- Qantas has just announced the largest update to its Frequent Flyer program since it was launched.
- The most significant changes relate to earning and retaining status, now giving members the ability to roll over unused Status Credits and earn them through everyday spending.
- A host of changes will start to be rolled out next month, with the rest of the changes to be implemented later in 2026 and beyond.
If you’ve ever watched your hard-earned Status Credits vanish at the end of your membership year and thought, “well, that’s a bit rude”, Qantas has finally listened.
Qantas Frequent Flyer has announced the biggest shake-up to status earning and retention in the program’s history, and it’s basically aimed at making status feel less like a one-year sprint and more like a game you can actually plan for. The headline is that you’ll be able to roll over unused Status Credits, as well as earn Status Credits on the ground for the first time.
Here’s what’s changing.
Set to be introduced later in 2026, you’ll now be able to earn Status Credits on the ground for the first time, with members able to earn up to 140 Status Credits per year across ten everyday spend categories (such as credit cards and program partners), and those credits will also count towards Lifetime tallies. In essence, your commute and your groceries might finally help your lounge habit.
Next, the big one is the news that Status Credits will roll over. Also set to land later in 2026, tiered members can carry over up to 50% of excess Status Credits into the next year (capped at 100 for Silver, 350 for Gold, and 500 for Platinum), which will replace the old loyalty bonus mechanics and make chasing status feel way less punishing.
Then there’s a nice nod to the long-haul flyers. From 2027, Lifetime Gold members will be able to earn one bankable year of Platinum for every 10,000 Status Credits above the Lifetime Gold threshold, up to five years saved for whenever you actually want to use them.
Qantas is also streamlining the program architecture, with Points Club and Green Tier being retired, and the best bits to be folded into the core program from late 2026. And from 2027, it’s one target per tier, meaning there’s no more separate “attain” and “retain” hurdles (e.g. Gold becomes a clean 700 Status Credits annually).
Finally, there’s a small miracle in the news that next month, Qantas is launching a new tool that lets you search Classic Reward seats across Qantas and 30 partner airlines in seconds. In short, the changes mean fewer hoops, more control, and a status system that finally feels like it was designed for humans.
How good.
