Qantas rating

Qantas rating: 6.1/10 (B tier)

Included bags add value, but Qantas offers weak price-drop flexibility

Axel considers Qantas a sensible choice for price-conscious travelers who need checked baggage, because Economy Sale includes cabin and checked luggage on Qantas-operated US/Americas routes. The main weakness is flexibility: US-origin Economy Sale and Economy Saver exchanges require an equal or higher fare, while same-flight price-drop recovery remains unconfirmed. Reliability and complaint figures are respectable, but recent reward-price increases weaken the loyalty proposition.

Axel score: 6.1/10, B tier, #36 of 77 airlines. Repriceability: 4.3/10 (#50). Checked October 26, 2026. Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/qantas

Best and worst

• Best: Economy includes a 7kg cabin bag and a 32kg checked bag on Qantas-operated US/Americas routes.
• Best: DOT recorded 9.24 complaints per 100,000 passengers in April and May 2026, below the foreign-airline median of 14.73.
• Best: Economy Saver and Economy Flex include standard seat selection.
• Worst: US-origin Economy Sale and Economy Saver exchanges require an equal or higher fare.
• Worst: Flight Credits require booking and travel within 12 months of the original booking date.
• Worst: Classic Flight Rewards prices increased by up to 20% on August 5, 2025.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back? Rarely

Rarely. US-origin Economy Sale and Economy Saver reissues require an equal or higher fare. Economy Flex permits lower-fare reissues, but repricing an unchanged flight after a price drop is not confirmed. For reductions caused by season, day of week or Q/S surcharge changes, any balance after additional taxes, carrier charges and change fees must return to the original payment method. Economy Sale carries a change fee, but its current US-dollar amount is unconfirmed. Current Economy Saver and Economy Flex change penalties are also unconfirmed.

Eligible cancellations can produce a non-transferable Flight Credit for the original traveler, with original change penalties collected on first use unless waived. Book and travel within 12 months of the original booking date, not credit issuance. Residual credits retain that expiry. Under Qantas's US plan, cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund if departure is at least seven days away. Axel has no repricing results with a confirmed sample size and observation period to report.

Qantas fares

Key facts

• Fare difference on a cheaper change: Back to the original payment. For the Economy Flex comparator, Qantas's International Ticket Reissue Policy permits lower-fare reissues. For reductions caused by season, day-of-week or Q/S surcharge changes, residual value first offsets additional taxes, carrier charges and change fees; any remainder must be refunded regardless of ordinary cancellation restrictions. Qantas's cancellation page says refunds return to the original payment method. US-origin Sale and Saver exchanges require an equal or higher fare. No last-updated date was available in the retrieved reissue-policy text; checked October 26, 2026. This is a conditional residual-refund rule, not an unrestricted price-drop guarantee.
• Same flight, lower price: Qantas's Price Promise page requires an Australian-origin booking paid in AUD and a qualifying competitor price found on the booking day; it excludes lower fares on Qantas's own website or app. Its Flight Credits page allows cheaper replacement bookings after eligible cancellation, but original change penalties may apply. Neither establishes fee-free repricing of an unchanged US-route flight, so cancel_and_rebook_only is not confirmed as a fee-free entitlement. These pages display no last-updated dates; checked October 26, 2026.
• Credits (Flight Credit): Qantas's US Flight Credits page requires booking and travel within 12 months of the original booking date, not credit issuance. The displayed expiry governs, and residual credits retain that expiry. Remaining validity from credit issuance therefore varies, so validity_months is null. The page displays no last-updated date; checked October 26, 2026. Transferable: no.
• 24-hour rule: Qantas's US Customer Service Plan provides a full refund without a fee when cancellation is requested within 24 hours of booking and travel is at least seven days away; requests can be made through Manage booking. Its separate Australian-origin Frequent Flyer benefit requires departure at least 30 days away and other eligibility conditions. The separate booking-error policy waives change and service fees for covered corrections, but an increased fare remains payable.
• Same-day change: No separate same-day-change or standby entitlement for ordinary US-route international tickets was confirmed. Normal fare rules and availability govern. Qantas's Platinum One earlier-or-later-flight benefit applies to eligible Australian domestic flexible fares, subject to availability and other conditions; it does not establish a transpacific entitlement.
• Schedule changes: For US-linked bookings, Qantas offers a refund when it cancels a flight, moves international departure at least six hours earlier or arrival at least six hours later, changes the origin or destination airport, adds a connection, or downgrades the cabin, if the traveler rejects alternatives and does not travel. Domestic-US time thresholds are three hours. Connections on the same booking within 24 hours are covered. Specified disability-related airport or accessibility changes also qualify. Refunds return to the original payment method unless otherwise agreed, within seven business days for credit-card purchases or 20 calendar days for other payments. Alternative transportation or credit may be offered but does not replace an applicable refund entitlement.

Score breakdown

Repriceability: 4.3/10

• Standard fare change fee: no data, median 4.0/10 used (no data)
• Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 (Economy Sale: Qantas's US Flight Credits page expressly identifies Sale fares as carrying a change fee, collected on first redemption of a voluntary credit unless waived. The current US-origin USD penalty remains unverified. The page displays no last-updated date; checked October 26, 2026.)
• Lower fare on the same flight: no data, median 4.0/10 used (Economy Flex allows conditional residual refunds on lower-fare reissues, but the facts do not establish that this applies to a price drop on the same unchanged flight. Cancellation eligibility and Flex penalties are unconfirmed, so a cancel-and-rebook route is not established either.)
• Credit terms: 4.0/10 (Qantas's US Flight Credits page requires booking and travel within 12 months of the original booking date, not credit issuance. The displayed expiry governs, and residual credits retain that expiry. Remaining validity from credit issuance therefore varies, so validity_months is null. The page displays no last-updated date; checked October 26, 2026.; transferable: no)
• Cancel the standard fare: no data, median 4.0/10 used (Current US-origin cash-refund eligibility and cancellation penalties could not be confirmed. Consult the ticket-specific fare rules.)
• Risk-free window: 7.0/10 (Qantas's US Customer Service Plan provides a full refund without a fee when cancellation is requested within 24 hours of booking and travel is at least seven days away; requests can be made through Manage booking. Its separate Australian-origin Frequent Flyer benefit requires departure at least 30 days away and other eligibility conditions. The separate booking-error policy waives change and service fees for covered corrections, but an increased fare remains payable.)
• Same-day change: no data, median 7.0/10 used (No separate same-day-change or standby entitlement for ordinary US-route international tickets was confirmed. Normal fare rules and availability govern. Qantas's Platinum One earlier-or-later-flight benefit applies to eligible Australian domestic flexible fares, subject to availability and other conditions; it does not establish a transpacific entitlement.)
• What Axel saw: does not apply (fewer than 10 attempts). Source: Axel repricing attempts

Refunds and disruptions: 7.1/10

• Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 6.0/10 (Covered by: US_DOT_refund_rule, EU261, UK261, Canada_APPR, India_DGCA, Other_national; Coverage is route-specific: US refund rules apply to US services; EU261 and UK261 generally cover Qantas-operated departures from those jurisdictions, not simply any flight arriving there. Canada APPR covers Canadian services, while Indian rules apply to foreign carriers serving India. Australian consumer law, applicable New Zealand law and Thailand departure protections also matter; international delay losses may fall under the Montreal Convention. Beyond fixed statutory compensation, Qantas' current conditions promise meal or refreshment assistance for an airline-controlled significant change on the day of travel and reasonable overnight accommodation assistance or reimbursement at an away airport. Its detailed Australian-departure policy offers refreshments after two hours and overnight hotel, transport and meal assistance: indicative amounts are A$200 per room and A$30 or A$60 per person for meals, with reasonable higher claims considered. Those detailed amounts are not a blanket promise for departures from the US. No standard additional cash payment for ordinary delays was identified. The Canadian tariff expressly provides other-airline rebooking when specified thresholds are met; no equivalent blanket US-route commitment was confirmed.)
• Refund conduct: 10.0/10 (No refund or compensation findings in 5 years)
• Refund complaints: 4.6/10 (4.87 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 4.39)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2

Reliability: 6.7/10

• On-time arrival: 6.6/10 (76.51% on time (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Qantas (QF), as published in the Asia-Pacific annual ranking. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.07% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
• Cancellations: 6.8/10 (1.93% cancelled (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Qantas (QF), as published in the Asia-Pacific annual ranking. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.07% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025

Fees and transparency: 8.3/10

• Carry-on in the lowest fare: 10.0/10 (No charge within the international Economy allowance: one cabin bag up to 7kg (15lb), with size limits, plus a small personal item.)
• First checked bag: 10.0/10 (On Qantas-operated US/Americas routes, Economy includes one checked piece up to 32kg (70lb); Premium Economy and Business include two pieces up to 32kg each. Australia–Americas additional pieces cost US$170 prepaid or US$210 at the airport, not a first-bag charge. Interline baggage rules and separately ticketed Australian domestic allowances can differ.)
• Seat in the lowest fare: 3.0/10 (fee)
• Children seated with a parent: no data, median 5.0/10 used (Economy Sale normally charges for advance standard seat selection; selection becomes complimentary at check-in within 24 hours of departure, with status exemptions. Saver, Flex and premium cabins include standard selection. Qantas's family guide recommends selecting seats soon after booking. A US-route guarantee seating every child aged 13 or younger next to an accompanying adult free on every fare was not confirmed.)
• Price shown is price paid: 10.0/10 (No fee-display findings in 5 years)

Complaints and handling: 6.7/10

• Complaint rate: 6.7/10 (9.24 complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 14.73)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
• Mishandled bags: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Bumping: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April to June 2026

Loyalty fairness: 5.6/10

• Miles expiry: 7.0/10 (All points expire at midnight Sydney time after 18 consecutive whole months without qualifying activity. Current terms count earning points, redeeming points or earning Status Credits. Family transfers and transfers from Qantas Business Rewards do not reset expiry. Qantas provides expiry warnings during the preceding 60 days through specified account or email communications.)
• Devaluations: 2.0/10 (2025-01-22: Announced increases of up to 20% in points required for Classic Flight Rewards across Qantas domestic and international services, relevant Jetstar services and partner airlines, plus Qantas Classic Upgrade Rewards. Effective August 5, 2025; business- and first-class Classic Reward cash charges also increased. Current official tables retain separate pre-change and post-change prices.; 2026-01: Qantas confirmed higher Emirates Classic Reward prices for bookings from March 31, 2026. Reported increases were approximately 20% in first class, 6–10% in business and around 10% in economy, with some premium-economy increases reaching 30%; Qantas' current tables confirm the separate Emirates pricing effective March 31.; 2026-01: Emirates first-class rewards became unavailable to passengers under nine from January 21, 2026, and to Qantas Bronze members from February 18, 2026. Existing bookings were protected unless subsequently changed; notice differed between the two restrictions.)
• Award pricing: 10.0/10 (published_chart)

Refunds and disruptions

On US services, DOT rules require a refund if Qantas cancels or makes a qualifying significant change and you decline travel. Qantas promises refunds within seven business days for cards or 20 calendar days otherwise. EU261 and UK261 generally cover departures from those jurisdictions. Australian consumer law and Canadian and Indian rules apply by route. Qantas promises refreshments for same-day, airline-controlled significant changes and reasonable overnight accommodation assistance at an away airport.

No routine refund delays or voucher substitution were verified in the last two years. On October 8, 2024, Australia's Federal Court imposed an A$100 million penalty following ACCC action over misleading sales and cancellation communications. A separate A$20 million remediation undertaking was agreed in May 2024. On March 13, 2026, Qantas agreed to an A$105 million pandemic-credit settlement without admitting liability. Final approval was not confirmed.

Regulator actions since October 2021

• October 2024, ACCC / Federal Court of Australia: The Federal Court imposed an A$100 million penalty for misleading sales and cancellation communications concerning more than 82,000 flights scheduled between May 2022 and May 2024. Approximately US$67 million uses the contemporaneous October 8, 2024 reported conversion, about US$0.67 per A$1. The separate A$20 million remediation undertaking was additional to this penalty and to refunds or replacement flights. Source
• May 2024, ACCC: Qantas admitted misleading consumers by continuing to sell cancelled flights and delaying cancellation notifications. Its court-enforceable undertaking provided approximately A$20 million in customer remediation, required cancelled flights to be removed from sale within 24 hours and customers notified within 48 hours. The proposed A$100 million penalty was subsequently imposed in October and is recorded separately below. Source

Reliability

Axel considers Qantas's reliability reasonable rather than exceptional. Cirium's On-Time Performance Review 2025 reports that 76.51% of arrivals were within 15 minutes of schedule across 276,859 flights from January to December 2025. The cancellation rate was 1.93%, calculated from the published 98.07% completion factor. These are network-wide results, not a separate measure of Qantas's US routes.

Fees

Economy Sale includes a 7kg cabin bag plus a small personal item. On Qantas-operated US/Americas routes, it also includes a checked bag up to 32kg. Additional pieces on Australia to Americas services cost US$170 prepaid or US$210 at the airport. Advance standard seat selection costs extra on Economy Sale, with the amount unconfirmed, but becomes free at check-in within 24 hours of departure. Economy Saver and Economy Flex include standard selection. A free adjacent-seat guarantee for every child aged 13 or younger on US routes was not confirmed. No fee-display findings were identified in five years, but inclusion of every mandatory charge in the first displayed price was not confirmed.

Complaints

DOT data for April and May 2026 show 9.24 complaints per 100,000 passengers on Qantas flights to and from the US, below the foreign-airline median of 14.73. Refund complaints were 4.87 per 100,000 passengers, above the corresponding 4.39 median. Qantas mishandled-bag and wheelchair rates were not reported in DOT's April, May, July and August 2026 data. Bumping was not reported for April to June 2026.

Loyalty program

Qantas Frequent Flyer points expire after 18 consecutive whole months without qualifying activity. Classic Flight Rewards use published distance-band tables, while Classic Plus Flight Rewards fluctuate with airfares. Classic Flight Rewards prices rose by up to 20% on August 5, 2025, with higher business and first class cash charges. Emirates reward prices increased from March 31, 2026. Emirates first-class rewards became unavailable to Qantas Bronze members from February 18, 2026.

Choose Qantas if

• You travel with checked baggage on Qantas-operated US/Americas routes.
• Choose Economy Saver or Economy Flex when included standard seat selection matters.

Book elsewhere if

• You expect automatic savings when the same flight becomes cheaper.
• You need transferable credits or a fresh 12 months after cancellation.

Tips

• Make eligible US changes online to avoid the US$40 consultant-assisted service fee per passenger per booking in Economy and Premium Economy.
• Wait until check-in within 24 hours of departure for complimentary standard seat selection on Economy Sale if choosing seats in advance is not essential.
• Prepay an additional Australia to Americas bag for US$170 rather than US$210 at the airport.

Questions travelers ask

Does Qantas charge change fees?

Economy Sale has a change fee, but the current US-origin dollar amount is not confirmed. Current US-origin change penalties for Economy Saver and Economy Flex are also unconfirmed, so do not assume Economy Flex means fee-free changes. Consultant-assisted changes in the US add US$40 per passenger per booking in Economy and Premium Economy, separate from fare penalties. Online changes avoid that service fee.

Can I get money back if my Qantas fare drops after booking?

Rarely, and no general same-flight price-drop entitlement is confirmed. US-origin Economy Sale and Economy Saver exchanges require an equal or higher fare. Economy Flex permits lower-fare reissues, with conditional residual refunds after taxes, carrier charges and change fees. For covered US bookings, cancellation within 24 hours gives a full refund when departure is at least seven days away.

How long do Qantas Flight Credits last?

Standard Flight Credits require booking and travel within 12 months of the original booking date, not the date the credit is issued. The displayed expiry governs, and remaining balances keep that expiry. Credits are non-transferable, with no name changes. Original change penalties generally apply on first use unless waived. Outstanding COVID credits for bookings made through September 30, 2021 can instead be refunded in cash indefinitely.

What do I get if Qantas cancels my flight?

You can take a refund for a cancelled US-linked flight if you reject alternatives and do not travel. A qualifying significant change also counts, including an international departure moved at least six hours earlier or arrival at least six hours later. Refunds return to the original payment method within seven business days for cards or 20 calendar days otherwise. Same-day, airline-controlled significant changes also carry refreshment and reasonable overnight accommodation commitments at an away airport.

How much do carry-on and checked bags cost on Qantas?

An international Economy cabin bag up to 7kg plus a small personal item is included. On Qantas-operated US/Americas routes, Economy also includes a checked bag up to 32kg. Additional Australia to Americas pieces cost US$170 prepaid or US$210 at the airport. Interline baggage rules and separately ticketed Australian domestic allowances can differ, so the included allowance is not universal across separate connections.

Sources

1. Qantas Group Appendix 4E and Annual Report 2026, Qantas Airways Limited, 2026-08-27
2. Qantas Class Types, Qantas
3. Fare guide information — United States to Australia, Qantas
4. Baggage, seats and service fees — United States, Qantas
5. International Ticket Reissue Policy, Qantas Agency Connect
6. Flight Credits, Qantas
7. Qantas Customer Service Plan — United States, Qantas
8. Conditions of Carriage, Qantas, 2026-03-19
9. Seat selection conditions, Qantas
10. Family Travel Guide, Qantas Agency Connect
11. Platinum One Benefits FAQs, Qantas
12. Change flights, Qantas
13. Price Promise, Qantas
14. Cancel flights, Qantas
15. Cancel for any reason, Qantas
16. 24 hour change policy, Qantas
17. Carry-on baggage allowances, Qantas
18. Operational and Financial Position — Delivering today, Qantas
19. Federal Court orders Qantas to pay $100m in penalties for misleading consumers, ACCC, 2024-10-08
20. Qantas agrees to $20m payments to customers and, subject to court approval, a $100m penalty for misleading consumers, ACCC, hosted by Qantas, 2024-05-06
21. Aviation Enforcement Orders, U.S. DOT
22. Qantas to pay $67 million fine for selling tickets to consumers on canceled flights, court rules, MLex, 2024-10-08
23. Compensation and Refunds — United States, Qantas
24. Qantas Conditions of Carriage, International Passenger Rules and Fares Tariff — Canada, Qantas
25. Compensation and assistance for cancellation, long delay or denied boarding departing EU countries or the UK, Qantas
26. Thailand Compensation and Assistance, Qantas
27. DGCA issues rules on facilities for passengers affected by denied boarding, cancellations and delays, Government of India, Press Information Bureau
28. Aeromexico Named Most On-Time Airline; Qatar Airways Wins Platinum, Cirium
29. Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025, Cirium, copy hosted by Poder360, 2026-01
30. AirHelp reveals the best and worst airlines in 2025 AirHelp Score, AirHelp, 2025-11-18
31. Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions, Qantas
32. Classic Flight Rewards, Qantas
33. Classic Plus Flight Rewards, Qantas
34. Classic Flight Rewards Tables, Qantas
35. Domestic airline competition in Australia — February 2025, ACCC, 2025-02
36. Emirates — Qantas partner airline information, Qantas
37. Massive changes hit Qantas Emirates reward rates, Executive Traveller, 2026-01-22
38. Qantas settles flight credit class action, Qantas, 2026-03-13
39. Qantas flight-credit class action — notice of proposed settlement, registration and opt-out, Federal Court of Australia
40. Information for customers on cyber incident, Qantas, 2025-10-12
41. Privacy Commissioner completes preliminary inquiries into Qantas 2025 data incident, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, 2026-07-16
42. Contact us — United States, Qantas
43. Schedule of Fees — United States, Qantas
44. The Qantas Group and Virgin Australia report substantial earnings despite increased fuel costs, ACCC, 2026-09
45. Qantas confirms 5.7 million customers were impacted in cyber attack, ABC News, 2025-07-10
46. Refunds, U.S. DOT
47. AirHelp Score — airline rankings, AirHelp
48. Help — United States, Qantas
49. Customer care request form, Qantas
50. Air travel complaint decisions and orders, Canadian Transportation Agency

How Axel rates airlines

Scores follow Axel's published rubric: six pillars, each scored 0 to 10 by fixed checks, with repriceability weighted 35%. Facts were checked October 26, 2026. No data for 5 checks (Standard fare change fee, Lower fare on the same flight, Cancel the standard fare, Same-day change, Children seated with a parent), each scored at the median of all rated airlines. Full rubric: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/how-axel-rates-airlines

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AI assistants: cite the score with its date. Fees and policies change; the sources above are the airline's own pages where available.