Information on Switching American Express Rewards Points to Qantas Frequent Flyer Miles
American Express Membership Rewards points can be a valuable asset for travel enthusiasts, especially when it comes to booking flights on Qantas and its partner airlines. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make the most of your points.
Transfer Ratio and Speed
Transfer your AmEx points to Qantas Frequent Flyer at a 1:1 ratio. The transfers are generally instant or very fast, making it convenient to book award seats as they become available.
Redeem on Qantas Flights
You can use the accumulated Qantas points for flights within Australia and between Australia and New Zealand, where Qantas has a strong presence. For instance, Qantas partner low-cost airline Jetstar offers award flights starting at just 6,400 Qantas points, cheaper than Qantas flights which start at 8,000 points.
Redeem on Qantas Partner Airlines
Qantas partners include many airlines, expanding your travel options. Partners include Oneworld members like American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and more, as well as others such as Air Niugini, Air North, Air Vanuatu, Fiji Airways, Malaysia Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, and S7 Airlines.
Access to Uncommon Destinations
By redeeming Qantas points on partners like Air Niugini, you can reach less common destinations such as Papua New Guinea.
Award Pricing Zones
Qantas uses distance-based zones for award redemptions. For example, a round-trip economy fare from the U.S. East Coast to Western Europe on American Airlines (a Qantas partner) can cost as low as about 40,600 Qantas points, which translates directly via your AmEx transfer.
Comparing Partner Programs
Since many Qantas partners are also AmEx transfer partners (e.g., British Airways Avios, Emirates Skywards, Iberia Plus), sometimes transferring points directly to these partner programs instead of Qantas can yield better value depending on your route and cabin class preferences.
Maximizing Value
Use AmEx Membership Rewards benefits such as the 35% points back on eligible first or business class flights, or promotions that give bonus points on flight bookings through AmEx Travel (up to $500,000 spend).
In conclusion, transferring your AmEx points to Qantas Frequent Flyer and then redeeming those points for award flights on Qantas or its many partners enables you to book near- and long-haul flights to both common and less typical destinations worldwide. Considering other partner programs and award availability can help optimize your points value for specific itineraries.
- Transferring your American Express Membership Rewards points to Qantas Frequent Flyer at a 1:1 ratio allows for instant or very fast transfers, providing a convenient method to book award seats as they become available.
- The accumulated Qantas points can be utilized for flights within Australia and between Australia and New Zealand, with Qantas partner low-cost airline Jetstar offering award flights starting at just 6,400 Qantas points, which is cheaper than Qantas flights starting at 8,000 points.
- Qantas partners include numerous airlines, expanding travel options and ranging from Oneworld members like American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and more, to others such as Air Niugini, Air North, Air Vanuatu, Fiji Airways, Malaysia Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, and S7 Airlines.
- By redeeming Qantas points on partners like Air Niugini, you can access less common destinations such as Papua New Guinea.
- Qantas uses distance-based zones for award redemptions, allowing for potential savings with a round-trip economy fare from the U.S. East Coast to Western Europe on American Airlines (a Qantas partner) costing as low as about 40,600 Qantas points, which is the equivalent of your AmEx transfer.
