During the pandemic, Qantas has issued more than AU$1.8 billion worth of travel credit and yet AU$600 million is still being unused by customers. Therefore, to encourage them to use the credit, the airline launched an offer last week.
Qantas COVID Travel Credits
The basis of the COVID travel credits was during the long excruciating pandemic, Qantas offered customers more flexibility for flight changes and credit redemptions. Each time a city or a country went into lockdown, the airline issued a great number of travel credits since travelers were unable to take planned trips.
Based on an analysis from Qantas, it is found that:
- Almost 900,000 customers still have COVID credits.
- Of those, $300 million of COVID credits are made up of bookings worth under $1000.
- 52% of COVID credits are worth between $100 and $499.
- 15% of COVID credits are worth between $1000 and $5000.
- 1% of COVID credits are worth over $5000.
This surely shows a large number of credits are still pending to be used.
Use Qantas Travel Credit & Earn Double Points
In order for travelers to utilize these credits, Qantas is currently reaching out to nearly 1 million of its customers with COVID travel credits which are left over from the pandemic, offering double points on eligible flights if booked before February 2023.
Since the COVID travel credits will expire by the end of 2023, the airline is encouraging customers by sending an email directly or through travel agents about how to access the double points offer.
The double points offer will be applid to the base rate of points earned from all domestic and international flights with a Qantas flight or Qantas issued codeshared flights booked before February 2023.
Here are some example how many points you will receive with the double points offer:
- A one-way flight from Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles (LAX) will earn 13,500 points (6,750 points initial)
- A one-way flight from Sydney (SYD) to London (LHR) will earn 18,600 points (9,300 points initial)
So if you book a round trip flight from Sydney to London, you will be close to redeeming a one-way economy class ticket from Australia to the US. You can check how many points you will earn here.
Summary
Qantas has been distributing COVID travel credit to travelers who were not able to travel due to lockdown. However, as the travel demand returned to pre-COVID level, it is offering double base points to members who book the flight with those leftover travel credits.
If you have one of these Qantas travel credit, you need to book your flight before Febrauay 2023 in order the receive double points.
