If you're starting to get that itch to wander the world again, we've got excellent news: Qantas has announced a new incentive program to encourage people to use their COVID-era flight credits.

And with a whopping $400 million worth of credits to be claimed, your next adventure could be just around the corner!

Qantas issued a reminder to passengers to make use of their Covid credits. Image from Flickr

In March 2020, when Australia's borders were closed to keep us safe, Qantas Group issued most of its $2 billion worth of flight credits due to mass cancellations. As you can imagine, this has been quite a lot for the airline to manage.

But now that travel is slowly returning to normal, Qantas is taking several measures to make it easier for customers to use their Covid credits.

The airline has informed passengers with flight credits that they need to book a trip by the end of the year. And as an added incentive, Qantas is offering double Frequent Flyer points for those who book a flight using their Covid credit between now and July 31st.

Although, keep in mind that the trips can be taken until December next year.

So, if you've got somewhere exotic in mind, now's the perfect time to start planning!

To make things more straightforward, Qantas has introduced a new tool on their website called 'Find My Credit', which enables Qantas and Jetstar passengers to search for their Covid credits using their original booking reference.

Don't worry if your booking has been reissued or converted to a Qantas Pass—the tool can still help you out with redeeming your credit!

It's worth noting that most Covid credits are eligible for refunds. Image from Flickr

Qantas Group chief customer officer Markus Svensson acknowledged the challenges presented by the credit system but reassured passengers that improvements have been made along the way.

'We know the credits system has been challenging because of the sheer complexity of putting millions of bookings in a holding pattern for up to three years.' Mr Svensson said.

'We’ve made a number of improvements to our systems along the way, and that’s clear from the amount of credit that has already been claimed,' he added.

If you need clarification on travelling or prefer a refund, Qantas offers that option for most flyers. Contact the airline to inquire about converting your Covid credit into a refund.

Mr Svensson explains that they can't do this automatically, as credit cards used for the purchases may have expired since the pandemic.

Key Takeaways

• Qantas is reminding passengers with flight credits from the Covid era to use them before the deadline and has announced an incentive for prompt action.
• The airline has launched a new tool called 'Find My Credit' to make locating and redeeming flight credits easier for passengers.
• Qantas has extended the deadline for claiming credits and is now offering double Frequent Flyer points for those who book a flight using a Covid credit between now and July 31.
• Qantas recently announced a mega sale with more than one million discounted airfares across Australia and North America, and Covid credits can be used when booking these sale fares.

To make this deal even sweeter, Qantas announced a mega sale with over one million discounted airfares within Australia and North America! Fares include flights to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Vancouver, and Honolulu, with Covid credits applicable for these sale prices.

Some highlights of the sale include a return trip from Melbourne to Honolulu for only $999 and a Sydney to New York flight for $1799.

Domestic flights are also seeing discounts, starting at $99 for a one-way flight from Launceston to Melbourne. You can read more about it here.

So, fellow travel enthusiasts, it's time to put those flight credits to good use and plan the adventure of a lifetime!

What are your thoughts on Qantas' new incentive program? Are you considering using your COVID-era flight credits for your next adventure? Share your travel plans and experiences with us!

 

[maggiej]

According to an email I received late last year I had to use my credits by December 2022. As I had already tried booking a flight which had said nothing available on the days I suggested
I decided that I did not want to anywhere else,. Maybe now they will allow me to book a domestic flight but I am not holding much confidence on that happening.