The Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Status Runs For 2023

If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer member hopefully you already know about the current double status credit promotion. Whether you are just short of reaching your next membership tier or want to make the most of Qantas’ double status credit offer, you might be considering a status run.

Even when Qantas isn’t offering a double status credit promotion, a status run can still be an effective way to earn enough status credits to earn or retain elite frequent flyer perks. To earn or renew Qantas Frequent Flyer status, you’ll need to fly on at least 4 eligible Qantas or Jetstar operated flights and earn a minimum number of status credits during your membership year. Before you make a booking, keep the following criteria in mind;

• Silver: 300sc to earn or 250sc to retain
• Gold: 700sc to earn or 600sc to retain
• Platinum: 1,400sc to earn or 1,200sc to retain
• Platinum One: 3,600sc to earn and retain (at least 2,700sc from QF tickets)

Also remember that Qantas is still offering status extensions until June 2023, one of the few good things to befall the travel industry in recent years. Up until this time, the majority of Qantas Frequent Flyer members are also benefiting from status credit rollovers. However, if your membership year ends from July 2023 onwards, or you want to attain a higher tier, you will need to earn the required status credits.

Want to know how many status credits a particular flight will get you? Check out the Qantas Points Calculators here.

What Is A Status Run?

A status run entails booking a trip that earns a high number of status credits at a reasonable price. Those who book status runs will often fly to their destination and back within the day to minimise costs. But a status run can be even more lucrative when worked into your existing travel plans, or when planning a gettaway.

Maximise Your Qantas Status Run

Generally, the best value status runs involve finding cheap Business Class fares, as the status earn is much greater as a proportion of the fare. As an added bonus, you will enjoy greater comfort on your journey.

Unfortunately, the cost of Qantas flights has skyrocketed in recent years, despite the airline suggesting otherwise. This means status runs aren’t as good as they once were, but if you do your research, it isn’t that hard to find a good deal.

• Here are our top tips at a glance for maximising Status Credits.
• Aim to book Business Class fares
• Qantas-operated flights generally earn the most status credits
• Aim for as multiple connections, as status credits are earnt per sector
• Keep an eye on multi-leg journeys departing/arriving in smaller towns
• Consider purchasing a “comfort seat” (typically for plus-sized travellers) over the phone to score a second set of Status Credits. You’ll pay the same base fare, minus fees and taxes.

Top 5 Qantas Status Runs

Without further delay, here are some of the best Qantas Frequent Flyer status runs available in 2023. Of course, it is best if you can find a cheap status run departing your local airport, to avoid the need to position for your run.

1. Qantas Business Class To New Zealand

Qantas offers reasonably-priced Business fares on trans-Tasman routes, earning 80 status credits in each direction. Aim to add a domestic connection where possible to earn even more status credits.

For example, if you flew Gold Coast-Melbourne-Auckland, you would earn 140 status credits one-way on a Business Sale Fare. For a return journey during a double status credit promotion, you’d be looking at 560 status credits for around $1,300. This means you are paying $2.32 per status credit, a pretty good deal in our books.

2. Adding A Max Bundle To Jetstar Domestic Flights

Jetstar’s Max Bundles come with a range of benefits, but what we are interested in is earning Qantas status credits at the higher “Flexible Economy” rate. It costs $85 to add a Max Bundle to most Jetstar domestic flights, and when compared to the flexible rate on a Qantas-operated flight, Jetstar pricing will regularly come out on top. Clearly, the aim here is to add a status-earning bundle to a cheap base fare, for maximum value.

For example, if you flew Melbourne to Brisbane return, you would earn 30 status credits one-way after adding a Max Bundle. For a return journey, you’d be looking at 60 status credits for around $348. That’s decent value at a $5.80 cost per status credit.

In addition, Jetstar’s Max Bundle offers a flexible fare, inflight meal deal, 30kg checked luggage and the ability to avoid cramped legroom by selecting any seat on the plane. All up, that makes for a pretty comfortable ride.

3. Qantas Domestic Multi-Stop

Most of the time, Qantas domestic economy flights aren’t good earners when you consider the cost of flights compared to the status credits received in return. Just like in the above examples, the cost of Qantas flights is at an all-time high, even in economy. However, there are some occasions where you could get some reasonable value, especially during sales.

Because status credits are earnt for each individual flight, booking a multi-stop itinerary can help boost your balance. Routes from Tasmania to smaller towns in Queensland can often work well, for example, the insane eight-leg return trip from Hobart to Mackay, stopping in Melbourne, Brisbane and Rockhampton. For the return booking, you would earn 90 status credits for about $899, or 180 when there is a double status credit promotion.

4. Domestic First Class With American Airlines

Many frequent travellers will know that the domestic first class service on US airlines is often not that great. Although products are similar to Australian domestic business, the lounge access and onboard service is somehow worse.

On the flip side, domestic first class tickets on Oneworld members including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are comparatively cheap, and in addition, earn Qantas points and status credits at Business Class rates.

As we have mentioned above, the trick here is again to look for multi-stop itineraries with a OneWorld airline, on routes that are served non-stop by competing airlines. Here, the OneWorld carrier aims to compete with the direct service, resulting in cheaper multi-stop fares.

Note that American Airlines usually allows for a maximum of two stopovers on one-way domestic tickets within the United States, but we can still work within this. For example, you could earn 200 Qantas status credits on a journey from Los Angeles to Seattle via Dallas in American first class.

Qantas offers status credits for first class flights within the USA as below;

• Up to 750 miles: 40sc
• 751-1,500 miles: 60sc
• 1,501-2,500 miles: 80sc

From here, there are some specific routes that at a set higher earn rate, such as trans-continental services.

5. Jetstar Business Class To Asia

As you might expect, Jetstar Business Class can be quite affordable. While the actual product is much closer to a premium economy with other airlines, still expect a meal, checked baggage and priority service.

You can earn Qantas Status Credits at the “Business” rate when paying around $220 extra for a Business Max fare. Most Jetstar routes between Asia and Australia will earn 125 status credits one-way under this rate. For example, you could book one way from Seoul to Sydney for $1000 with a Jetstar Max bundle.

Earn Status Credits On Qantas Reward Seats

Most airlines do not offer status credits on reward seat bookings. But if you are a Qantas Points Club or Points Club Plus member, you can earn status credits on reward flights with a “QF” flight number. While you won’t earn as many status credits as a full cash fare, the benefit can be especially rewarding on multi-leg itineraries.

Before you ask, yes, if there’s a double status credit promotion running, the bonus also applies to Qantas reward bookings as a Points Club member.

Tip: Check out our guide to Qantas Points Club for more on this.

Earn Status Credits Without Flying

Without flying, you can select a reward of 50 status credits as a Loyalty Bonus each time you earn 500 status credits from Qantas or Jetstar flights during a single membership year. You can earn this up to 4 times per membership year.

Additionally, you can select to receive 50 status credits after unlocking Qantas Green Tier status. Check out our guide to Qantas Green Tier for more on this.