QANTAS: Get ready to spend some points on international travel!

The word is that Qantas, to encourage possibly resistant customers to get back into international airspace, is going to offer 50% more seats for points redemptions when it returns to flying across the world in mid-December. The good news is these will be Classic Flight Rewards – you know the low points cost ones.

Apparently, Qantas is also thinking about running some ‘Points Planes’ – that is a flight where every seat is available for booking with a Classic Rewards point redemption. They did this to restart trans-Tasman flying back in April this year. We don’t know the destinations, but Singapore is on the cards.

When will we see these Classic Rewards Seat

The answer is – I don’t know. Most likely, Qantas will announce this, once it is more confident about the restart of international flying on 20 December 2021. As soon as we know here at 2PAX, you will know!

To get you started, here are the destinations we know Qantas is contemplating at the start of its return to international flying:

• Fiji
• Honolulu
• London
• Los Angeles
• Singapore
• Tokyo

Other destinations will be rolled out in 2022. Also, remember that you may need to quarantine on arrival depending on your vaccination status and your arrival countries rules. Also, remember that this depends on our Federal Government opening the borders and allowing our international travel.

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

At this point, if it has Business class and two aisles, and requires a passport, I’m in!

If you were me – I’d be starting to monitor the points availability from that 20 December date.