Qantas has announced the biggest shake-up to its Frequent Flyer programme since the programme launched, introducing new ways to earn Status Credits on the ground, the ability to roll unused credits over to the following year, and simplified tier requirements across the board.
The changes follow feedback from thousands of members and will be rolled out progressively from late 2026 into 2027.
What’s Actually Changing
The headline additions are two features that have never existed in the programme’s nearly 40-year history: earning Status Credits without flying, and carrying unused Status Credits into the next membership year.
From later in 2026, all members will be able to earn up to 140 additional Status Credits annually across ten everyday spending categories, including credit cards, retail partners, and utility providers. A trial of this in 2025 reportedly broke member engagement records. Importantly, these ground-earned credits will also count towards Lifetime tier balances.
Status Credit rollover will also launch later in 2026, allowing tiered members to carry forward up to 50 per cent of their unused credits. The rollover is capped by tier: 100 credits for Silver, 350 for Gold, and 500 for Platinum.
Lifetime Gold members get a notable new pathway, too. For every 10,000 Status Credits earned beyond the Lifetime Gold threshold, members will receive a complimentary year of Platinum status, bankable up to five years and activated at a time of their choosing. This launches in 2027.
On the simplification front, Points Club and Green Tier will both be retired from late 2026, removing overlapping sub-programmes that added complexity without clear benefit to most members. The programme will also move to a single Status Credit target per tier in 2027, eliminating the separate attain and retain thresholds.
Silver members benefit from an extra lounge invitation each membership year, and new on-the-ground vouchers and discounts will be available for all tiered members at Silver and above.
Finally, a new reward seat search tool launches next month, giving members the ability to search Classic Reward seat availability across Qantas and 30 partner airlines over a 12-month booking window.
Before and After: Key Programme Changes at a Glance
| Feature | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Status Credit earning | Flying only | Flying + up to 140 credits/year from everyday ground spending (from late 2026) |
| Status Credit rollover | Credits reset each year | Roll over up to 50% of unused credits (capped: Silver 100, Gold 350, Platinum 500) from late 2026 |
| Tier targets | Separate attain and retain thresholds (e.g. Gold: 700 attain / 600 retain) | Single target per tier (e.g. Gold: 700) from 2027 |
| Lifetime Gold pathway | No structured pathway to Platinum recognition | Every 10,000 SCs beyond Lifetime Gold threshold earns a bankable Platinum year (up to 5) from 2027 |
| Silver lounge invitations | Existing allocation | One additional lounge invitation per membership year from 2027 |
| Tier vouchers/discounts | Not available | New on-the-ground vouchers and discounts for Silver and above from 2027 |
| Points Club | Active sub-programme | Retired from late 2026 |
| Green Tier | Active sub-programme | Retired from late 2026; sustainable travel rewards to be reconsidered |
| Reward seat search | No dedicated search tool | New tool across Qantas + 30 partners, 12-month window launching next month |
| Lifetime Status Credits | Flying only counted | Ground-earned Status Credits now count towards Lifetime balances from late 2026 |
Note: For a full tier-by-tier breakdown of how these changes affect Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One members specifically, we’ll publish a dedicated status guide as full details are confirmed ahead of each launch date.
When Does It All Happen?
The rollout is staged across two years. Ground earning and rollover both land in late 2026, alongside the retirement of Points Club and Green Tier. The new reward seat search tool is the most immediate change, arriving next month. Lifetime milestone changes, single tier targets, and enhanced Silver benefits follow in 2027.
For members sitting in the 600-699 Status Credit zone who have historically retained Gold, the shift to a single 700-credit target will be worth watching closely as the 2027 date approaches.