Qantas Ending COVID Flexibility on Reward Bookings

There are only a few days left to take advantage of fee-free changes and cancellations on Qantas Classic Flight Reward bookings. The airline’s Flexible Classic Flight Rewards policy will come to an end next Friday, 30 September 2022.

Qantas began waiving change and cancellation fees on Classic Flight Reward bookings in May 2020, as part of the Fly Flexible policy introduced to encourage bookings amid uncertainty about COVID-19 travel restrictions. At the time, many flights were getting cancelled and people were reluctant to book travel due to concerns that they might not be able to take their trip because of lockdowns, border closures or being required to isolate due to COVID-19.

With Flexible Classic Flight Rewards, Qantas customers could change or cancel reward bookings for any reason, without paying any fees. When cancelling a booking, Qantas would provide a full refund of the points, taxes and carrier charges paid.

These fee waivers have been extended numerous times, most recently in June this year. But it appears that this is now finally coming to an end.

Australian domestic Classic Flight Rewards can be changed or cancelled for free until 30 September 2022 only. So if you have a domestic Classic Flight Reward booking you need to change or cancel, now is your last chance.

International Classic Flight Rewards, including trans-Tasman bookings, can still be changed or cancelled for free until 31 December 2022 – but only for bookings originally made on or before 30 September 2022. This means you’ll still have three months to make any necessary changes to international bookings without paying fees, even if you’re travelling next year – but only if you’ve booked by next Friday.

From 1 October 2022, the usual fees as outlined in the Qantas Frequent Flyer terms & conditions will continue to apply. These are:

• 5,000 Qantas points to change a Classic Flight Reward, or
• 6,000 Qantas points to cancel a Classic Flight Reward for a refund.

This only applies to Classic Flight Reward bookings. Qantas stopped giving additional COVID-19 flexibility on paid domestic airfares, as well as Points Plus Pay bookings, in April. For international commercial bookings, fee waivers continue to apply until the end of the year – but only for flights originally booked by 30 June 2022.

Virgin Australia stopped waiving change & cancellation fees on new bookings earlier this year. Now that borders have largely reopened and travel has somewhat returned to normal, most other airlines have also recently ended their own fee waivers introduced due to COVID-19. But several US carriers have permanently removed change fees during the pandemic.

Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Qantas to allow free changes, cancellations to Classic Flight Reward bookings to 30 September 2022

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.