Book Business Class Tickets Using Qantas Points

honeylemon on 21/04/2026 - 23:27
Last edited 22/04/2026 - 09:41 by 1 other user

I have approximately 300,000 Qantas points currently and 200,000 more bonus points will be added next month. I would like to book business class flights for a family of 3, either one-way or return.

I have heard great reviews about Emirates Business Class on A380 plane, so would prefer to fly at least once.

Frequent Flyer Status - Bronze
Frequent Flyer Status Credits - 0
Travel Dates - Flexible, currently checking flights for Mar and Apr 2027.
Destination - I am flexible with the destination, Tokyo, Hanoi or Dubai. Open to any suggestions?

Note - I cannot seem to find any Emirates flights on Qantas rewards.

Example, I checked Syd to Tokyo in March 2027 for 1 adult shows as 260,000 points + $322 one way. That is a lot of points for just a one-way ticket I believe. I have seen people on here book tickets with less than 100,000 points. How does that work?

I need advice on the below: -

  1. Best routes for business class flights
  2. Best airlines for business class flights
  3. How many points needed per person for one-way or return travel?
  4. Should I just book economy and upgrade to Business class few days before travel? Does it mean less points used and how much difference?
  5. Is it even worth while collecting these points as I had to pay annual credit card fees to collect the points? Already spent $700 on credit card fees to collect these 500,000 points.

If nothing works, should I consider selling points for 1.3 cents per point, is that the ongoing rate?

Travel Frequent Flyer

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  • Hellfire on 22/04/2026 - 06:37
    +7

    Qantas have a new tool that makes it a little easier to find rewards flights

    https://flightrewardfinder.qantas.com/

    Emirates has gotten quite expensive for flight rewards so may not he the best use of points.

    To answer your questions

    1. Lower demand destinations that fly through partners hub are usually easier to find.

    2. Anything but jetstar.

    3. Use the tool to see. You aren't going to be able to go far on 3 return business reward tickets for your points.

    4. It's a big risk. Without status and needing 3 seats its unlikely you'll get an upgrade. Only full fare economy tickets are eligible for upgrades and are more expensive.

    5. Its great if you just need 1 or 2 tickets. Gets much harder to take a family.

    • Wiadro on 22/04/2026 - 08:22
      +2

      anytime i use that site and it refers me to the Qantas site to search i get

      Access Denied
      You don't have permission to access "http://book.qantas.com/qf-booking/dyn/air/tripflow.redirect" on this server.
      Reference #18.99464868.1776810097.1cb596a7

      https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.99464868.1776810097.1cb596a7

      • Hellfire on 22/04/2026 - 10:11

        Works for me but you can just use it to find the flights and then go to book normally.

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:37
      +1

      Thanks @Hellfire this tool is very useful.

      I checked one way flights from Delhi to Sydney via Dubai (next 3 months) and it costs
      167,000 points + $1,700 = $3,871 (1 point = 1.3 cents)

      However, directly from Emirates the same flight is approx $7,480.

      Difference/Benefit of $7,480 - $3,871 = $3,609

      Edit - Per Person

    • timhn on 22/04/2026 - 08:01

      Nice. Didn't know Qantas have provided such tool.

  • slknv on 22/04/2026 - 09:51
    +6

    If you're going to get around 500,000 points, that's a little slim to get 3 return J tickets to tokyo or dubai. I just did mel-narita for two people, 196800 + $637.

    Never use points plus pay (unless there's a super sale on where P+P is close to classic rewards rates)

    Emirates J is fantastic but their fees/charges/taxes are huge if redeeming with qantas points. Also getting a little old now; my recent favourite J products are finnair, malaysian, china eastern (though terrible food/entertainment but great hard product), and good ol'qantas is still pretty reliable.

    I never book economy and hope for a business upgrade - especially with no status you'll get nowhere. However I do often book economy classic rewards, then when a full business seat comes up I'll book that and cancel the economy seat.

    Don't be discouraged by having low status, in the last 18 months I've booked 16 business and first tickets using qantas points (classic rewards only), starting as a bronze FF then moved to silver.

    • HappyPants on 22/04/2026 - 12:03
      +1

      Good advice here in this post. As mentioned, don't be discouraged by having low status. Partner and I have always been Bronze, and yet have flown RTW business class twice on points a few years ago, using only classic rewards flights. (I think 280,000 points per passenger from memory, which was such great value)

      Absolutely DO need to look for flights 12 months in advance, and don't mess around booking them, if they are available, jump on them immediately. Of course there will be some major taxes and fees to pay, but its absolutely worth it if you can find seats.

      • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:45

        I have seen Emirates flights only 4-5 months in advance, anything later does not show any availability. I believe it will be worth it, taxes alone are close to $1,700 from Delhi to Sydney one-way.

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:44

      Thanks for sharing your experience.

      I find it rare to book flights using points + points.
      Most options I see is points + pay ($ in taxes).

      I will look to only book directly business class rather than trying my luck with upgrade.

  • Onemoredeal on 22/04/2026 - 06:38
    +3

    As well as the $700 in credit card fees you’ve already paid, even if you were lucky enough to get 3 x business class seats with no airline status, which is very unlikely, you’d be up for another $2-3k in taxes and surcharges on top of the points you spend (if you only used classic rewards)

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:39

      I can see up to 5 business class seats available on many flights using qantas points + paying taxes in dollars.

  • capslock on 22/04/2026 - 08:56
    +3

    You should be fine getting 3 business class seats Sydney to NZ. There is also good availability Sydney to Bangalore for 3 business class tickets but you will only have enough points for 1 way.

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:41

      Right approx 500k points needed for a family of 3 + Taxes of course in $

  • Xetrok on 22/04/2026 - 00:57
    +2

    https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/class…

    It's based on how far you travel between airports.
    Point upgrade requests aren't garunteed and not available with all paid ticket types.
    If you don't have status upgrades may not be fulfilled.
    For a family of 3 you'll want 600-950k points for business return to most decent places.
    Use something like seatsaero to look at what's available (availability sucks when you want it)
    https://seats.aero/qantas/departing/SYD?fullYear=true

    Alternatively you could look at selling your points on the forum for 1.3c per point ish ($6500)

    -

    When looking for business class flights look at combos flying through SIN / HKG / NAN / DXB for places like europe/america

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:33

      Thanks will look at it

  • sumyungguy on 22/04/2026 - 08:43
    +2

    Breaking news! Qantas doesn't allocate redemption seats in Business/First to churners; they reward customers according to their commercial value to the airline. Bronze churners who don't fly Qantas are pretty much unworthy of being upgraded or flying in premium cabins. Lower your aspiration and you'll find plenty of options in economy.

    • honeylemon on 28/04/2026 - 21:40

      Thanks for the information. However, economy isn't even worth it, I'd rather sell points than book economy. The taxes alone would get me a full ticket but on a different airline, which I don't mind when flying economy.

      • sumyungguy on 28/04/2026 - 22:43
        -1

        Solid plan; sell points, your account will get terminated and you can enjoy flying on airlines other than Qantas.

  • Autonomic on 22/04/2026 - 16:21
    +1

    Finding 3 seats is going to be very difficult. Maybe someone else can advise which Qantas partners actually release more than 2J seats per flight.

  • Cheapskate Paul on 22/04/2026 - 20:42
    +1

    Qantas FF has very good Classic Award availability for 3 people on Emirates A380, SYD-CHC (Christchurch, NZ) in business class. Cost for 3 people is 138,000 QFF points + around A$700 each way. Includes International Lounge Access.

  • Wiadro on 21/04/2026 - 23:47
    -2

    lol

    • Gunnar on 22/04/2026 - 08:19
      +3

      Frequent Flyer Status Credits - 0

      I think old mate may be in for some trouble

      • Bargainitis on 22/04/2026 - 09:02
        +2

        Sadly, this will be your biggest inhibitor. You will need status to get upgraded in biz, especially on popular routes.

        If you intend to use classic rewards, as one other poster had mentioned, you will be in for a treat on taxes and levies when you check out.

        may be better to sell them if you can.

  • jv on 22/04/2026 - 00:24
    -2

    Funny

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