Frequent flyer overhaul: Why your ‘status’ now really matters

February 28, 2026 — 5:01am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Save this article for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

For most frequent flyers, the strategy is a straight-up “earn then burn” play for points. Indeed, you may be purely focused on getting that number up – so you can get up in the air. And every time you do so in business class, it’s a sweeter win.

But I have to say, I’ve recently bought into all the fuss about so-called status, those gold, silver, and platinum-level benefits. If frequent flying is a game, and many aficionados treat it thus, status is like getting overpowered.

So, it seems precisely timed for this personal revelation that Qantas has changed the status game rules. Let’s see if you too should care.

Status achieves some nice-to-haves but also potentially need-to-haves. On the nice-to-haves side, there are lounge passes – so think free food and drinks, a comfy place to wait for your plane, priority boarding. You might also get higher discounts with Qantas partners and seat upgrades on flights.

But on the possible need-to-have side is something that addresses one of the biggest bugbears people have about the Qantas reward scheme (and indeed many): the availability of seats.

What many people don’t realise is that a high status gives you the ability to get a rewards seat that doesn’t exist unlocked (on Qantas aircraft, not partners) – either........

© The Sydney Morning Herald