What Are Qantas Status Credits?

Qantas Status Credits can help you move up through the Qantas Frequent Flyer membership tiers, unlocking exclusive perks such as priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, and lounge access. Understanding how to earn and use Status Credits is essential for unlocking the best that Qantas has to offer.

Qantas Points vs. Status Credits

Qantas Status Credits and Qantas points are earned through the Qantas Frequent Flyer program but serve different purposes.

Qantas Points: These are rewards you earn by flying with Qantas or its partners, using a Qantas-affiliated credit card, or purchasing through partner brands. You can redeem Qantas points for a range of things, including travel discounts, retail products, tickets, and experiences.
Qantas Status Credits: These are primarily earned through flying and reset annually. Status Credits are not redeemable for rewards. Instead, they help you progress through the Qantas Frequent Flyer tiers to unlock exclusive benefits, such as airport lounge access, priority boarding, and extra baggage allowance.

In short, Qantas Points are all about rewards, while Status Credits are about enhancing your travel experience.

How do Qantas Status Credits work?

Qantas Status Credits relate to your frequent flyer membership. There are five Qantas Frequent Flyer tiers — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One. Once you reach a new level, Status Credits help you move up the tiers and maintain your status. The higher the level, the better the benefits.

Status Credits reset at the start of every membership year, unlike Qantas Points, which don’t expire, as long as you continue to earn or use them on eligible activities at least once every 18 months.

Status Credits are more relevant to frequent travellers, not so much the members who slowly accrue points over many years. The more you fly, with Qantas or partner airlines, the more comfortable you can make the experience.

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Comparing Qantas membership tiers and benefits

There’s a considerable difference between the five tiers. Travel benefits, your airport experience, and lounge access are all determined by your Qantas membership level. You need a certain number of Qantas Status Credits to reach and maintain a membership level in a year:

Bronze: The base level
Silver: 300 points (250 to maintain status)
Gold: 700 points (600 to maintain status)
Platinum: 1,400 points (1,200 to maintain status)
Platinum One: 3,600 points, with a minimum of 2,700 from flights with a Qantas number on your ticket.

There’s also a minimum travel requirement per year to maintain status — a minimum of four eligible flights with Qantas (QF) or Jetstar (JQ, 3K, GK) flight numbers on your ticket.

The higher the tier, the more you’re eligible for. You can work toward obtaining features such as priority boarding, additional checked baggage allowance, lounge access, preferential seating, complimentary extra legroom, early access to upgrades, family member benefits, and more.

It’s okay if you don’t reach Platinum One. The Gold tier is what you should aim for initially because it’s where you get meaningful benefits such as upgrades and lounge access. For a comprehensive summary of the membership tiers, and what you’re entitled to at each level, refer to the table online.

How to earn Status Credits

The main way to earn Status Credits is by flying with Qantas, Jetstar or partner airlines. The amount of credits depends on where you fly, the airline, the ticket type and the cost. The more premium the cabin, the higher the credit points.

For example, when we checked on 9 September 2024, here’s what you could expect to earn from a return flight from Los Angeles to Sydney if you have Bronze status:

Use the Qantas calculator to see how many credits you’ll earn on upcoming trips.

🤓 Nerdy Tip

Some credit cards come with Qantas Status Credit special offers, such as the Qantas Premier Titanium, which comes with bonus credits on eligible fights purchased on the card. Keep an eye out for limited time offers and initiatives to earn bonus Status Credits.

How to redeem Status Credits

Redeeming Qantas Status Credits is easy, but there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you get credited correctly.

First, always make sure your membership number is added to bookings. If you’re booking online, log in to ensure your details have been applied.

You should also make sure your name on flight tickets matches your frequent flyer account. Status Credits and Qantas Points are typically added to your account within 14 days of travel, so you don’t need to request them. Keep your flight tickets handy until you’ve received your credits.

Checking your credits

Log into your Qantas Frequent Flyer to check your current Status Credits, how many you need to reach the next membership, and when they expire.

🤓 Nerdy Tip

It’s a good idea to regularly log into your Qantas Frequent Flyer account to monitor your Status Credits and see how close you are to reaching the next level. You can also use the Qantas app for real-time tracking and notifications about when your credits are set to expire.

Should I focus on Qantas points or Status Credits?

It depends on your travel goals. If you’re looking to save money on travel or enjoy perks like free flights and upgrades, focus on Qantas Points. However, if you’re a frequent flyer looking to enhance your airport and inflight experience, Status Credits are key to unlocking those higher-tier benefits.

In most cases, you can focus on both at the same time. Follow your usual points-building strategy, while aiming to reach (and maintain) a target tier, ideally Gold or higher.

Even if you don’t have enough points for discounted or free travel, reaching a higher Qantas membership tier can make getting to your destination much smoother and more enjoyable — especially when travelling for 24 hours.