Qantas: new booking flexibility for existing an new flights

Introduction

Airlines are doing their darndest to provide flexibility to travellers during this coronavirus crisis. Qantas and Jetstar are finally catching up with USA and other international airlines in offering flexibility in current and future bookings. With the Prime Minister (Scott Morrison) sentencing all visitors entering Australia from midnight tonight (15 March 2020) to a 14 day period of self-isolation, Qantas needed to get on the front foot with this.

Travel Credits

Qantas and Jetstar customers who want or need to change their travel plans because of Coronavirus, whether they be domestic or international flights, can now do so without being charged a change fee. This applies to any domestic or international flight booked up until 31 May. The value of the booking will be retained as a travel credit voucher. You can read the Media Release here.

You must change or cancel the flight by 31 March 202 to gain the travel voucher.

Travel vouchers can be used on any domestic or international flights, and Qantas and Jetstar will not charge a change fee.

Credit voucher lasts 12 months for Qantas, 6 months for Jetstar

However there are different redemption periods for Qantas and Jetstar customers. If your booking is with Qantas, you have up to 12 months to redeem. For Jetstar, sorry, only 6 months to redeem, and it has to be for one booking only, but the actual travel can be up to 12 months of the new booking date. So I think that means you have to redeem the ticket within 6 months of today, and once you redeem, your actual flight can be within 12 months of the redemption date.

Frequent Flyer Classic redemptions – fees waived

If you have a Classic Rewards flight redemption on Qantas or Jetstar or a partner airline and you don’t want to travel on that booking, then they will waive the change fees, which for Qantas are usually 5,000 points.

New Bookings

Previously, Qantas (as of 10 March) was waiving change fees, but they are now changing their policy on this with new bookings. Now if you make a new domestic or international booking and then wish to cancel, then you will retain the value of the booking as a travel credit or Jetstar travel voucher. This is for bookings made between 10 and 31 March 2020 for travel up to 31 May 2020.

2PAXfly Takeout

Well, that will save me a call and a very long wait on Qantas Premium helpline. I wasn’t looking forward to making that call on Monday to see what was possible with my Classic Rewards booking to Bali. Now I will just need to call about my June booking on a partner airline. Or maybe just wait until they know more, and extend the fee waiver through until June 30!