If you think you have to fly constantly to rack up hundreds of thousands of Qantas Points, think again. I'm living proof that with a little strategy and the right habits, you can build a serious Qantas Points balance—and redeem them for some amazing travel experiences—without being a frequent flyer.
Right now, I have more than 400,000 Qantas Points sitting in my account, and I’ve redeemed hundreds of thousands more for flights in both business and economy, across Australia and internationally. Here's a full breakdown of what I’ve redeemed so far and how I’ve done it.
My Qantas Points Portfolio
Past Redemptions:
- 2x return HKG–MEL in Qantas Business (2024)
- 3x one-way HBA–PER in Qantas Business (2024)
- 3x return PER–GET in Qantas Economy (2024)
- 1x one-way MEL–TPE in Qantas Economy (2024)
- 1x one-way KHH–HKG in Cathay Economy (2024)
- 1x one-way HKG–MEL in Qantas Economy (2024)
- 1x oneworld Classic Reward in Business Class on QF, BA, RJ, AY, and JL (2023)
- 1x one-way HND–HKG in Japan Airlines Premium Economy (2023)
Current Reward Tickets:
- 2x one-way HKG–JNB in Cathay Business (2025)
- 1x one-way HKG–MEL in Qantas Economy (2025)
How I Earn Qantas Points (Without Flying Much)
- 2x one-way HKG–JNB in Cathay Business (2025)
- 1x one-way HKG–MEL in Qantas Economy (2025)
How I Earn Qantas Points (Without Flying Much)
You don’t need to be a frequent flyer to build a points balance like mine. Most of my points have come from everyday life, not jet-setting. Here's how I do it:
1. Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to boost your balance. I’ve taken advantage of large bonus offers by applying for several Qantas-earning credit cards, including:
Each of these gave me at least 90,000 bonus Qantas Points just for meeting the minimum spend requirement.
⚠️ Important Warning: Don't overspend just for the sake of points. These offers only work in your favour if you pay your credit card off in full every month. High interest charges will easily outweigh the value of the points if you carry a balance.
2. Everyday Spending on Qantas Point-Earning Credit Cards
Once you have a Qantas point-earning card, use it for daily expenses—groceries, petrol, dining out, online shopping, and bills. It all adds up over time.
💳 Tip: Watch out for surcharges, especially with Amex. If the merchant fee is higher than the value of the points you’ll earn, you’re better off using a fee-free card.
3. Flying
This one’s obvious—but yes, you do earn points from flying. Booking directly with Qantas or its oneworld partners will net you points (and Status Credits), especially in premium or flexible fare classes. It's not the fastest way to earn—but it adds up if you're flying anyway.
4. Hotel Bookings
If you stay in hotels often, there are two great ways to earn big:
- Accor Live Limitless (ALL): When you link your Qantas Frequent Flyer and ALL accounts, you can earn 3 Qantas Points per A$1 spent on eligible bookings in Australia or across Asia Pacific.
- Qantas Hotels: Look out for 9 points per dollar bonus promotions. If you're a Points Club Plus member, your earn rate during these promos increases to 13.5 points per dollar (that's 1.5x the promo rate). Pay with a Qantas-earning credit card (excluding Amex) and you'll get 1 extra point per dollar on top.
🛏️ Stack your rewards: The Qantas Points you earn through Accor are on top of the usual ALL Reward Points you earn from your stay. So you get rewarded twice—once by Qantas and once by Accor!
🛎️ Stacking tip: Qantas Hotels during a 9x promo + Points Club Plus + Qantas Visa/Mastercard = up to 15.5 points per dollar earned. It's one of the most powerful earn combos out there.
💡 Value tip: Always compare the total price between Qantas Hotels and other booking sites or the hotel’s direct channel — sometimes Qantas Hotels can be more expensive. However, keep an eye out for luxury holiday packages on Qantas Hotels, as they often bundle excellent inclusions (like breakfast, wine, or late checkout) and can offer great overall value, especially when points are factored in.
5. Online Shopping via Qantas Shopping
Before you buy anything online, make sure you’ve got the Points Prompter installed. This browser extension alerts you when you're shopping at a Qantas-eligible store and ensures your purchases are tracked.
My go-to stores that offer bonus points include:
- Myer
- Dyson
- Apple
- The Iconic
- ...and many more
6. Qantas Wine (For Wine Drinkers)
If you enjoy a good drop, Qantas Wine is one of the most underrated ways to earn big points quickly. While the standard earn rate is 3 points per dollar, many wines and mixed cases come with massive bonus point offers—sometimes tens of thousands of points per order.
🍷 Only for wine lovers: If you're not into wine, this won’t be for you. But if you are, it’s a fun and rewarding way to stock your cellar and your points balance.
7. Transaction Accounts That Earn Qantas Points
Yes, you can earn Qantas Points just by keeping money in your savings account. I personally use:
- AMP Bank: Earn 1 Qantas Point for every $10 in your average monthly balance.
It’s passive, simple, and great if you prefer saving over spending.
💡 Tip: If you value a higher interest rate over points, a high-yield savings account might suit you better. You won’t earn Qantas Points, but you could earn more in cash returns—especially with rising interest rates.
8. Qantas Wellbeing App
Want to earn Qantas Points while you sleep or walk? The Qantas Wellbeing app lets you do exactly that. Just install it on your phone and you can earn points for:
- Walking daily (while carrying your phone)
- Sleeping on time
- Meeting weekly activity goals
🚶♂️💤 Tip: Make sure background tracking is enabled so it captures your steps and sleep patterns accurately.
9. Partner Points Transfers (e.g., Woolworths, Uber, HelloFresh, Hubbl, BP)
If you're doing your grocery shopping at Woolworths, you can make every penny count by linking your Woolworths Everyday Rewards card to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account. For every A$1 you spend on eligible products at Woolworths, you’ll earn Qantas Points. It's a small but easy way to add to your balance with your regular shopping.
💡 Pro tip: Keep an eye out for special bonus point promotions at Woolworths—sometimes, you’ll see offers that give you extra points for specific purchases or categories, like 5x or even 10x points. If you’re doing regular grocery runs, this can add up fast!
But the real game changer is using the gift card bonus points promotion. This advanced strategy involves purchasing gift cards from Woolworths during a bonus points offer. These bonus point promotions often boost your points for buying gift cards to various merchants (like shopping, restaurants, or entertainment). Once you've accumulated the bonus points from your gift card purchase, you can use those gift cards to pay for goods or services at your target merchants.
🛍️ Advanced tip: Use gift cards for big-ticket purchases or everyday transactions, and still earn bonus points without directly spending cash at the target merchant. This is a powerful way to multiply your Qantas Points without extra effort!
Additional Qantas Points partners include:
- Uber: Link your Qantas account with Uber to earn points for your rides.
- HelloFresh: Earn points with every HelloFresh subscription through their Qantas partnership.
- Hubbl: Earn Qantas Points by subscribing to services like BINGE, Kayo Sports, and other streaming services available through the Hubbl platform.
- BP: Earn Qantas Points when fueling up or making purchases at participating BP stations.
By leveraging these partnerships, you can accumulate points with your everyday spending and activities, turning regular expenses into valuable rewards that bring you closer to your next flight or upgrade!
The Bottom Line
Building my Qantas Points fortune has been a result of a mix of smart spending, leveraging passive earn strategies, and a few high-value redemptions. You don’t need to be flying constantly or spending excessively to maximize the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. What you do need is a solid strategy, consistency, and a bit of patience.
If you’re just starting out or looking to take your points game to the next level, follow these steps—and soon, you could be redeeming business class flights around the world, just like I have.
Disclaimer: The content in this blog is based on my personal experience and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Please consider your own financial situation and consult a licensed financial advisor before making decisions about credit cards, bank accounts, or other financial products. I do not earn any commission or receive any compensation from any of the links above unless otherwise specified.
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