Qantas Status Credits are the key to unlocking higher membership levels such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum, as well as additional perks, including a higher Qantas Points earn rate for flights, upgrade priority, access to airport lounges, more generous baggage allowance, priority check-in, and more.
Status Credits are mostly earned by flying with Qantas or one of its partner airlines. However, they can also be earned as a bonus with a credit card offer and, occasionally, with limited-time offers.
Benefits of Qantas Status Credits credit cards
The primary benefit of a Qantas credit card with Status Credits is obvious: they can boost your Status Credits relatively quickly. But the benefits don't stop there.
- Bonus Qantas Status Credits. Some cards may offer bonus Status Credits as part of a sign-up bonus, while others may earn them when paying for flights with the card. This can help you reach a higher frequent flyer status faster and, importantly, stay there.
- Earn Qantas Points. It's practically taken as granted for a credit card with Qantas Status Credits to earn Qantas Points for every dollar spent.
- Travel perks. In addition to the perks of having higher Qantas Status, some cards offer airport lounge access, travel credits, concierge services, etc.
How to choose a credit card for bonus Qantas Status Credits
When comparing Qantas credit cards, it's important to consider the following factors.
- When the bonus Status Credits are triggered. Some cards may offer bonus Status Credits as part of a sign up bonus, while others may earn them when paying for flights with the card.
- Spending requirements. Any credit card bonus comes with strings attached, typically in the form of a spending target. Check you can hit it before signing up.
- Eligibility. Status Credits are more scarce than Qantas Points, so it follows that it's harder to get a credit card with a Status Credits bonus. They typically require excellent credit, higher than average income, and may be limited to new customers only.
FAQs
Do Qantas Status Credits expire?
Yes, Qantas Status Credits reset at the start of your membership year.
What's the fastest way to earn more Qantas Status Credits?
Bonus Status Credits as part of a credit card sign-up bonus can be earned quickly if you meet the spending requirements. Earning Status Credits through spending on Qantas flights with a card can also be a fast way to earn them. Keep an eye out for other ways to earn Status Credits that may be available intermittently.
Is it possible to earn Qantas Status Credits, without flying, using a credit card?
Yes. There are two ways to earn Qantas Status Credits with a credit card: hitting the spending target and triggering the sign up bonus or using your card to buy Qantas flights. It's unlikely for one card to offer both.
Do Qantas Status Credits expire?
Qantas Status Credits, including those earned using a credit card, have an expiry date because your Status Credits balance is reset to zero at the beginning of each membership year. So any Status Credits you earn will only count towards a membership level upgrade for a limited period.
That is, you will normally be required to earn a target number of Status Credits within a given period to progress to the next membership level, for example, 300 Status Credits in 12 months to progress from Qantas Bronze to Qantas Silver. If you do not earn the target number of Status Credits within the membership year, the credits will expire and will no longer contribute to your potential membership level upgrade, or current membership level retention.
What are Lifetime Status Credits?
Although Status Credits expire, the airline will normally keep a record of how many Status Credits you have earned in total, so that if you reach a specified large number of Status Credits, you will retain your higher membership level permanently, without having to take the required number of status-earning flights each year.
Even though they expire, Status Credits earned with a credit card will usually count towards your lifetime status.
Can credit cards earn Qantas Points and Status Credits at the same time?
Yes. Status Credits are earned in addition to Qantas Points.
