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Qantas Unveils Changes to Rewards Program, Including Lower Fees, Expanded Award Availability
June 20, 2019
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4 min read
Qantas Unveils Changes to Rewards Program, Including Lower Fees, Expanded Award Availability
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Yesterday, Qantas announced a $25 million dollar revamp of its frequent flyer program, the most expansive update in its 32-year history. While award program changes don't tend to favor the flyer, not all the initiatives in this overhaul are negative, with the introduction of a new elite tier status and increased availability for reward redemptions. Changes are set to roll out over the next 12 months — and nearly every aspect of the program is going to be affected.
The Changes
- Updated Award Rates: Beginning September 18, 2019, the number of points required to book a seat in a premium cabin will increase by as much as 15%, while the cost to upgrade to a premium cabin using points will also rise, up to 9%. In contrast, economy redemptions are seeing of a drop of up to 10%, effective immediately.
- Lifetime Platinum: Excitingly, Lifetime Platinum is joining both Lifetime Gold and Lifetime Silver to offer permanent status to Qantas' most frequent fliers. This new status will become available in September 2019, and members must accrue a total of 75,000 credits to qualify.
- More Seats: Over a million more award seats will be available on Qantas and its partners throughout the year, including peak travel time — with up to 30% more premium cabin seats on offer.
- Lower Fees: Starting today, carrier fees on economy bookings are discounted by as much as 50% on international award redemptions. Premium cabins will also see a reduction, though not as significant as economy flights and changes won't take effect until September 18, 2019.
- More Partners: Travelers will have five new airlines on which to earn and redeem Qantas points, thanks to new agreements with Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
- Points Club: Qantas is introducing a new club focused on providing elite-style benefits (like lounge access and bonus status credits) to big spenders on non-flight transactions. The club will consist of two tiers — 'Points Club' and 'Points Club Plus' — based on the amount of spend. Points Club will require at least 150,000 credits, while Points Club Plus will require an additional (as yet undisclosed) amount of credits. The Club is set to launch in late 2019.
- More Redemptions: An improved digital interface is also coming out, set to enhance user experiences with award searches and flights. Members will be able to view 12 months of reward seats in under five seconds and will be prompted with award availability on popular routes upon login.
Though it's generally hit-or-miss with award program updates, there are some things that Qantas has gotten right here. The addition of Lifetime Platinum is a nice feature for dedicated Qantas loyalists, and the ability to earn miles on an expanded series of partners will make obtaining Qantas Points much easier. While the 15% increase on premium cabin redemptions is a tough pill to swallow, these awards typically weren't the best value under current rates, and a 50% reduction in carrier charges helps cushion the blow a bit.
The big question that remains is how the expanded award availability will work. Here's how it's described in the carrier's official press release:
"Frequent Flyers will have access to more than a million extra reward seats annually on Qantas and a growing list of premium partner airlines including during peak leisure travel periods to our most popular destinations such as London, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Singapore. As a result, members will enjoy an up to 30 per cent increase in our highest demand reward seats in Qantas International premium cabins over the next 12 months."
Qantas is known for its relatively stingy international award space to and from the US, so an increase is welcome. However, will that expansion apply to true saver-level awards that are bookable through partner programs, or will it be limited to Qantas' own members? A number of airlines use different award inventories for their own members — Singapore KrisFlyer is probably the most well-known — so it wouldn't be surprising to see Qantas take the same approach.
However, if partner programs like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan or American AAdvantage suddenly see a noticeable increase in Qantas premium cabin award seats, it's safe to say this will be a decidedly positive change for US-based travelers.
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We've reached out to Qantas for clarification and will update this article when we receive a response.
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.