QANTAS: The downgrades go on — Loyalty Bonus now status credits only, no points

I should know better, but each time an airline announces a change to their loyalty scheme, I hope its an improvement. Needless to say, my disappointment continues. Qantas is now reducing the benefits of its Loaylty Bonus to Status Credits. You can no longer opt for the 8,000 frequent flyer points option from 15 September 2025. Instead, you will be automatically credited with 50 Status credits once you have reached defined milestones. That’s not all, the rollover trick some of us use, will no longer apply. All is explained below.

Qantas Loyalty Bonus

The Qantas Loyalty Bonus is al perk for frequent flyers. For every 500 Status Credits earned on Qantas or Jetstar flights in a membership year, members qualify for a ‘milestone’ which entitles them to 50 Status Credits, and up until September, 8,000 frequent flyer points. There are some conditions. A notable exclusion is that bonus points, like those earned on a Double Status credits promotion, don’t count.

You can earn this bonus up to four times a year. You will get an email from Qantas asking you to choose your reward. The choice, up until 15 September 2025 has been either 8,000 points or 50 Status Credits. If you don’t make a choice, then Qantas gives you the points by default.

WTF?

Now, I never choose the point, I always choose the Status Credits, because climbing the Status ladder to Platinum and access to the First Class lounge is my main game. Apparently, I am not alone. Qantas says that the change is to “better align with our members’ preferences.” Which, I think is corporate speak for, people prefer Status Credits.

But there may be another reason for this change.

Now, let me get all accountant and corporate financial reporting on you. Points set on the Qantas balance sheet as a liability. That’s because they don’t get ‘spent’ until they are redeemed. Until that happens, they are officially classified as an ‘unredeemed liability’ and sit on the negative side of that company balance sheet.

Status Credits are not treated like that. For accounting purposes, they are not classified as a ‘liability’. Now, they do actually cost Qantas money. Those gin and tonics in the lounge along with those self-serve toasties, cost Qantas money. But they don’t appear on the balance sheet as a liability for the future. They are just a cost of doing business and rewarding loyalty.

So its loyalty as legerdemain. A bit of slight of hand in the accounting department.

Who loses ?

For me – no loss, as my aim is to ammass Status Credits. But for some, who might not fly enough to come close to Gold or above, then some points to add to their stash for a redemption might be more desireable. For others, at the other end, so those who easily reach Platinum One, those 50 Status Credits might also be irrelevant. They might prefer to use it to upgrade a flight, or add to a redemption.

Another choice is removed from Qantas Frequent Flyers.

Rollover benefit

Often described as a trick, some clever members take advantage of the 90 days they have to choose what kind of bonus they want. What some to clever by half Qantas Frequent Flyers do is, having qualified for their desired status level, wait until their new membership year to claim their bonus. That then gives them a running start at their status for the new year, with 50 Status Credits already in their account.

Well, no more. Under the new system, your Status Credits appear in your account immediately. There is no option to defer their crediting. RIP ‘rollover trick’.

2PAXfly Takeout

Another effective downgrade to the Qantas loyalty program, by limiting members’ choice. No surprise!

You should still be vigilant about your membership status and earnings in Status Credits and points. You can do that fairly easily either in the app, or online.

Log into your Qantas Frequent Flyer account, and click on the ‘View Progress’ link under ‘Status’. On the App, Choose ‘My QFF’, and then ‘View Progress’. You will be able to see how close or far you are from your next 500 Status Credit milestone.

In case, this change seems like nothing to you, then let me put it in plain terms. Effectively, qantas has just taken up to 32,000 Qantas points from you. That’s the 8,000 points you could earn each time you have amassed 500 Status credits up to four times per year. As well, you lose the possiblity of rolling over 50 Status Credits into your new qualifying year, thus turbocharging your race for status.

Always remember that the Qantas loyalty program is run primarily for the benefit of Qantas, not for the benefit of its customers.