QANTAS: I know when the next double status promotion is going to start.

Let’s start by confessing that the headline is a lie. No one knows when the promo will drop, except a small group within the Qantas promo team! What I am about to present is just speculation, some of which is my own, and some is drawn from the knowledge and speculation of others.

Hints

If you’re sitting on bookings waiting for the next Qantas Double Status Credits (DSC) promotion, the calendar is starting to offer some familiar hints.

Nothing has been announced. But February and March represent the traditional season for DSC promotion season.

The domestic sale clears runway

Qantas often preceeds a DSC with a domestic sale. The current one ends at 11.59 pm AEDT on Monday, February 16. At the very least, don’t expect a DSC before then.

Qantas, and any marketer worth their salt, avoids stacking major promotions on top of each other. One sale tend to end cleanly before a DSC offer appears. If that is the case, and previous years are any guide, then Tuesday, February 17, or after are currently the most likely dates for the launch of the new DSC.

No guarantees, but Over the weekend, the LoyaltyLobby blog found a clue on the Qantas website: with a link to an as-yet-hidden set of T&Cs for a Twice as Rewarding offer to run this month. Twice as Rewarding is the nomenclature Qantas used for the last DSC.

Half-year results hint

A more compelling signal might be Qantas’ upcoming first-half FY26 financial results. They are scheduled for release on Thursday, February 26.

A DSC promotion launched ahead of this announcement could provide Qantas with a positive narrative for investors and analysts. Double Status Credits reliably drive a surge in forward bookings, lift short-term revenue and boost loyalty engagement metrics – all useful talking points on results day. (Thanks to David Flynn over at ET for pointing this out)

This isn’t a new trick. It has a precedent. Qantas has previously timed DSC promotions to generate booking momentum ahead of financial reporting.

Potential dates

So, the auguries are lining up to indicate a DSC to be offered in mid-to-late February.

Let’s look at a few options. A DSC starting Wednesday, February 18, would give some breathing space after the domestic sale ends on the 16th. It would still allow a standard seven-day booking window to close before the February 26 results presentation.

Monday, February 23, is probably the last date if Qantas wants good numbers to present to the market.

What sort of DSC offer to expect

Expect a restricted offer. Gone are the days of the wildly generous DSC promos of the past.

Expect a standard structure, with a fixed booking window, defined travel dates and exclusions of non-Qantas metal. Remember, Qantas’s focus will be on pulling demand forward, not inflating elite ranks, which might be the wish of us frequent flyers. Don’t expect to be able to stack promotions. Do expect the usual exclusions for Double Status Credits, like not counting for certain qualifications, like lifetime status.

If you’re hoping for unlimited generosity, think again.

Should you wait before booking?

If you’re chasing or retaining status with Qantas, and your travel plans are flexible, waiting another week could make sense. But you will pay. Fares during DSC are usually at the top end of the price range. The days of snagging a discount fare during a DSC are long gone. If you want to get the lowest fare on offer and your DSC, then book as early as you can once the promotion is announced.

2PAXfly Takeout

Get ready. Plan your potential trips and dates, and then act as soon as you can once the promotion is announced. Also, have a read of our DSC planning guide

Either way, don’t expect much notice. Qantas DSC promotions tend to arrive quietly, spread rapidly through screenshots and frequent-flyer group chats, and disappear just as quickly.

Get your planning done by 16 February, to be safe.