How to Get a Qantas Tier Accelerator Status Challenge

Looking for a shortcut to Qantas Frequent Flyer status? The days of widespread Qantas status matches are over, but there is another way to reach Qantas’ Gold tier for a fraction of the usual amount of flying!

Although it’s not widely publicised, Qantas offers a “Tier Accelerator” status challenge that makes it possible to reach Gold status by earning just 200 status credits from Qantas flights. That’s significantly less than the 700 status credits normally required to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold status for the first time, or the 600 status credits needed to renew Gold status each year.

So, how exactly does the Qantas Tier Accelerator challenge work, and how can you start one?

What is the Qantas Tier Accelerator challenge?

The Qantas Tier Accelerator challenge is a shortcut to Gold status that is offered to frequent flyers of competing airlines, as well as eligible Qantas Business Rewards members.

After signing up for this challenge, you can earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold status by earning 200 status credits from Qantas flights within 90 days. After completing the challenge, your Qantas status will be upgraded to Gold until the end of your next membership year.

For example, if you completed a challenge on 17 May 2022 and your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership year ends in January, you would get to keep your Gold status benefits until 31 January 2024. To renew your Gold status for another year beyond this date, you would need to earn the usual 600 status credits (and complete at least 4 Qantas or Jetstar flights) during your next membership year between February 2023 and January 2024.

You won’t necessarily receive any status benefits during the 90-day challenge period. But once you’ve earned the required 200 status credits and they have posted to your account, your status will generally be upgraded within a few days.

Many years ago, Qantas Frequent Flyer also offered a Platinum status challenge with a requirement to earn 400 status credits within 90 days. The Platinum challenge is no longer generally offered.

What status credits count towards a Tier Accelerator challenge?

Qantas status credits can normally be earned by flying with Qantas or any Oneworld airline, as well as Jetstar flights when purchasing a Plus or Max bundle. Occasionally, it’s also possible to earn status credits on the ground through special promotions with Qantas’ retail partners.

For the purposes of a Gold Tier Accelerator challenge, only status credits earned from Qantas operated and marketed flights are counted. Any bonus status credits (like those earned from a “double status credits” offer) are also not counted towards this challenge.

Who is eligible for a Qantas Gold status challenge?

There are two ways you might be able to request a Qantas Gold status challenge:

1. As a frequent flyer holding elite status with another airline that competes with Qantas, or
2. Through Qantas Business Rewards.

In both cases, you would need to be an Australian or New Zealand resident to request a Qantas status challenge.

In addition, the terms & conditions for the Qantas Business Rewards offer state that “Members who have already been activated on previous Qantas Status Fast Track offers in the last six months, are not eligible for the Qantas Business Rewards Gold Accelerator offer”.

How to start a Tier Accelerator challenge as a frequent flyer with another airline

If you already hold the equivalent of Gold, Platinum or higher status with an airline that competes with Qantas, such as Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, United Airlines or Delta, you may be able to request a Tier Accelerator challenge directly from Qantas.

This offer is not publicly available, so there is no guarantee that your request will be successful. But if you’d like to give it a go, you can contact the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre by calling 13 11 31 (or +61 2 9433 2329 from outside Australia) between 7am-7pm (AEST) Monday to Saturday. Alternatively, you could send an email to [email protected].

When contacting Qantas, be prepared to provide proof of your existing status with the other airline and a copy of your activity statement to show that you earned your current status by flying (and not through another status match). If you make it clear that you’re considering flying Qantas more often in the future, and that you’ll direct more business to Qantas if they approve a status challenge, that could also help your case.

Note that Qantas is unlikely to grant your request to start a status challenge if your current elite status is with a Qantas partner airline such as American Airlines, Emirates or Qatar Airways.

How to start a Gold Accelerator challenge via Qantas Business Rewards

As of 15 March 2022, Qantas Business Rewards allows top-tier “Level 3” businesses to nominate one traveller for a Gold Accelerator challenge each year. This traveller needs to be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member with Bronze or Silver status, and be a stored traveller within the business’s Qantas Business Rewards account.

To join Qantas Business Rewards, you need a valid Australian Business Number (ABN). There is officially an $89.50 joining fee, but you can easily join Qantas Business Rewards for free using one of the many program partner links available.

To reach Level 3 within the Qantas Business Rewards program, your business would need to earn at least 80,000 points from flying each year. Depending on your program level, your business would earn between 20-40 points for every 100 points earned by someone flying for your business. So, to reach Level 3, your employees would need to earn 200,000-400,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points from Qantas flights within a year. That’s quite a lot, so this particular offer is tailored more towards businesses with a large number of employees who fly frequently for work.

Once your business has reached Level 3, you can complete a nomination form through the Qantas Business Rewards online portal to activate your nominated traveller’s Gold Accelerator challenge.

Velocity Frequent Flyer’s Gold status challenge

Virgin Australia has a similar “Pilot Gold” status offer for businesses that join its Accelerate program. But Virgin’s offer is much more generous as it’s available for up to two travellers, they get to enjoy Gold status benefits during the trial period, they only need to fly 80 status credits to complete the challenge, and the offer is unlocked once a business spends only $2,000 on Virgin Australia flights.

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.