QANTAS: August Domestic ‘Points Planes’ – 130,000 Classic Flight Reward seats

To fill a dead period for domestic travel, Qantas is filling August with domestic classic flight reward seats. It’s making whole planes into ‘Points Planes’ where every seat is bookable with points. The routes include most capital cities to more than 20 regional destinations. You will also get a 30% discount on the points required for Classic Flight Reward seats between 1 June and 30 November 2022 – including those Points Planes in August.

“These Points Planes will help boost tourism right across the country during August and make it easier for residents in these regional towns to get away for a city escape.

Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth

Qantas is promoting these as a boost to regional tourism, which may be a consequence, but probably not the main reason for offering the points discounts.

Flights are bookable from 9 am Monday 9 May 2022.

A list of routes, points and fees costs (provided by Qantas) appears at the end of this post.

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.

Remembering that everything that Qantas does is to aid its bottom line, these seats are being offered on routes that would traditionally have low traffic in the 2nd part of the year. By discounting the flights, and making them bookable with Classic Rewards, Qantas hopes to get a bunch of frequent flyer points that Australians have been hoarding during the pandemic off its books on flights that might otherwise be substantially under capacity. Try using your points to redeem anything besides an economy seat on an international flight for the next 12 months? Nearly all inventory has already gone, especially if you are after popular routes to Europe.

Points Planes routes

Route (one way)	Discounted 30% (economy)	Taxes, Fees & Charges
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide-Albury (seasonal)	5,600	$48
Adelaide-Hobart	8,400	$57
Adelaide-Mount Gambier	5,600	$27
Adelaide-Newcastle	8,400	$45
Adelaide-Townsville	8,400	$41
Melbourne-Mount Gambier	5,600	$29
QUEENSLAND
Brisbane-Albury	8,400	$40
Brisbane-Coffs Harbour	5,600	$51
Brisbane-Hobart	8,400	$47
Brisbane-Port Macquarie	5,600	$55
Brisbane-Proserpine	5,600	$52
Brisbane-Tamworth	5,600	$54
Brisbane-Wagga Wagga	8,400	$50
Adelaide-Townsville	8,400	$41
Sydney-Townsville	8,400	$41
Canberra-Cairns	12,600	$69
Canberra-Sunshine Coast	8,400	$69
Perth-Gold Coast	12,600	$41
Melbourne-Townsville	12,600	$39
ACT
Canberra-Cairns	12,600	$69
Canberra-Sunshine Coast	8,400	$69
VICTORIA
Melbourne-Albury	5,600	$37
Melbourne-Burnie	5,600	$29
Melbourne-Coffs Harbour	8,400	$44
Melbourne-Merimbula	5,600	$29
Melbourne-Mount Gambier	5,600	$29
Melbourne-Newcastle	5,600	$40
Melbourne-Townsville	12,600	$39
Melbourne-Wagga Wagga	5,600	$36
WA
Perth-Gold Coast	12,600	$41
Perth-Hobart	12,600	$44
NSW
Sydney-Broken Hill	5,600	$28
Sydney-Byron Bay	5,600	$38
Sydney-Griffith	5,600	$38
Sydney-Launceston	5,600	$44
Sydney-Merimbula	5,600	$28
Sydney-Mildura	5,600	$51
Sydney-Orange	5,600	$41
Sydney-Townsville	8,400	$41
Sydney-Uluru	12,600	$70
Brisbane-Tamworth	5,600	$54
Brisbane-Wagga Wagga	8,400	$50
Adelaide-Newcastle	8,400	$45
Brisbane-Coffs Harbour	5,600	$51
Brisbane-Port Macquarie	5,600	$55
Adelaide-Albury (seasonal)	5,600	$48
Brisbane-Albury	8,400	$40
Melbourne-Albury	5,600	$37
Melbourne-Coffs Harbour	8,400	$44
Melbourne-Merimbula	5,600	$29
Melbourne-Wagga Wagga	5,600	$36
TASMANIA
Adelaide-Hobart	8,400	$57
Melbourne-Burnie	5,600	$29
Sydney-Launceston	5,600	$44
Perth-Hobart	12,600	$44
Brisbane-Hobart	8,400	$47
NT
Sydney-Uluru	12,600	$70