01

Start here: what is an award flight?

An award flight is a seat you book with Qantas Points instead of paying the full cash fare. You will still pay the taxes, fees and carrier charges shown at checkout.

Qantas Frequent Flyer is Qantas’ loyalty programme. You can use Qantas Points for eligible flights on Qantas, Jetstar and a wide range of partner airlines.

Qantas Points are different from Status Credits. Points are spent on rewards. Status Credits help you move through Qantas membership tiers and cannot be used to book a flight.

BEGINNER TIPThink of points as a separate currency. Having enough Qantas Points does not guarantee a seat: Classic Flight Reward availability is limited and some flights may have none.
02

Choose the trip before collecting points

Begin with a destination, a rough travel period and the number of travellers. Then search for reward seats and check both the points and cash required.

Qantas opens Classic Flight Reward bookings up to 353 days before departure. If your dates are fixed or fall in a school-holiday period, search early and try nearby dates, another cabin or a partner airline.

For travellers starting in Singapore, a useful search may include Qantas flights to Australia as well as eligible partner flights across the oneworld network.

BEGINNER TIPSearch one-way flights first. They are easier to compare, and you can book the return separately if another date or airline works better.
03

Know the three choices you may see

When you search, compare the points and cash needed for the same flight. The option with the widest availability is not always the best value.

Classic Reward

Uses a fixed number of points based on the route and cabin. Availability is limited, but this is usually the best place to start.

Classic Plus

Available on Qantas-operated flights. The points price changes with the cash fare, so it can be much higher than a Classic Reward.

Points Plus Pay

Lets you use points toward an eligible cash booking. It is flexible, but often gives weaker value than a Classic Reward.

04

How to book your first reward flight

Use qantas.com or the Qantas app. You can search before transferring any bank points.

WATCH OUTBank transfers are generally one-way and may take time. A reward seat can disappear while you wait, so do not transfer points simply to store them in Qantas Frequent Flyer.
  1. Sign in to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account.
  2. Enter your route and dates, then select “Rewards”.
  3. Look for the red Reward ribbon for a Classic Flight Reward. A blue ribbon identifies Classic Plus.
  4. Compare the points, taxes, fees and carrier charges with the cash fare.
  5. Only if you need more points, transfer the required bank points and book as soon as they arrive.
05

Where your points can come from

For many Singapore-based beginners, Qantas Points may come from converting eligible credit-card or bank reward points. Your card normally earns the bank’s points first, and you later ask the bank to convert them into Qantas Points.

You can also earn from eligible Qantas and partner flights, hotels, car hire and other programme partners. Flight earnings depend on factors such as the airline, flight number, cabin and booking class.

Each bank has its own conversion rate, minimum transfer amount, fee and processing time. Check all four before moving points.

BEGINNER TIPKeep flexible bank points at the bank until you have a likely booking. They may be transferable to more than one airline programme, while a transfer to Qantas is usually irreversible.
06

Is the redemption good value?

Use a simple check: subtract the reward’s taxes, fees and carrier charges from a comparable cash fare, then divide by the Qantas Points required. A S$1,200 fare with S$200 of reward charges using 60,000 points gives about 1.67 cents per point.

Compare against a fare you would realistically buy. A high theoretical value is not a saving if you would never pay that cash price.

Classic Flight Rewards are typically the first option to check. Classic Plus and Points Plus Pay can be convenient when Classic seats are unavailable, but compare their points prices carefully before confirming.

07

Keep your points active

Your Qantas Points will not expire when you earn or use at least one Qantas Point through your account every 18 months. Check your activity statement and allow time for partner transactions to appear.

Not every movement counts. In particular, transferring points between eligible family members does not count as activity for either account, so it will not protect a balance from expiry.

WATCH OUTDo not wait until the final day. If no eligible earning or use is recorded for 18 months, the account’s Qantas Points balance may expire.
08

Five beginner mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing Qantas Points with Status Credits. Only Qantas Points can be spent on a reward flight.
  • Choosing Classic Plus without checking for Classic Rewards. The points difference can be large.
  • Transferring bank points before finding a likely seat. Transfers are usually irreversible, and availability can change.
  • Looking only at the points price. Include taxes, fees, carrier charges and the cash fare you would otherwise pay.
  • Assuming a family transfer prevents expiry. Family transfers do not count as qualifying account activity.

Sources and further reading