Qantas has stopped selling most international flights until March 2021
Australian airline Qantas has indicated it plans to operate almost no international services for the next nine months, halting new bookings until March 28, 2021.
In June, Qantas cancelled its international network until October 2020, though as first reported by Executive Traveller, the airline has now taken the preemptive step of stopping new bookings for most international services on its website well into 2021. For now, the flights themselves have not been cancelled, though no new bookings are being taken for these services, indicating they are unlikely to actually operate. If Qantas does cancel these services as expected, any passengers booked on these flights can seek either a full refund or a travel voucher valid until Dec. 21, 2022.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline, loyalty and travel news.
The Flying Kangaroo has already retired its Boeing 747 fleet and expects its entire Airbus A380 fleet will not fly again for at least three years.
The Australian Government has maintained a global "Do Not Travel" COVID-19-related warning to Australians for several month, and has no plans to lift this anytime soon. This, combined with the banning of foreign tourists entering the country, means there is virtually no demand for Qantas to operate its substantial international network, other than limited cargo services and flying some Australians who have still not returned home.
While airlines worldwide have drastically reduced their schedules, particularly for long-haul operations amid severely decreased demand, many expect to resume some long-haul routes before the end of this year. Qantas codeshare partner Emirates already is selling tickets to an increasing number of destinations over the coming months.
Related: Good news for the first-class shower: Emirates plans to bring back all A380s by 2022
Before COVID-19, Qantas had operated a double-daily service from London's Heathrow Airport (LHR). Those included an Airbus A380 service to Sydney (SYD) via Singapore (SIN) and a nonstop marathon to Perth (PER) using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner — one of the world's longest flights.
Australia has taken a strict approach to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, banning foreign tourists from entering the country and placing Australians returning home from overseas in mandatory highly controlled hotel quarantines. This has helped the country contain the virus quickly, and with the exception of a recent flare-up in Melbourne, restrictions have largely been eased with life returning to some normality, other than international tourism. There remains demand for domestic travel within Australia, as evidenced by the level of interest in purchasing Qantas' domestic rival Virgin Australia.
There is still some hope Australians may be able to travel to New Zealand in late 2020, as both governments currently negotiate a "travel bubble" exemption arrangement. New Zealand has also successfully contained the COVID-19 threat through closed borders, strict quarantine and an early and consistent lockdown policy. Qantas is, for now, allowing new bookings on international flights to New Zealand only.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.