Qantas has unveiled changes to its Frequent Flyer programme, reducing the number of points needed to redeem hotel stays and holiday packages.
The carrier said that the “permanent improvement” means members will now need 30 per cent fewer points when booking Qantas Hotels (excluding limited availability Classic Hotels Rewards), and 45 per cent fewer points when combining accommodation and Qantas or Jetstar flights in one booking across Qantas Holidays packages.
In addition, members will need 20 per cent fewer points when using Points Plus Pay on flight bookings made before the end of April 2022, for travel up until April 2023.
Examples of the reductions in points include a redemption for two nights in a Garden View Room at the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort, which would previously have cost 164,945 points, and is now reduced to 115,461 points.
Meanwhile a five-night stay for two adults at Pan Pacific London (pictured), including return economy flights from Sydney, would previously have cost 908,512 points and is now 499,512 points.
Commenting on the changes Qantas Loyalty CEO, Olivia Wirth, said:
“We’re increasing the power of a point when booking hotels and holidays because we want to reinvest in a programme that has performed extremely well during Covid.
“Members have remained highly engaged despite the low levels of flying over the past two years, shown by the fact they’ve kept earning points on the ground and then redeemed them in record numbers.
“We saw more than seven billion points used to redeem flights in just four weeks following borders reopening and we want to keep that momentum going by making points go further for hotels and holidays, which in turn encourages members to keep earning with our partners and with the airline.
“We continue to reinvent the programme to improve how members are recognised and rewarded. In 2019 made we made a number of changes, including significantly reducing the fees for international reward flights and delivering more rewards for members who earn most of their points through on-the-ground transactions. More recently, we’ve increased availability of reward seats across our network by up to 50 per cent as well.
“This latest change will help our growth into the hotel and holiday booking market, especially online, which is expected to rebound in the coming months.”
Qantas recently launched a new strategic loyalty partnership with Accor, allowing members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer and Accor Live Limitless (ALL) programmes to be rewarded twice when they fly with the airline and stay at one of Accor’s hotels.
