In 2025, Qantas climbed the global rankings for airline loyalty programs, yet it still trails key rivals due to recent devaluations of its points. The airline now ranks 17th according to a new study by Point.me, a US-based travel rewards platform, coming in behind leaders such as Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer and Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles.
The Point.me study evaluated 22 million travel reward searches. While Flying Blue, the joint program of Air France and KLM, secured the top spot, Qantas was noted for improvements in customer service, helped by increased investments in support staff and shorter call wait times. Despite rising from a 24th-place finish last year, Qantas still performs poorly in areas like point redemption, especially for premium cabins.
Over the last six months, Qantas has increased the number of points required for Classic Plus premium seats by 18% and raised the cost of Classic Reward seats, the airline’s more affordable tier, by between 5% and 20%. These were Qantas' first pricing increases in six years. Meanwhile, competitors such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific have adjusted point rates more frequently. Virgin Australia, which concentrates on domestic services, was not included in the rankings.
Qantas highlights record bookings among frequent flyers and claims improved access to partner airline reward seats. However, everyday travellers often face difficulties. The most affordable reward seats can be hard to secure and many members encounter dynamic pricing rather than consistent low-cost options. In comparison, programs like Qatar Airways and British Airways use the popular Avios system, providing better value even on Qantas-operated flights.
These developments are part of Qantas’ broader plan to strengthen customer loyalty. However, its smaller international network limits flexibility compared to global airlines. This limitation may continue to affect the overall value members receive for their points.
