If you normally fly Qantas, you will be used to earning Qantas Status Credits and Points on any of the fares that you buy. It may then, come as a surprise, that the same is not true if flying on Jetstar. If you book an Australian domestic flight, or an international flight, the basic Starter Plus and Business fares do not include either as part of their inclusions. There is an exception for New Zealand domestic flights, where you can earn Points on most flights.
If you want to earn Status Credits and Points, you will need to opt in to buying a Starter Plus, Starter Max or Business Max bundle. The Jetstar booking process may also offer a Starter Flex bundle – but be aware that this particular bundle does not offer Points or Status Credits.
So, basically, if you are booking an Economy fare, you need to choose the Starter Plus or Starter Max bundle. If you are booking in Business, the Business Max is what you will need.
Jetstar Bundles
The Jetstar bundles are a set of additions to the basic fares that Jetstar offers. These bundles also include extras such as checked baggage, seat selection, and food and drink. They can also provide additional flexibility in your ability to change or cancel flights.
The specific inclusions vary a little depending on the routes, and which version of Jetstar is offering the service. Generally, however, the Points and Status Credits offer remains much the same.
When booking a Jetstar Fare, you will be presented with a choice of bundles. For example, the following is presented for fares between Melbourne and Perth. Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned on the Plus and Max bundles.
Which earn rate applies?
When flying Jetstar, your points and status credit earn will vary depending on which bundle you choose. Jetstar have published some details on the mapping between the bundles and the Qantas Earn Category. The full details are summarised in the table below.
| Jetstar bundle | Qantas earn category | Qantas Status Credits | Qantas Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter & Starter Flex (excluding New Zealand domestic) | N/A | No | No |
| Starter & Starter Flex (New Zealand domestic) | Discount Economy | No | Yes |
| Starter Plus | Economy | Yes | Yes |
| Starter Max | Flexible Economy | Yes | Yes |
| Business | N/A | No | No |
| Business Max | Business | Yes | Yes |
Where Jetstar fares earn Qantas Points, both the Minimum Points guarantee, and status bonus provisions apply.
You’ll earn at least 800 Qantas Points with the Minimum Points Guarantee on eligible Jetstar fares. On Jetstar New Zealand domestic, you’ll earn a minimum of 400 Qantas Points. The following table shows the minimum earning that applies to the different bundles:
| Qantas Frequent Flyer Category | Minimum Points Guarantee |
|---|---|
| Starter (New Zealand Domestic Only) | 400 points |
| Starter Plus | 800 points |
| Starter Max | 1,200 points |
| Business Max | 1,400 points |
How much do bundles cost?
The answer to this is not completely straightforward. In most cases, we can offer some guidance, but during sale periods the price of the bundle can rise. The effect is that the bundled price ends up being much the same regardless of whether the Starter is on sale or not.
Typically though, on an Australia Domestic flight, you will be looking at $40-$50 for a Starter Plus bundle, and $85 for the Max bundle. Given the overall inclusions, these do seem reasonable priced, and in most cases I opt for the Max bundle.
Final Thoughts
Sure, Jetstar is a low cost carrier, and doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of its big brother Qantas. Having said that, the use of bundles can be an effective way of gaining some Status Credits for a price lower that what you might be able to achieve on Qantas.
You may no care too much about airlines on some of the shorter routes. In such cases, Jetstar can be seen as a viable way of earning Status Credits in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.