Qantas Points & Car Hire: Your Road to Rewards

For millions of Qantas Frequent Flyers across the United Kingdom and beyond, the pursuit of points is a familiar journey, often culminating in dream flights or luxurious hotel stays. However, a significant new avenue has opened up, offering even greater flexibility and choice for your hard-earned Qantas Points: car hire. This exciting development means your points can now take you further, quite literally, by covering the cost of getting around on your next adventure.

Qantas has officially expanded its points redemption options to include car rentals, partnering with two of the world's leading car hire providers, Avis Car Rental and Budget Car Rental. This means members can now seamlessly book their vehicle through qantas.com, opting to use their Qantas Points instead of cash for hires within Australia and New Zealand. This strategic enhancement broadens the utility of your points, making it easier than ever to fund your entire holiday experience, from the flight to the accommodation, and now, your wheels on the ground.

Earning Qantas Points on Your Car Hire

Even before considering spending your points, it's crucial to understand how you can continue to accumulate them when booking car hire. Qantas Frequent Flyer members have robust opportunities to earn points with Avis and Budget, ensuring your travels are always rewarding. This is particularly valuable as, uniquely, you can often earn points even when redeeming them for your booking!

Standard Earning Rates with Avis and Budget

As primary car hire partners for Qantas, both Avis and Budget offer consistent earning rates for Frequent Flyers:

• In Australia and New Zealand: You'll typically earn four Qantas Points for every dollar spent (£1 equivalent) on car hire. This applies to the base rental cost, not including additional fees, taxes, or optional extras.
• Overseas Rentals: For car hire outside Australia and New Zealand, a flat rate of 700 Qantas Points is awarded per rental.

It's important to note that points are not accrued on GST, car ancillaries, optional extras like child seats or additional insurance coverage, excess reduction, or roadside assistance. Furthermore, fees and charges such as excess kilometres, one-way fees, airport fees, late return charges, or recovery costs are also excluded from point earning. Certain discounted or promotional rates, package holiday rentals, and corporate rates may also be ineligible.

Maximising Your Earnings: The Qantas Business Rewards Advantage

For business owners, the earning potential is significantly amplified. If you're a Qantas Business Rewards member, you can effectively "double-dip" on your points. In addition to the four Qantas Points per dollar earned by the individual traveller, your business can earn an additional four Qantas Points per dollar spent on Australian rentals. This means a total haul of up to eight Qantas Points per dollar spent, which is an incredibly generous return and hard to beat in the loyalty landscape.

To ensure your business earns points, bookings for staff should ideally be made via the Qantas website. This allows you to enter both the traveller's Frequent Flyer number and your business's ABN (which doubles as your Qantas Business Rewards membership number), ensuring both parties benefit from the points accrual.

Booking Methods for Earning Points

You have flexibility in how you book to earn points:

• Via qantas.com: Booking through the Qantas website is straightforward and ensures your Frequent Flyer number is linked. For business rewards, this is the recommended path.
• Directly with Avis or Budget: You can also book directly on the Avis or Budget websites. Just remember to enter your Qantas Frequent Flyer number during the reservation process to ensure your points are credited.

Occasionally, Qantas runs special promotions offering higher earning rates, such as six Qantas Points per dollar spent for a limited period. Always check the Qantas website for the latest offers before booking.

Avis Discount Codes: Save Cash, Still Earn Points

A smart tip for holidaymakers booking with Avis is to use the discount code P469100 in the AWD (Avis Worldwide Discount) or Discount Code fields on the Avis website. This code is available for all Qantas Frequent Flyer members and can secure you exclusive, discounted rates. The best part? You'll still earn Qantas Points on your cheaper rental, maximising your savings and rewards simultaneously. For businesses, however, booking via qantas.com remains the optimal strategy to leverage the double-dip benefit.

Redeeming Qantas Points for Car Hire

The ability to spend your Qantas Points on car hire adds immense value and flexibility to the programme. There are generally two methods for redeeming your points, each with varying value propositions.

Classic Car Rewards (Avis Only)

Similar to Classic Flight Rewards, Classic Car Rewards offer a fixed-point redemption for specific car hire bookings, and these are exclusively available with Avis. This option often provides the best value per Qantas Point. The number of points required for a Classic Car Reward is typically lower than the 'Pay with Points' option for a comparable cash price, meaning you get more for your points.

However, Classic Car Rewards are not always available. Much like Classic Flight Rewards, their availability can be "hit and miss," so flexibility with your dates or vehicle type might be necessary to secure one. When you can find them, they represent the most efficient use of your points for car hire.

Pay with Points (Avis & Budget)

The 'Pay with Points' option allows you to use your Qantas Points to offset the cash price of a car rental. This is available for both Avis and Budget bookings made through qantas.com. The number of points required is directly tied to the cash price of the rental, meaning higher cash prices translate to more points needed.

While more readily available than Classic Car Rewards, the value derived per Qantas Point with 'Pay with Points' is generally lower. It's akin to booking an 'Any Seat' flight reward, where convenience often comes at a higher point cost compared to the fixed-point Classic Rewards.

Comparative Value of Redemption Options

Understanding the value you get from your points is crucial. Here's a simplified comparison based on typical redemption rates:

As you can see, the Classic Car Reward option for Avis generally offers nearly double the value per Qantas Point compared to the 'Pay with Points' method. This highlights why searching for Classic Car Rewards first can be a very wise strategy if maximising point value is your priority.

Minimum Points for Redemption

To use your points for car hire, you'll need a minimum balance of 2,000 Qantas Points, whether you're using points only or opting for Points Plus Pay. Classic Car Rewards are currently available for bookings in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada.

When Should You Use Qantas Points for Car Hire?

While the option to use Qantas Points for car hire is a welcome addition, it's important to consider when it makes strategic sense, especially given that many loyalty experts suggest points are best saved for premium flight redemptions. Generally, the value per Qantas Point for car hire is lower than for business or first-class flights or upgrades.

However, there are specific scenarios where using your points for car hire can be an excellent decision:

• Excessive Point Balances: If you find yourself with a substantial Qantas Points balance that you don't foresee using entirely on flights or upgrades, car hire can be a practical way to utilise them. For members sitting on millions of points, converting some to tangible savings on the road can be highly beneficial.
• Cash Savings Priority: For many, saving cash on holiday expenses is paramount. If paying cash for a car rental strains your budget, using points can provide significant financial relief. While you might get more 'theoretical' value by saving points for a first-class flight, the immediate cash saving for a family holiday can be far more impactful. This is particularly true for those with smaller balances who want to access a reward sooner.
• Convenience and Flexibility: The ability to cancel your booking without penalty and receive a full refund of your Qantas Points right up until the time of car collection offers unparalleled flexibility. This peace of mind can be a strong motivator to use points, especially when travel plans are uncertain.
• Filling Gaps in a Points-Funded Trip: If you've already covered your flights and accommodation using points, topping off your trip by covering the car hire with points can create a truly 'points-paid' holiday, leaving more cash in your pocket for experiences.

Ultimately, the decision depends on your personal financial situation, your points balance, and your travel priorities. If the alternative is letting points expire or accumulate without a clear high-value redemption in sight, using them for car hire can be a sensible and practical choice.

Important Considerations and Exclusions

While earning and redeeming Qantas Points on car hire is a fantastic benefit, it's crucial to be aware of the finer details to avoid surprises:

• Booking Channel: All bookings using Qantas Points for car hire must be made via qantas.com. You need to be logged into your Qantas Frequent Flyer account online to access these options.
• Additional Fees: Be prepared for potential additional fees and charges that may be payable directly to the car hire provider upon collection. These can include one-way fees, young driver surcharges, additional driver fees, or local taxes not covered by the points redemption. Always review the terms and conditions carefully on the Qantas website's car hire section.
• Points Crediting Time: When earning points, please allow up to eight weeks after the completion of your rental for the Qantas Points to be credited to your account.
• Ineligible Activities for Points Earning: To reiterate, points are generally not accrued on the following:
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
  • Car ancillaries (e.g., GPS, ski racks)
  • Optional extras (e.g., car seats, additional coverage, excess reduction, roadside assistance)
  • Fees and charges (e.g., excess kilometres, one-way fees, airport fees, late return fees, collection or recovery costs, roadside callout fees)
  • Certain types of bookings: package holiday rentals, government rates, industry discounted rates, group rates, some corporate rates, other special promotional rates.
• Frequent Flyer Number: Always remember to provide your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership number at the time of booking to ensure your points are correctly accrued.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I use Qantas Points for car hire outside Australia and New Zealand?

Yes, Classic Car Rewards are available for bookings in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. For earning points, a flat 700 Qantas Points are awarded for overseas rentals with Avis and Budget.

What is the minimum number of Qantas Points I need to book car hire?

You need a minimum balance of 2,000 Qantas Points to use points only or to use Points Plus Pay for car hire.

Can I cancel a car hire booking made with Qantas Points?

Yes, Qantas offers excellent flexibility. There are no cancellation fees, and your Qantas Points are fully refundable right up until the time of car collection if your plans change.

Do I earn Qantas Points if I pay for my car hire with points?

Yes, this is a unique and highly beneficial feature of the Qantas partnership with Avis and Budget. Even when booking a car using Qantas Points, members will continue to earn points for that booking at the same rate as they would if they were paying with cash.

Is it better to book car hire directly with Avis/Budget or via qantas.com?

For individuals, either path generally works for earning points, but qantas.com is required for redeeming points. If you have an Avis discount code (like P469100), booking directly on the Avis site might offer better cash rates while still earning points. For Qantas Business Rewards members, booking via qantas.com is best to ensure both the traveller and the business earn points.

What's the difference between Classic Car Rewards and Pay with Points?

Classic Car Rewards (Avis only) offer fixed-point redemptions and generally provide better value per point, but availability can be limited. 'Pay with Points' (Avis & Budget) ties the points cost directly to the cash price, offers wider availability, but usually yields a lower value per point.

Conclusion

The introduction of Qantas Points redemption for car hire marks a significant enhancement to the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme. It provides members with greater choice and flexibility, making it easier to fund a comprehensive travel experience using points. Whether you're aiming to maximise your point value with a Classic Car Reward or simply seeking to save cash on your next trip, the partnership with Avis and Budget offers compelling options.

Remember to consider your personal points strategy: while premium flight redemptions often yield the highest theoretical value, the practical benefits of saving cash on car hire, especially for those with large point balances or a desire for immediate savings, are undeniable. By understanding the earning rates, redemption options, and important exclusions, you can strategically leverage your Qantas Points to drive away with more rewards and less expense on your next Australian or New Zealand adventure.

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