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Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity: How Australia's Airline Programs Work

By PointsExplainedLast reviewed

Join and complete your profile

Join the program and complete your account profile; Velocity, for example, requires a completed profile before it will credit card bonuses or transfers.

Link your card or transfer your points

Direct-earn cards credit points automatically; bank reward points must be transferred to a partner program on that program's terms.

Keep your account active

Earn or redeem at least once every 18 months for Qantas, and within 24 months of your last long term activity for Velocity.

Check the full cost of a reward

Before you book, compare the points plus taxes, fees and carrier charges with the cash price.

Read program emails

Both programs use website notices and emails to tell members about changes, so check them before you rely on an earn or redemption rate.

Where this comes from

Sources

The documents this guide relies on. If one has changed since we read it, the document is right and this guide is out of date.

  1. Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions (effective 27 August 2026)

    Clause 5.5 cancellation within two weeks and joining fee refund; 5.9 cancelling membership expires points; 9.1.4 no transfers to other parties' programs unless specified; 9.2.2-9.2.4 18-month expiry, 60-day notice, no re-credit; 11.1 family transfer rules; 12.2 taxes, fees and carrier charges on rewards; 3.1-3.3 right to change, notice periods and notice by email or website; 7.1(d)(vi) members must not sell or transfer Qantas Points except as expressly permitted.

    qantas.com · Accessed
  2. Qantas: Qantas Points expiry (Keep your account active)

    Must be a member to earn and redeem; joining fee may apply; earning with program partners counts towards activity; Classic Flight Rewards subject to capacity controls and limited availability.

    qantas.com · Accessed
  3. Qantas Cards and Banking: Get to know your Qantas Points earning credit card

    Linked Qantas Points earning credit cards credit points automatically, usually monthly.

    cardsandbanking.qantas.com · Accessed
  4. Velocity Frequent Flyer Membership Terms and Conditions (effective 17 August 2026)

    Completed profile needed for card bonuses and transfers; flight rewards offered by Virgin Australia and airline partners; eligible credit cardholder earn on flights from 2 April 2025; clause 3.4 expiry rules; Reward Seat limited availability and taxes, fees and carrier charges, payable by card or with Points (clause 4.2); points have no cash value; clause 1.3-1.4 changes, notice periods, and notice via website and email.

    velocityfrequentflyer.com · Accessed
  5. Velocity Frequent Flyer: Earning Points

    Transfer rewards points to Velocity from eligible partners including credit card partners; higher base earn for eligible credit cardholders on bookings from 2 April 2025.

    velocityfrequentflyer.com · Accessed
  6. ACCC: Customer loyalty schemes (consumer guidance)

    ACCC consumer advice: watch notices and emails about changes, check expiry, weigh whether points are the cheapest way to buy; separately, there may be extra fees when using points (e.g. to book a flight).

    accc.gov.au · Accessed
Questions

About this guide

How long do Qantas Points last?

They don't expire as long as you earn or redeem Qantas Points, or earn Status Credits, at least once every 18 months. Family transfers and transfers from Qantas Business Rewards don't count.

How long do Velocity Points last?

Your Points Expiry Date is 24 months (rounded to the end of the month) after your most recent long term activity, such as earning, redeeming or transferring points in, or one month after a short term activity if that's later.

Are reward flights free?

Not entirely. Qantas's terms say you must pay any other amounts quoted at booking, including taxes, fees and carrier charges, on top of the points. Velocity's terms say taxes, fees and carrier charges apply to Reward Seats, and you can pay them by card or cover them with Points.

Can I move points between Qantas and Velocity?

Qantas's terms say Qantas Points can't be transferred to programs run by other parties unless the Qantas website says otherwise. If your points sit in a bank rewards program, check that program's terms to see which airline programs it can transfer to.
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