From details on the latest sales to how to find the best fares in between, here’s what to know about Qantas.
Australia’s most beloved airline can also be the priciest. But it does pay to keep an eye on Qantas flight sales and to know how to find the lowest fares so travelling with the flying kangaroo doesn’t have to seem so expensive.
Latest Qantas flight sales
Tips for finding the best Qantas flight sales
Know which days of the week to fly to get the best price
Interestingly, in research we recently did about the cheapest days of the week to fly, we found Qantas’ prices didn’t actually increase or decrease based on the days of the week we tried to book tickets for.
That said, prices will increase based on customer demand. So depending on the route you’re flying, you’ll likely see prices go up or down a bit based on the popular travel days. If it’s a popular business route, Qantas fares will probably be higher during the week, but much cheaper on a weekend.
If it’s a route that’s more used for leisure travel, and especially for long weekends, expect prices to drop mid-week.
Know how far in advance to book
Unless you’re looking at a super last-minute fare, Qantas pricing actually doesn’t change much, whether you’re looking for a flight next month or six months from now.
That said, if you do see a good travel deal in a Qantas sale, snatch it up no matter how far in advance it’s for!
Mark your calendars!
While Qantas doesn’t offer weekly sales like Jetstar and Virgin, there are still a few regulars to keep you eyes peeled for that the airline will often run.
- EOFY: Late June/early July
- Black Friday: Late November
- Christmas: 25 December (but the sale often starts a few days earlier)
- Boxing Day: 26 December
We generally find about once a month the airline will offer either a domestic or international sale, usually called either Fly Away Sales and Red Tail Sales.
Keep an eye out for Qantas Red e-Deals
These are the lowest-priced flights available on a domestic route. They’re not quite a sale, but they are the best fares available at the time of your search.
Shop around to find the best price
You don’t have to book a Qantas flight on the Qantas website. If fact, you may be paying more when you do.
Whenever we’re looking for the best-priced flights, we look at flight aggregators like Skyscanner or Kayak that will search multiple airlines and multiple websites for the best price. It will then show you third-party websites (sites like Flight Centre or Expedia).
For example, we looked up a flight between Perth and Singapore with Qantas on Kayak and found if we booked the fare through CheersTravel it’s up to $14 cheaper than booking directly with the airline.
One thing you do need to watch out for when doing this though, are booking fees. Sometimes they cancel out the savings of booking direct. We always recommend checking both the airline’s site and the third party to find the absolute lowest price.
For example, sites like Webjet charge a huge fee for flight bookings. Domestic flights come with a $22 fee, while international fares get $33 tacked on.
Questions about Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program and sales
Do I get any discounts on flights as a Qantas Frequent Flyer member?
Unfortunately not. Your membership alone isn’t enough to get you a flight discount. But, if you do have enough points, you can redeem them for flights, or portions of the fare so you won’t have to pay the full price.
Can I earn Qantas points if I book a sale fare?
You sure can! Qantas sale fares will still let you earn Qantas Frequent Flyer Points, but you may not earn as many as you would with a full-price ticket.
It will depend on the type of fare you booked, where you’re flying to and what tier of Qantas Frequent Flyer membership you have.
