Qantas is devaluing its Frequent Flyer points. Here’s how

In the case of Giveth textbook with one hand and with the other hand, Qantas plans hike As of August 5, the number of frequent flyers required for reward seats and upgrades is up to 20%.

The airline claims that these are the first “devaluation” since 2019. However, movement, previous marches in the carrier additional fees and Promotion of higher cost The Class Classic Plus erken is eroding only 18 months ago, exceeding the value of the awarded scores.

On the paper, the biggest expansion of the national carrier-every time-Classical reward seats offers 1 million extra points and more common promises. (It is useful to remember that Qantas sells unmissable seats, so it mainly sells the same chair twice.) However, there is a simple effect for an average Punter: your points are less worth.

Qantas is also often trying to push its brochures towards low -cost Jetstar and 10 % cheaper Using the reward seats of the low -cost carrier on some routes, but 15% more in others. However, Qantas’s Melbourne Economy from Sydney is the award chair and the bread and butter He jumped quietly 8,000 to 9,200 points for the same congested seat. And from Sydney to London, a Business Class Classic Rewards chair will rise from 144,600 points to 166,300 points and $ 473 to $ 648.

Qantas claims that these ascension can make. “Continue to invest to develop the program”And bring classic awards in accordance with classic classic plus fees. The truth is that international award reservations, especially common airlines such as Emirates or British Airways, can change the usability of seats on a enthusiasm, but cannot be reached any more except for the most obsessed or lucky brochures.

Qantas loyalty machine

In essence, Qantas frequent brochure scheme is not a customer hunter, but a financial power center.

The points are won not only by flying, but also by shifting common branded credit cards and shopping in the supermarket “partners”, including the continuous expansion. Qantas Shopping area. Qantas sells billions of points every year For banks and retailers, he then shakes them in front of customers as feed. In the first half of FY2025, Qantas customers won 109 billion points, airline pockets real cash forward, billions of points – predictions about 30% – He’s never saved for flights.

Qantas’s loyalty section is one of the basic boards of the financial performance of the airline – last year It broke 511 million dollars in the underlying earnings before interest and taxes, broke a record of $ 511 million, Surprisingly 37% increase in 2019And now it is about one -third of the general profit of the group.

The reason for the devaluation of the scores is clear: shaking the Reserve Bank in the future CREDIT CARD KNOWS FEESHe lent most of these programs. It is not surprising that the management is desperate to squeeze more fruit juice than the plan – even if there is a risk of alienating the very frequent flyers that support the devotion business.

In addition to carving the loyalty plan, Qantas acts as an increasingly cost-effective airline-especially at home. The frequent embarrassing situation of the in -flight service and offers well -documented On customer sites, such as the resulting tendency of weighing trunk baggage.

Two types of domestic red tail

However, long -term trend is that Qantas offers an increasingly two -layer service for the “red tail” aircraft. On the one hand, he renews his fleet, but for just one -third of the Boeing 737 aircraft. For the rest, Mangy Roo, with regional routes who are more dependent on aging planes.

Qantas returned to the second -hand market decisively to block the gaps in the aging craft, and the Embraer E190 jet (average age: almost 18 years), which were used 30 -used Embraer E190. Through alliance airlines In fact, some of which are over 30 years old to replace the old Fokker 100s and F70s.

The airline also took nine “middle age” Airbus A319s (Expirit Airlines, Average Age: 16 Years) To support the roads of the welding sector in Western Australia. Meanwhile, the closure of Jetstar Asia 1320s (Average Age: 12 years) Qantas and Qantaslink sees that the local flight is re -deployed.

The movements inject the very needed capacity and flexibility, but emphasize that Qantas leans on second -hand metal to cover delayed renewals for years. Lastly, Qantas said it would rent it Four Second Hand B737 Due to the further delay of new aircraft from Airbus.

A Qantas pilot, “No pilot, 12 or 16 -year -old commercial jet as ‘middle age’ does not define. Should there be a joke?” He said. Crirase. “A319s have already been applauded.”

The situation of the Qantas fleet continues to be problematic for customers. The constant horseman of the care capture means that last -minute airplane swaps often abandoned passengers using points to rise to low cabins on smaller and older aircraft.

Airline on It was finally accepted We explained the first time here Crirase In April: The first four A321XLRS from international and domestic routes fell into a toilet. But, hey, there are more fire luggage spaces to think about next!