Qantas Frequent Flyer is the loyalty program for Qantas, Australia's largest airline and a founding member of the oneworld® alliance. Understanding its points expiration policy is crucial for members worldwide.
Qantas Frequent Flyer Points Expiration Policy
According to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program terms, Qantas Points expire if there is no qualifying activity on your account for 18 consecutive months.
This means you need to either earn or redeem at least one Qantas Point every 18 months to prevent your entire points balance from expiring. Any single eligible activity resets the 18-month clock for all your points.
Note: There's an exception for members under 18 years old (Qantas Frequent Flyers) – their points do not expire. The 18-month clock starts once they turn 18. Points Club members also have different rules where points don't expire while they hold that membership.
How to Keep Your Qantas Points From Expiring
Keeping your Qantas Points active requires ensuring you have at least one qualifying transaction within the 18-month period. Common methods include:
Earn Points
The following activities will extend your points’ validity:
- Flights
- Fly with Qantas.
- Credit flights with Oneworld partners such as British Airways or with non-alliance partners like Emirates.
- Hotels
- Earn with hotel partners including IHG, Airbnb, Choice Hotels, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and Accor.
- Car rentals
- Earn points through Avis, Budget, and other partner rental companies.
- Shopping and lifestyle
- Shop through Qantas Shopping.
- Spend on food and wine with Qantas Wine or HelloFresh.
- Earn with Qantas insurance partners.
- Use partner utilities and select leisure services.
- Purchase fuel at BP and other automotive partners.
- Credit cards
- Use Qantas co-branded credit cards for everyday spending.
Redeem Points
Spending your points also counts as activity:
- Book award flights or upgrades on Qantas or partner airlines.
- Use points for car rentals with Avis and Budget.
- Redeem points for Qantas Holidays or Qantas Hotels.
- Shop at the Qantas Rewards store.
- Pay for Qantas Wines with points.
- Use points plus cash to cover Qantas travel insurance.
Note: Family transfers and transfers from Qantas Business Rewards accounts do not qualify as activity to reset expiration.
Boosting Your Qantas Points Balance
If your balance is close to expiring or you need more points for a redemption, you can top up by transferring rewards from various partners.
Transfer Partners
| From Program | To Program | Transfer Ratio | Minimum Transfer | Average Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards (US) | Qantas | 500:500 | – | Immediate |
| Amex Membership Rewards (UK) | Qantas | 100:100 | 500 | Unknown |
| Capital One | Qantas | 100:100 | 1,000 | ~1 day |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards (US) | Qantas | 1,000:1,000* | – | ~1 day |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Qantas | 3:1 (5,000 bonus Qantas points for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred) | 3,000 | ~2 days |
| Accor Live Limitless | Qantas | 2,000:2,500 | – | Unknown |
| Barclaycard Arrival Plus | Qantas | 7,000:5,000 | – | Unknown |
| Brex Cash | Qantas | 3:2 | 500 | Immediate |
| Choice Privileges | Qantas | 1,000:400 | 2,000 | ~5 hours |
| Hilton Honors | Qantas | 10,000:1,500 | – | Unknown |
| HSBC Rewards (US) | Qantas | 1,250:1,000 | – | Unknown |
| Hyatt (World of Hyatt) | Qantas | 1,250:600 (bonus for 50,000+ transfers) | 5,000 | Unknown |
| IHG One Rewards | Qantas | 10,000:2,000 | – | Unknown |
| Ramp Rewards | Qantas | 150:100 | – | Unknown |
*Citi 1:1 transfer ratio applies to select cards (e.g., Citi Strata Premier®, Citi Prestige®). Other cardholders may face a reduced 1,000:700 ratio.
Official Policy
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official Qantas Frequent Flyer documentation:
- Qantas Points Expiry (Look for sections related to points expiry or activity requirements)
Key Takeaways
- Qantas points remain valid as long as you earn or redeem at least once every 18 months.
- Both everyday activities (shopping, dining, fuel, credit card spending) and travel-related actions count.
- Transfers from most major programs, including Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Marriott, can quickly boost your balance.
- Family and business transfers do not reset expiration.
By keeping your account active with small transactions, you can protect your Qantas Frequent Flyer points indefinitely.
Disclaimer: Always use credit responsibly. Program terms and conditions, including exceptions for minors and Points Club members, can change. This guide is for informational purposes only. Verify details directly with Qantas.