Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyer Guide

Benefits befitting the most serious and loyal Qantas passengers are reserved for those reaching and retaining Platinum status, irrespective of which cabin class your ticket is booked for.

Among these, access to first class lounges even when booked in economy, double points on eligible flights and a better shot at domestic and international awards and upgrades.

How to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum status

A Platinum card can be yours after earning 1,400 status credits in one membership year and retained in future years by earning at least 1,200 status credits thereafter.

Seriously loyal flyers will enjoy some fantastic benefits through Platinum status.

Flights taken on Qantas along with Oneworld partner airlines such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific count towards that tally, as do Jetstar flights that are eligible to earn frequent flyer points, flights with Fiji Airways, and also codeshare flights on Qantas’ partners such as Emirates, China Airlines and Canada’s WestJet.

But you can’t just fly on partner airlines. You’ll also need to take at least four flights with a Qantas QF code, or at least four points-earning flights on Jetstar, to reach or retain your Platinum status.

Some serious work is needed to hit Platinum for the first time. If you’re limited to domestic travel, you’ll need to chalk up a whopping 70 return trips between Sydney and either Melbourne or Brisbane (that’s more than one per week) on the cheaper economy fares. Flying business class means you’d only need to do this 18 times instead.

Jetting from Australia’s east coast to Asia and back – including to Singapore and Bangkok  – six round-trip business class trips will help you cross the 1,400 barrier, or a near-fortnightly round trip in economy.

You'd become very familiar with a Qantas Boeing 737 if aiming for Platinum status.

On longer flights, three return business class journeys from Sydney or Melbourne to London gets you that shiny Platinum card, as would 10 return economy flights on the same route.

For many years, Qantas offered a discretionary extension of Gold or Platinum status, but in late 2017 shifted to a 'paid retention' model under which frequent flyers who fell short of the annual status credits renewal target could use frequent flyer points to get across the line.

Executive Traveller readers reported benchmarks of around 80,000 Qantas Points for another year of Gold status, with the asking price for one more year of Platinum perks ranging from 100,000-120,000 Qantas Points.

We understand the paid retention offer is extended to members according to their long-term loyalty and activity, with the number of points required also based on their activity – which explains why it can vary from one frequent flyer to the next.

In any case, many credit cards include a sign-up bonus of around 100,000 Qantas points, which makes them a smart form of 'insurance' if you're currently tracking short of your Gold or Platinum goal.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum benefits

Platinum status with Qantas Frequent Flyer gives you all the benefits of Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers, as well as an array of exclusive benefits to sugar-coat your flights.

Lounge access for Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum members

Like Gold members, those with a Platinum card can stop by domestic Qantas Club lounges before their flight. You’ll find these Domestic Business Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth.

But unlike Gold, Platinum members can bring two adult guests in with them, compared to one guest with Gold. It’s a handy way to spend some more time with friends, family or colleagues before you travel as your lounge guests don’t need to be travelling with you.

With your newly-minted Platinum card, you can also stop by Qantas Domestic Business Lounges and Qantas Clubs after your flight lands – great for a quick cup of coffee or to get stuck into any pressing work matters.

When flying internationally, the superb Qantas First Lounges at Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore await you and a guest, as does the  Qantas international lounge in London, whether flying with Qantas, another Oneworld airline or even Jetstar.

In Los Angeles, Platinum members can score a free shirt pressing and shoe shine service, and can also jump the queue when waiting for the showers, although that perk is held for elite Platinum One flyers in Singapore.

American Airlines' Flagship Lounge in Los Angeles is available to Qantas Platinum cardholders.

Through Oneworld, your Qantas Platinum card also opens the door to the business and first class lounges of American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more, plus Emirates lounges whether travelling with Qantas or Emirates and the Fiji Airways Tabua Lounge at Nadi International Airport.

If you’re flying within the Oneworld family, use the alliance’s nifty lounge finder to see where you’ll be relaxing at the start of your next journey.

Checked baggage allowance for Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum

On Qantas and other selected airlines, the baggage allowances are as follows, based on airline, cabin class and destination:

Qantas domestic flights

• In economy: 2 x 32kg
• In business class: 3 x 32kg

Qantas and Emirates international flights

• To North and South America (all classes): One extra checked bag for economy and premium economy and two extra checked bags for business and first class travellers, with 32kg allowed in each bag.

• To all other destinations: The weight-based system applies, with Platinum cardholders allowed 50kgs in economy, 60kgs in premium economy and business and 70kgs for a first class ticket.

Platinum frequent flyers have generous baggage allowance across Oneworld member airlines.

International flights on Oneworld partner airlines

By virtue of holding Qantas Platinum status, you will also enjoy Oneworld Emerald benefits. This means that when flying with airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more, your baggage allowance will depend on where you’re travelling: 

For use on Australian domestic flights, Platinum frequent flyers also receive two free electronic Q Bag Tags to attach to their luggage, which can be used in lieu of a traditional paper baggage tag.

Take home double points on most Qantas flights

Double points are up for grabs when flying with Qantas, Jetstar and American Airlines – including eligible codeshare services booked through Qantas, Jetstar and AA with non-alliance partners such as Emirates.

Take home double Qantas Points on your next flight with Emirates.

There’s no difference when the Minimum Points Guarantee comes into play – so on short Sydney-Melbourne hops, you’ll still get 800 or 1,200 Qantas Points on your economy ticket – but on longer routes, there can be quite a difference.

Take Sydney-Perth, for example. While a Bronze member would get 4,400 Qantas Points at most from a return trip (and that’s on a flexible economy fare), a Platinum member would score up to 8,800 Qantas Points from the same flights: enough to book a one-way flight from Sydney to Melbourne. All from one return journey.

More perks for Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum

Platinum cards are encrusted with a Oneworld Emerald gemstone, which lets you side-step the queues by using the business and first class check-in lines across the Oneworld alliance and with Emirates, along with priority boarding whenever it’s available – including on Qantas domestic flights.

You’ll also be able to nab a spot closer to the front and in the extra-legroom exit rows on Qantas domestic flights, and on Qantas international flights.

The normal ‘seat selection fee’, which ranges from $15 for short range flights to $45 for longer ones, is waived for the Platinum member and their accompanying party.

Platinum members can breeze through security and boarding with priority access.

You can also brisk through Qantas’ domestic priority security screening lanes in selected airports, and will receive Express Path cards when flying abroad with Qantas and Emirates for use both on departure and on your return to Australia. 

However, express departure lanes at many Australian airports are being opened fleetingly due to a lack of staff available to manage them.

Flight upgrades, online award bookings for Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum

On domestic flights, Platinum members booked in economy can ask for an ‘on departure upgrade’ at the lounge service desk, which is great when travelling on a whim or where upgrades weren’t available online or over the phone.

Where upgrade requests to premium economy, business class and first class are placed in a queue, those from Platinum guests are processed after Platinum One members but before those holding Gold, Silver and Bronze frequent flyer cards.

On-departure upgrades are also at the bottom end of the processing queue, with Classic Upgrade Rewards taking priority over Bid Now Upgrades and if there are any seats left in premium economy, business or first (depending on which class is booked originally), Platinum flyers are well placed to pick up these.

When using points to simply book the flight, there are additional award seats available exclusively to Gold and Platinum members on selected services, so always remember to log into your Qantas Frequent Flyer account before searching for award flights via the Qantas website.

If you still can’t find anything suitable on the Qantas website, call the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre – it’s known that the staff may be able to help unlock seats for booking using points when you call, on a by-request basis.

Platinum members have a dedicated phone line to reach Qantas - an incredible time-saving perk.

In short: Platinum-grade frequent flyers have a better shot at scoring an upgrade or using their points to sit in business class than do frequent flyers at lower tiers. 

Qantas has a dedicated line devoted to serving Platinum-grade members. You can reach it by calling a Qantas call centre and pressing the prompt to go through to the Platinum line.

The operators at the Premium Desk tend to be more experienced than those of the general call centre, and can even assist with booking frequent flyer award seats on flights that only have cash fares available.

These requests are granted or declined at Qantas’ sole discretion, but there’s no harm done by asking the team nicely if an award seat can be booked on your preferred date.

On Qantas flights – particularly the longer treks across to Perth or when heading overseas – a member of the crew may also drop by your seat with selected goodies from business or even first class, such as amenity kits, noise-cancelling headphones or premium drinks (sometimes discreetly served in an economy-style cup).

Platinum members in economy class might get some of the business class perks due to their status.

Or, you may instead have the crew ask if they can “get you anything” when handing over your Express arrivals card. That’s your cue to ask with a smile for something from the pointy end without going overboard, such as “a nice glass of red” or “a little bubbly”.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum - FAQs

Does Qantas offer Lifetime Platinum?

Yes, Qantas currently offers Lifetime Silver, Gold and Platinum status, which can be achieved by obtaining 7,000, 14,000 and 75,000 Status Credits respectively. 

How long is my nominated person’s Gold membership valid for?

Your nominated person will be able to enjoy his or her Gold membership for as long as you remain a Platinum member. In the same way, their Gold status will automatically be extended once you have reached the required Status Credits to retain your Platinum membership

Are Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum members eligible for Qantas Loyalty Bonus?

As with Silver and Gold memberships, Platinum members are rewarded with either 8,000 bonus points or 50 Status Credits for every 500 Status Credits earned on eligible Qantas or Jetstar flights, up to a maximum of 32,000 per year.