Now is your chance to get that annual leave approved, with Qantas today launching its latest ‘International Red Tail’ sale. Discounted flights to Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Honolulu, and other USA destinations are on offer from as little as $1,099 return.
This is also good news for Qantas Frequent Flyers, with the newly introduced Classic Plus Rewards becoming cheaper than a standard Classic Flight Reward in Economy. Although, if you prefer to fly in Premium Economy or Business Class, a Classic Plus redemption will still cost more, even with lead-in sale fares.
Qantas’ sale comes after a week of negative press for the national carrier, which copped a $100-million fine yesterday for selling already cancelled flights. That was less than a week after a Qantas App data breach allowed customers to view the personal details of other passengers, including names, boarding passes and frequent flyer details.
It’s all good news today though, as the ‘We’re Sorry’ sale drops more than 200,000 discounted fares to North America. Those sale fares are already live and can be booked directly on the Qantas website until 11.59 pm AEDT on 13 May 2024, for travel between May 2024 and April 2025. Blackout dates vary by route.
Qantas’ Red Tail Sale – Economy
In some cases, it is possible to redeem points for an Economy Classic Plus Reward at a lower rate than the standard Economy Classic Reward. Of course, with the cost of Classic Plus, this depends if you can still find a sale fare.
| Cash Sale Fare (return) | Classic Plus (sale fares, return) | |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane to Honolulu | $1,099 | 66,700 points + $432 |
| Melbourne to San Francisco | $1,199 | 81,200 points + $38 |
| Sydney to Los Angeles | $1,199 | 82,700 points + $372 |
| Sydney to New York | $1,749 | 126,700 points + $482 |
| Melbourne to New York | $1,749 | 128,800 points +$461 |
As an example, Melbourne to San Francisco can be had for 38,900 points one-way with Classic Plus thanks to this sale. As a Classic Reward, that same flight would normally require 41,900 points. Both rewards require the same $265 cash payment to cover the taxes.
Qantas’ Red Tail Sale – Premium Economy
Even with this sale, no Premium Economy Classic Plus Rewards are cheaper than the standard Classic Reward. The good news is that some routes won’t cost too much extra.
| Cash Sale Fare (return) | Classic Plus (sale fares, return) | |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane to Honolulu | $2,699 | 140,500 points + $592 |
| Melbourne to San Francisco | $3,199 | 176,800 points + $547 |
| Sydney to Los Angeles | $3,199 | 177,800 points +$532 |
| Sydney to New York | $4,199 | 235,800 points + $662 |
Qantas’ Red Tail Sale – Business
As you might expect, Business Classic Plus is way more expensive than Classic Rewards, even with cash fares on sale.
| Cash Sale Fare (return) | Classic Plus (sale fares, return) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney to Vancouver | $5,999 | 323,200 points + $1,152 |
| Brisbane to Honolulu | $6,099 | 323,800 points + $1,242 |
| Sydney to Dallas | $7,999 | 446,500 points + $1,302 |
| Melbourne to New York | $8,299 | 462,600 points + $1,361 |
