Qantas double Status Credits goes live - and now they count towards Lifetime Status

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

Qantas has backflipped on its original decision to disallow Status Credits earned during this campaign to count towards Lifetime Status. The Qantas website now states in its Frequently Asked Questions section that "bonus Status Credits will now count towards your Lifetime Status. This includes any bookings already made during the campaign period (28 August to 3 September 2025)."

EARLIER

It's the time of year all Qantas members look forward to: the Double Status Credits or Qantas Points offer. But this time, there's one big catch.

Until September 3, 2025, Qantas members who book any Qantas regional, domestic or international flight can choose to earn either double Status Credits or Qantas Points.

Double points can also be earned on Qantas Hotel and Holiday bookings during the same period.

But while Status Credits earned during previous campaigns have counted towards Lifetime Status, this time they won't.

iFLYflat Founder and CEO, Steve Hui, said Qantas has "deliberately made Lifetime Status one of the hardest goals to achieve".

"If double credits counted, too many members would accelerate into Lifetime Gold or Platinum - creating a long-term liability and crowding problem for Qantas," Mr Hui told Explore.

If you're planning to take advantage of the latest campaign, make sure you plan your route, dates and look at the fine print - as not all fare classes or partner flights qualify.

Mr Hui also advised double-checking your flights are booked and ticketed within the promo period; if you later change dates but keep the same booking reference (PRN), "you'll usually keep the double credits".

Most importantly, be clear on your trade-off and whether you plan to chase Points or Status and why.

"Is it worth spending extra thousands chasing status just to access lounge coffee that costs $5 outside? Do some sums to understand," Mr Hui said.

"The smarter play is to align these promotions with trips you already need to take - using them as a bonus, not a reason to fly. At the end of the day, this is just another marketing lever designed to drive sales."

Point Hacks Australia Senior Content Writer - Loyalty, Brandon Loo, said if you don't fly regularly, the Double Points offer might be better worth your time and points.

"At least you'll benefit from Qantas' recent increase in earning rates whenever you fly with them," he said.

And lastly, don't worry if you miss this offer, because Qantas typically hosts these campaigns a few times a year.

Qantas has announced that every Qantas Frequent Flyer who has engaged in the program in the last 18 months will be gifted bonus Status Credits, varying by tier, which will be automatically added to members' accounts in September.

"That looks like a mix of a 'thank you' for loyalty during record profits and perhaps a soft apology for the recent TWU legal fallout," Mr Hui said.

Regarding the Status Credits gift, Mr Loo said it was equivalent to around 13 per cent of the Status Credits needed to maintain Silver, Gold or Platinum status (8 per cent for Platinum One).

"As an example, a Gold member will receive 80 bonus Status Credits, equivalent to two return trips in Economy between Perth and Sydney," he said.

Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance said hundreds of thousands of members participated in the last offer in March 2025.

"This is one of our most highly anticipated offers of the year and a great way for members to unlock the travel benefits that they value most," Mr Glance said.

To take advantage of the campaign and boost those Credits or Points, members need to register for the offer via the Qantas App and then they can make unlimited bookings for travel between September 4, 2025 and August 22, 2026.