Jetstar has made some changes to its Starter Max bundles. Perhaps the most noticeable of the changes that have filtered through is that they have dropped considerably in price.
Until recently, the was a significant difference in the Starter Plus and Starter Max fares. While the Starter Plus bundle could be had for around $50 or less, the Starter Max bundle could be $200 or more.
For the Qantas Frequent Flyer, Starter Max fares offer Flexible Economy earnings. The significant reduction in price now makes the Starter Max fares an interesting proposition.
Jetstar Fares
For the vast majority of domestic flights, Jetstar offers a range of fares. The basic fare is the Starter Fare, to which you can add so called bundles. The first of these is the Starter Plus bundle, then the Starter Max bundle. For the Qantas Frequent Flyer, you need to purchase one of these bundles in order to earn Qantas Points and Status Credits.
For Starter Plus, Qantas Frequent Flyers earn at the Economy Level. On the other hand, members purchasing the Starter Max bundle earn at the Flexible Economy level.
On Australian Domestic flights, Starter Max fares earn double the Status Credits compared with Starter Plus Fares. As examples, between Sydney and Melbourne, a Starter Plus bundle will get you 10 Status Credits. The Starter Max doubles this haul to 20 Status Credits. Similarly, for Perth – Melbourne, you are looking at 20 or 40 Status Credits respectively.
What are the changes?
The changes to the fare conditions are:
- The Change Deadline for cancellation is now prior to check-in opening time for the scheduled flight.
- The form of refund will now be a Jetstar Voucher and no refund fee will apply.
- Greater Availability
- And the price has come down
If you need to fly Jetstar, and wish to maximise your status earning capacity, the Jetstar Max fare is now a viable option. The following example shows an example of a Perth-Melbourne flight
Jetstar Starter Plus versus Starter Max
Summing Up
Jetstar may not be everyones cup of tea, but it is what it is. They have long offered bundles, however, until recently the Starter Max fares have had a significant price tag. The recent changes have made them an interesting proposition if you have to fly them.
