Why I’m Switching To Qantas Platinum In 2025

Sipping champagne in the Qantas First Lounge—an ideal pre-flight routine for many, myself included. After years of chasing status with other airlines, 2025 is the year I finally go all-in on Qantas Platinum. But why make the switch? After weighing up the perks, challenges, and my own travel patterns, I’ve decided it’s time to see if loyalty to team kangaroo is worth it.

Why Oneworld Emerald Status Matters to Me

When it comes to airline status, Oneworld Emerald is my favourite and the only status tier I go (slightly) out of my way to chase. Across most programs, Emerald corresponds to “Platinum,” except in a few cases like British Airways, where it's called “Gold.”

Back in 2019, I crunched the numbers and realised that achieving British Airways Executive Club Gold was actually easier than reaching Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum. Then, you-know-what happened, and status tiers were extended for years. Around the same time, Qatar Airways launched an extremely generous status match offer—and naturally, I took full advantage of it!

Since then, I’ve maintained Qatar Airways Platinum, but it’s been a constant grind. Last year, I barely scraped over the line. Come March 2025, I’ll lose my treasured Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum status, and rather than scrambling to requalify, I’ve decided to switch gears. Conveniently, that date aligns with my Qantas Frequent Flyer membership year, so I figured, why not give Qantas a shot?

What’s So Great About Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum?

Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum is, objectively, an excellent status tier. The airline itself is superior in almost every way compared to Qantas, and its loyalty program delivers fantastic value. For example, saver award business class fares between Australia and Europe cost just 90,000 Avios—an incredible deal.

On top of that, Qatar Airways Platinum status offers a 5% discount on award redemptions, making those already-attractive business class rates even cheaper. Since Qatar Airways Avios is an Amex transfer partner, earning and burning points is seamless.

Another standout perk is Al Safwa First Lounge access when flying business class, along with an exclusive arrivals and transfer service. This means you can request an escort from the plane to the lounge or through immigration, which, while not essential, adds a nice touch of exclusivity.

Perhaps the most unique benefit is the Qcredits upgrade—Platinum members receive enough Qcredits each year to upgrade an economy ticket to business class from Australia to Europe (one way). This has been fantastic for me, allowing me to upgrade family members annually.

Why Qantas?

For starters, achieving Qantas Platinum is far easier than maintaining Qatar Airways Platinum—especially with Qantas’ Double Status Credit (DSC) promotions that run from time to time. Last year, I strategically booked flights to New Zealand during a DSC promo, which should catapult me to Gold in one go. On top of that, I have several Oneworld business class fares booked with Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Finnair, and Malaysia Airlines, all of which will easily push me over the 1,200 Status Credits required for Qantas Platinum. Those same flights would only net me 322 Qatar Airways Qpoints when the requirement for Platinum is 540 in 12 months or 1080 in 24 months.

What Does It Take to Earn Qantas Platinum?

Qantas Platinum requires 1,200 Status Credits within a membership year. The easiest way to rack up these credits is by flying business or first class on Qantas or partner airlines. Economy fares earn far fewer credits, so chasing status purely on budget tickets can be a challenge.

Fortunately, Double Status Credit promotions provide an excellent shortcut—by booking during one of these promos, you can halve the number of flights needed. There are other ways you can earn status credits on the ground, for example achieving Qantas Green Tier you can opt for a 50 status credit reward. Additionally, Qantas Points Club Plus members have the option to rollover 100 status credits each year.

Qantas also offers loyalty bonuses while you climb the ranks so you could opt to earn 50 status credits after achieving 500 status credits onboard Qantas or Jetstar metal or 8,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.

Benefits of Qantas Platinum

Qantas Platinum comes with an impressive range of perks, making it one of the most valuable airline status tiers for frequent travellers. Here are the key benefits:

• Qantas First Lounge Access – Enjoy access to Qantas First Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, and other key locations, providing premium dining, spa treatments, and a relaxed pre-flight experience.
• Domestic Business Lounge Access – Bypass the Qantas Club and instead access the domestic business lounges when flying economy.
• Oneworld Emerald Benefits – As a top-tier Oneworld elite, you’ll receive priority check-in, security screening, boarding, and baggage handling on all Oneworld carriers.
• Increased Classic Reward Seat Availability – Platinum members get access to a greater pool of award seats, making it easier to redeem Qantas Points for flights.
• Higher Earning Rates – Earn a 100% bonus on Qantas Points when flying with Qantas and select partners, accelerating your ability to book reward flights.
• Complimentary Upgrades – Enjoy the ability to request Classic Upgrade Rewards to business or first class when using Qantas Points.
• Extra Checked Baggage – Benefit from increased baggage allowances, ensuring you can travel with everything you need.
• Premium Call Centre Service – Get priority service when calling Qantas for assistance, making it easier to change flights and manage bookings.

Is Qantas Platinum Worth It?

I don’t actually fly Qantas that often, nor do I aggressively chase Classic Reward seats as soon as they become available for Qantas operated flights. However, Qantas First Lounge access is a huge draw, and as an Oneworld Emerald, that’s one of the main perks I’ll enjoy.

Beyond that, I book the class of travel I truly want, so I don’t stress about upgrades (which are prioritised for Qantas Platinum Members). However, I am keen to test Qantas’ Classic Rewards seat unlock feature, given that Qantas Classic Rewards have been somewhat of a rarity lately, since many people now appear to be content redeeming their points at inflated rates through Qantas Classic Plus. The ability to open up Classic Rewards is something I’m keen to try out.

Why Not Just Stick with Qantas Gold?

Oneworld Sapphire (Qantas Gold) is useful, but it doesn’t excite me. Nearly all of my long-haul travel is in business class, so Gold’s biggest benefits—priority boarding, extra baggage, and lounge access—don’t add much for me.

This might sound pretentious but I rarely, if ever, pay full price for business class fares. Instead, I use a mix of airline sales out of cheaper hubs, mistake fares, and well-timed reward bookings to make premium travel affordable. By leveraging frequent flyer points, elite status perks, and partner airline sweet spots, I often fly business class for the same price many people pay for economy.

That said, for corporate road warriors who frequently fly economy, Gold is an excellent tier. Priority check-in, baggage handling, and domestic lounge access are a lifesaver for those who spend more time in the air than on the ground.

My Roadmap to Qantas Platinum

Ironically, my first Qantas status-earning flight will be with their biggest rival—Qatar Airways. This will be followed by a few more strategic flights I’ve planned later in the year, all carefully designed to push me past the 1,200 Status Credit threshold.

Final Thoughts

I’m looking forward to testing Qantas Platinum and seeing how it stacks up against other Oneworld Emerald tiers. Will it be worth it? Will I end up flying Qantas more than I expected? Time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—I’ll be reporting back on my experience.

Have you considered making the switch to Qantas Platinum? Let me know your thoughts!