Qantas will be removing the option of 8,000 Qantas Points as your loyalty bonus. As of 15 September, anyone meeting the requirements of the loyalty bonus will receive 50 Status Credits.
Loyalty Bonus
The Qantas Loyalty Bonus is a reward that you receive each 500 Status Credits you earn in your membership year. These Status Credits have to be earned on Qantas or Jetstar flights but excludes any bonus from Double Status Credit offers.
You can earn the Loyalty Bonus up to four time a year. It kicks in after you earn 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 Status Creidts.
No More Points
At present, each time you earn a Loyalty Bonus, Qantas sends an email advising you of your choice. You then have 90 days to make your choice between 8,000 Qantas Points or 50 Status Credits. If, for some reason, you don’t make a choice, Qantas gives you the 8,000 Qantas Points.
Come 15 September, that choice will be no more. From that date, you’ll receive 50 Status Credits into your account.
Why is it so?
Qantas says they are making this change to “better align with our members’ preferences.” I guess they know how many people take each option, and perhaps most take the Status Credits.
I guess there is also more of a cost to issuing points. While, arguably, Status Credits also come at a cost, their accounting treatment is likely quite different. While Status Credits sit on the balance sheet as an unredeemed liability, Status Credits are just a count toward Status.
There’s also an interesting issue with those travelling on certain government fares. While they are not supposed to earn points, they can earn Status Credits. Perhaps this was a loophole they were exploiting to earn points.
Final Words
For me, it matters little. I don’t think I have ever taken the points. However, it does remove an option that we have had until now,
