You can buy an overpriced toaster using points at the Qantas Frequent Flyer or Velocity redemption stores if you want to.
However, savvy point collectors generally save up for things that are a little more meaningful – including interstate and overseas adventures.
The ultimate goal for many is to experience Business Class or First Class on a long-haul international flight.
However, redeeming your points for short-haul domestic economy trips can still be valuable.
Here are some tips on best using your Qantas and Velocity balances.

Booking a reward flight with Qantas or Velocity points

When booking a reward flight, you can choose Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First Class.
Reward flights aren't entirely 'free', given the additional taxes and fees that accompany them.
However, in some cases, you can cover these with extra points, bringing your ticket total to $0.
Domestic hops typically have relatively low taxes and fees, but international adventures can charge hundreds of dollars.
That said, paying a few hundred for a flight that typically costs thousands is still a great deal.

How to book a reward flight with Qantas points

To book a flight using Qantas Frequent Flyer points, simply login to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account and navigate to 'Book Flights'.
Click on the 'Rewards' toggle and search for a seat as you normally would.
By also clicking the 'Flexible with dates' toggle, your search will bring up options for other days around your desired travel date.
From there, simply search for a flight as you normally would. Reward flight options that are available to book will appear on the next screen.
The process for booking international rewards seats with Qantas or its partner airlines is the same as booking domestic rewards seats.

Using Qantas points for flights

As of October 2024, here are some examples of one-way seats you could snag using Qantas points:

Melbourne to Gold Coast, Economy: From 12,000 pts + $51 taxes and fees
Melbourne to Gold Coast, Business: From 27,600 pts + $51
Sydney to Cairns, Economy: From 18,000 pts + $56
Sydney to Cairns, Business: From 41,500 pts + $56
Brisbane to Tokyo, Economy: From 25,200 pts + $159
Brisbane to Tokyo, Business: From 68,400 pts + $209
Sydney to Los Angeles, Economy: From 41,900 pts + $232
Perth to London, Economy: From 60,000 pts + $186

Qantas points can be worth plenty if you get value for them by booking rewards flights — Here’s some examples of flights you can redeem with Qantas.

How to book a reward flight with Velocity points

To book a reward flight using your Velocity balance, log in to your Velocity account and navigate to 'Book' and 'Let's fly'.
Click the toggle next to 'Use Velocity Points' to search for rewards flights, and then continue your flight search as normal.
On the next page, you can select your desired rewards seats and continue to book them.
You can later select on a sliding scale how many points you want to use for the flight.
There is the option to pay all the fees and taxes using points as well - making the flight completely free - but this isn't the best bang for your buck.
The process for booking international rewards seats with Virgin Australia or its partner airlines is the same as booking domestic rewards seats.

Simply tick the 'Use Velocity Points' box when booking a flight on the Virgin Australia website to search for reward flights.

Using Velocity points for flights

Sydney to Melbourne, Economy: From 6,200 pts + $42 taxes and fees
Sydney to Melbourne, Business: From 15,500 pts + $42
Brisbane to Perth, Economy: From 14,100 pts + $55
Brisbane to Perth, Business: From 35,500 pts + $55
Adelaide to Singapore, Economy (Singapore Airlines): From 27,000 pts + $168
Adelaide to Singapore, Business (Singapore Airlines): From 57,000 pts + $258
Melbourne to San Fransisco, Economy (United Airlines): From 44,800 pts + $131
Melbourne to San Fransisco, Business (United Airlines): From 95,500 pts + $131

Velocity points vary in worth, but can be valuable for reward bookings — Here’s a few examples of the value you can get from the Velocity program.

Summary

Using your Qantas Frequent Flyer or Velocity points for flights is usually the best way to extract maximum value for them. It is easy to book reward flights online via the Qantas or Virgin Australia websites, and some seats and routes represent excellent value, including international Business Class seats.

Written By: Chris
Updated: October 2024

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When you book a flight through either the Qantas or Virgin Australia websites, you can search for reward point flights. Once you have found a seat that suits you, log in to your account and follow the usual steps to book it.
Book early or book late - that’s the general rule. Qantas allows reward bookings up to 353 days in advance, while Virgin Australia allows bookings up to 330 days in advance. Getting in early can help your chances of finding a seat, either in Economy or Business class. However, if you miss out on an early booking, it won’t be your last chance to jet off. Airlines generally open up more reward seats closer to the time of the flight, so check back periodically to see if a seat opens up on the flight you are eyeing.
If you have made a booking in Economy and wish to upgrade, you can check out your options to do so by logging into your Qantas Frequent Flyer or Velocity account and seeking out the ‘Manage My Booking’ section. Note that upgrades are usually subject to availability and may not be confirmed until a day or two before take-off.
Yes, you can. This can be a cheaper choice, particularly for domestic flights. For example, flying on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Cairns will cost 18,000 pts + $56 in taxes and fees. However, flying the same route on a Jetstar flight only costs 14,400 pts + $39 in taxes and fees. It is also worth noting that your reward booking will include checked luggage, which does not come as standard on regular paid Jetstar seats.
Reward flights are subject to availability and higher demand can drive up their cost. That is why you could search for a seat from Sydney to Brisbane on Virgin Australia on a given day and some flights will set you back 6,200 pts one-way in Economy, but others that same day might cost as much as 60,500 pts. This dynamic pricing is becoming more common, but base-price tickets are still plentiful.
Velocity is our pick for rewards bookings. The minimum points needed are generally lower, as are the associated taxes and fees.
Qantas could be a better bet if you are looking for an upgrade. Over the years, we’ve had some luck upgrading from Economy tickets to Business class using points on Qantas flights. Upgrade options through Velocity are far more limited.
Absolutely. While Virgin Australia only operates a limited number of international flights itself, it partners with some of the biggest and best airlines in the world including Qatar, Singapore Airlines and United. This allows Velocity members to book rewards flights to destinations almost anywhere in the world.
Using points can be a big money saver. There are occasions where you can derive the value of 6 cents or more per Qantas Frequent Flyer of Velocity point by using them to book flights. For example, one quick search will show that a Qantas flight in Economy from Sydney to Brisbane which costs $360 for a cash booking can be booked for 8000 pts + $54 of taxes and fees. That’s a nice value of 3.83 cents per point.
Virgin Australia’s Velocity program partners with some of the world’s leading airlines, including Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. These two airlines finished first and second respectively in the World’s Best Airline category at the 2024 World Airline Awards.
You can use your points to book flights for family members, whether they are travelling with you or not. Especially for domestic routes, if you book early, you can often find four available reward seats on a flight.
Using points for flights is generally the most valuable way to spend your balance. You can derive a worth of 6 cents or more per point on some bookings. That is a much higher worth for your points than using them to buy a toaster from the rewards store.