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A major expansion of Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program will make it easier for travellers to get to popular destinations using points, with South Australians to see the full benefit when standalone domestic flights are included later in 2024.
On Monday morning, Qantas announced an extra 20 million seats will be available for Frequent Flyers through its new Classic Plus Flight Rewards program, helping more holidaymakers get to hotspots at peak times by redeeming points.
RAA Travel General Manager Gina Norman said the announcement was great news for travellers, but South Australians may still need to also book a connecting domestic flight.
“It’s fantastic to see reward points can be spent across a greater number of flights, as this will provide cheaper travel for a greater number of people at a time when many household budgets are tight,” Ms Norman said.
“However, Adelaide is the only mainland state capital without direct international Qantas flights, so South Aussies looking to redeem their QF points must still transit via East coast or Perth, adding extra hours and cost to their journey.
“We’re looking forward to the program being rolled out to include standalone domestic flights by the end of the year, which will give South Aussies more options to include a stopover or travel interstate using points.”
Ms Norman said demand for international travel was continuing to grow year-on-year.
“At RAA Travel, international bookings are up by about 30% in the 12 months to the end of February when compared with the previous year – proving South Aussies are still prioritising their travel plans and making up for lost time during COVID.
“Announcements like today’s from Qantas will help more savvy travellers plan ahead to go on their dream holiday for less using Frequent Flyer points, so we encourage everyone to plan ahead and book early wherever possible.”
South Australians looking to book a holiday or redeem their Frequent Flyer points can contact an RAA Travel expert on 8202 4589 or via the RAA Travel website.