Qantas is one of the only airlines to offer its frequent flyers a sustainable status, with the Green Tier introduced almost a year ago. The incentive aims to reward customers who make sustainable choices at home and during their travels, and sits alongside elite frequent flyer membership in the same way as Points Club.
Learn more about Qantas Green Tier here.
To achieve Qantas Green Tier status members must complete at least five sustainable activities across six categories – flying, travel, lifestyle, sustainable purchases, reducing impact, and giving back. Once unlocked, members will be rewarded with a choice of 10,000 Qantas Points, 50 Status Credits or an additional 3-tonne carbon offset. This selected benefit comes in addition to the rewards you would normally receive as part of your Qantas Frequent Flyer status or Points Club membership.
This guide focuses on achieving Qantas Green Tier in the cheapest way possible.
In this post:
1. Complete The Sustainability Quiz
The first leaf is the easiest to obtain. All you have to do is download the Qantas Wellbeing app and complete the two-minute sustainability quiz for free.
The quiz is found at the top of the ‘Challenges’ section and consists of nine questions on your individual impact on the environment. In addition to that coveted first leaf, you’ll receive 100 bonus Qantas Points for your efforts.
2. Offset Your Next Flight With Qantas
Step two is also fast and cheap. Like many airlines these days, Qantas offers its customers the option to pay for a carbon offset on their flight booking.
You can offset the carbon emissions on the payment page when booking a Qantas flight, or afterwards via the ‘Manage My Booking’ portal. The cost to fly carbon neutral varies by flight distance, with a short Sydney to Canberra hop offset with just 45 cents. Other domestic journeys will set you back a few dollars, while offsetting a long-haul international flight might cost upwards of $20.
As we want to achieve Qantas Green Tier cheaply, it’s best to offset your shortest flight. Members also earn 10 Qantas Points per dollar spent offsetting flights.
3. Make A Donation Using Qantas Points
Visit the Qantas Rewards Store and use your points to donate to at least one of the following charities;
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation
- Kimberley Land Council
- Ozharvest
- UNICEF
The process of donating via the Rewards Store is quick and easy, with a minimum of 3,200 points to cover a $25 contribution to your selected charity. There used to be an option to donate cash instead of points, but this appears to have been removed.
4. Offset Your Household Emissions
While you’re over at the Qantas Rewards Store, offset your home and car emissions to earn that fourth leaf. As each state and territory sources its power through different means, the cost to offset household emissions will vary by state. Thanks to its reliance on hydropower, Tasmania enjoys the cheapest offset rates, starting from $15 for a one person household without a car. Compare that same option to Victoria and you would pay $85.
Unless you like paying for Qantas’ tax benefits, it is irrelevant which state or territory you purchase an offset for, as is the number of people and cars. As long as you purchase at least one household offset, you’ll complete the sustainable lifestyle category.
Members will earn 10 Qantas Points per dollar spent offsetting their home and car.
5. Offset Your Wine Or Rewards Store Delivery
The fifth and final leaf is also easy to achieve, especially if you were already planning to make a purchase with Qantas Wine or via the Rewards Store. Simply upgrade your cart and pay $1 extra to make your delivery ‘climate positive’.
- Rewards Store: make delivery climate positive
- Qantas Wine: make delivery climate positive
Summing Up: My Take
That’s it! With just five easy steps, you can meet the requirements to unlock Qantas’ Green Tier and be on your way to selecting your reward. You will have to be patient though, as it can take around 21 days before Qantas prompts its members to decide between 10,000 Qantas Points, 50 Status Credits or an additional 3-tonne carbon offset.
We haven’t included the sixth category here, sustainable travel, as it’s the most expensive to unlock. Although, if you do find a deal at one of Qantas’ eco-accredited hotels, you’ll need to book a one-night minimum stay through Qantas Hotels to complete the sustainable travel category.
All in, someone who offsets a household in Tasmania could earn all five leaves and therefore be awarded Green Tier for 3,200 Qantas Points and just under $17.
