qantas status credits count towards your Qantas Frequent Flyer status tier – the more you earn during your membership year, the higher your status tier in the program. Status credits can be earned by flying with Qantas, including codeshare flights with a “QF” flight number operated by partner airlines. You can also earn status credits when flying with Oneworld airlines (as long as you’ve booked a fare class that’s eligible for earning) and Jetstar flights if you’ve purchased a bundle.
The number of status credits you’ll earn for a given flight depends on the airline, route and fare class. For example, you would earn 10 status credits for a one-way Qantas Economy Red e-Deal ticket from Sydney to Melbourne. You would earn 40 status credits for a Sydney-Melbourne flight in Business class.
Here’s the number of Qantas status credits earned for one-way Australian domestic flights:
| Qantas Economy Red e-Deal or Jetstar Economy (Plus bundle) |
Qantas Economy Flex or Jetstar Economy (Max bundle) |
Qantas Business Sale/Saver (I/D) or Jetstar Business Max |
Qantas Business (C/J class) | |
| 0-750 miles | 10 | 20 | 40 | 45 |
| 751-1,500 miles | 15 | 30 | 60 | 75 |
| 1,501+ miles | 20 | 40 | 80 | 95 |
The full tables are available on the Qantas website.
You won’t generally earn status credits when flying on reward tickets booked using frequent flyer points. But there is an exception. If you happen to be a Qantas Points Club member, you can earn status credits (albeit at a reduced rate) for Classic Flight Rewards booked on a “QF” flight number.
Due to the travel restrictions and reduced flying this year, Qantas has also introduced a range of limited-time initiatives to earn status credits on the ground in 2020. At the moment, for example, you could earn Qantas status credits by signing up to a new credit card or with various third-party Qantas Frequent Flyer program partners. (More on this below.)
Qantas status runs
If you need to travel during your 3-month “tier taster” period, simply book with Qantas or Jetstar and watch your status credits build up. But if you think you’ll fall short, you may consider booking a Qantas status run.
Under normal circumstances, we’d suggest booking a return trip to New Zealand as an easy way to earn 100 status credits. You could fly Business class to New Zealand (e.g. Sydney-Auckland or Brisbane-Christchurch), then return with an Economy Sale ticket, and earn exactly 100 status credits at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, international travel remains off the cards for the foreseeable future.
Until the international border reopens, you’ll have to find ways to earn those 100 status credits within Australia. Luckily, there are still plenty of options. For example, the following itineraries would all earn you exactly 100 status credits:
- Sydney-Brisbane-Cairns in Qantas Economy Flex (return) or Business (one-way)
- Brisbane-Perth, travelling outbound in Qantas Business and returning in Economy
- Brisbane-Melbourne-Launceston in Qantas Economy Flex (return) or Business (one-way)
- Sydney-Cairns with Jetstar (Economy Max bundle) return + Sydney-Ballina with Jetstar (Economy Max bundle) return
- Brisbane-Darwin with Jetstar (Economy Max bundle) return + Brisbane-Mackay with Jetstar (Economy Plus bundle) return
Many other combinations of itineraries are also possible.
If you live in Western Australia, admittedly there may be fewer cost-effective ways for you to reach 100 status credits from flying than there would be on the east coast. You can of course fly Qantas within WA – but it’s likely to be expensive.
You can discuss Qantas status runs & ask questions on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options
Earning Qantas status credits on the ground
If you’d prefer not to fly, there are other ways to earn 100 Qantas status credits. Right now, for example, you can earn 75 Qantas status credits (plus up to 100,000 bonus points) by applying for a Qantas Premier Platinum credit card. This card has a $299 annual fee which is reduced to $199 in the first year. There’s a minimum spend requirement to earn the 100,000 bonus Qantas points, but to receive the 75 status credits you’d just need to make an eligible purchase on the card by 24 March 2021. So this could be a surprisingly cost-effective way to earn 75% of the required 100 status credits.
There’s also a Qantas Health Insurance offer of 50 status credits that ends today, and a Red Energy promotion that expires on 10 January 2021. With the Red Energy deal, you’d earn 20 status credits by signing up for a new electricity service and 10 status credits for a new gas account.
If you’re thinking of taking advantage of one or more of these offers, keep in mind the timing of when the status credits will post to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. When applying for the Qantas status match, you’ll be able to nominate your preferred start date for your 90-day Qantas Gold trial period. This could be any time between now and 31 March 2021. You’ll need to make sure the status credits will post to your account during those 90 days!
With the Qantas Premier offer, for example, you could expect the 75 bonus status credits to post to your account just over a month after you’re approved for the card (assuming you make an eligible purchase on the card during that first month). And with the Qantas Health Insurance offer, you’ll need to keep your account open for at least 60 days before receiving the bonus status credits.
Read more: Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold Status Match
