Usually, I wouldn’t recommend buying Qantas Frequent Flyer points (unless you have an immediate need and no one in the family is willing to lend you some) as the cost per point is too high, and credit card bonuses are plentiful. However, there are exceptions to the rule, like now, while there’s a 50% bonus when you buy Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
Until June 16, 2023, Qantas is offering frequent flyers up to a 50% bonus on purchasing points. Members can purchase between 10,000 to 29,000 ‘Top-up Points’ to get a 25% point bonus, or 30,000 to 150,000 points and get a 50% bonus, reducing the cost per point as you buy more. The bonus won’t apply to purchases under 10,000 points.
Let’s take a look at some purchases and the bonus applied.
| POINTS | BONUS | TOTAL | COST | CPP |
| 10,000 | 2,500 | 12,500 | $388 | 3.10c |
| 20,000 | 5,000 | 25,000 | $645 | 2.58c |
| 30,000 | 15,000 | 45,000 | $929 | 2.06c |
| 75,000 | 37,500 | 112,500 | $2,055 | 1.83c |
| 150,000 | 75,000 | 225,000 | $3,999 | 1.78c |
When looking at the wider industry, 1.78 cents per point doesn’t set the world on fire, however, if you have a clear goal for the points and would be purchasing tickets at face value, there are serious savings to be enjoyed.
A Qantas First Class ticket from Sydney to London (via Singapore) would cost you ~AU$13,300 cash one way but can be redeemed with 216,000 points (+ $450 taxes). Purchasing points in this bonus offer for that redemption would amount to an ~AU$8,800 saving. We’ve covered a number of redemption options in our coverage of the Qantas Ultimate American Express Card. It’s also worth noting that this journey can be redeemed with 125,000 Asia Miles (+ taxes) via Cathay Pacific. The signup bonus from the American Express Platinum Card with a transfer rate of 2 Membership Reward point to 1 Asia Miles would almost get you there.
In finishing, your primary points strategy should be acquiring them through credit card signup bonuses, and earning from strategic everyday spending, not buying them. However, if there is an urgent need, it’s infinitely better to buy them during a bonus offer than at full price. If this is you, there’s never been a better time to buy Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
