Qantas: Loyalty extension. I get my Platinum status for another year

Introduction

I just received an email signed by Olivia Wirth, CEO Qantas loyalty. The email tells me that my Platinum Status will be extended for 12 months, due to the effects on my ability to earn status credits caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

It has been rumoured for a week or so, that Qantas would provide some kind of loyalty extension for its premium frequent flyers – and now it is confirmed.

Extensions for all

The email provides a link to a Status Extension page which advises that the extension applies to:

‘All Platinum One, Platinum, Gold and Silver Qantas Frequent Flyer members who have not earned the required Status Credits to retain in their own right.’

Qantas will progressively update frequent flyer accounts. The extension will be implemented in two phases – depending on when your membership year ends:

• between March and June 2020, it will be automatically extended by 27 March 2020
• between July 2020 and February 2021, it will be automatically extended by 9 April 2020

You can even get this extension if you have not flown the minimum 4 flights on Qantas group bookings.

‘Once Qantas has extended your status, you will receive a confirmation email sent to your preferred email address on your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. You will also then be able to view your new status expiry date on the digital card in the Qantas App‘

Don’t be greedy

If you have already, or will by the phased extension date, have earned your current or higher status for the year, then you don’t get the 12-month extension.

On the other hand, given we don’t know the length of the current crisis, and so we don’t know how long we won’t be flying and earning status credits, Qantas is reserving its options on providing even further support.

On the downside, if you booked a flight that would have gained you double status credits, as part of their recent promotion but have had to cancel or reschedule, then when you re-book, those double status credits won’t follow you.

However, there is further hope. The email promises that Qantas is looking at other non-flight ways to earn status credits, given that you probably won’t be flying as much as usual in the next few months.

In addition, while you’re spending less time in the air, we’ll be keeping Status Credits within reach through a series of new offers from our program partners. This will allow you to earn Status Credits across the Qantas Frequent Flyer program in addition to flying. You’ll be hearing about the first of these offers very soon.

Olivia Worth, CEO Loyalty, in frequent flyer email

Executive Traveller has already outlined some of the details of the newly proposed Qantas Points Club, so it will be interesting to see if that is the offer, or if it is something different.

More details

You can read the full details of the extension, and the ins and outs of individual cases, and when you will see your updated status on the loyalty extension page.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is a wise and excellent extension and one that I will personally benefit from. Up until the advent of the COViD-19 crisis, I had sufficient flights booked and planned, for me to retain Platinum status. With the flight cancellations forced on me by the ‘do not travel’ level 4 government advice, I don’t have a hope of retaining that status, without this extension.

It’s very easy to get used to the perks of loyalty, and if I continue to do the amount of travel I currently do, I would miss the little things, like the flight supervisor addressing me by name and asking me if they could get me something else, or having access to premium boarding, or being able to book the best seats on a flight, or access to the Qantas International First lounge, irrespective of my class of travel. I’m very grateful that I will get those perks for another year.

Now all I need you to do Qantas is to extend that ‘no cancellation fees’ and ‘travel credit’ provision to the end of June 2020, so I can cancel another trip without loss, and I will be a happy gay traveller.