The Qantas frequent flyer program now boasts over 12 million members and remains Australia’s most established airline loyalty program. It’s based on a tiered status system—Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One—which determines the level of benefits each traveler receives. This guide provides useful information about the Silver level, often misunderstood by new members who confuse loyalty points with status credits.
It’s essential to distinguish between two currencies within the Qantas program:
Qantas Points: These are used to obtain award tickets, upgrades, or products in the Qantas shop. They accumulate based on distance traveled, booking class, and spending with program partners.
Status Credits: These determine your tier within the program. The more you accumulate during a membership year, the higher you climb in the status tiers.
Each membership year resets your status credits to zero: any credits earned must be replenished to maintain or advance to a higher tier.
Upgrading from Bronze to Silver
To achieve Silver status, a member who already holds Bronze status must accumulate 300 Status Credits within a membership year, with a minimum of four eligible flight segments bearing a Qantas (QF) or Jetstar Group (JQ/GK) flight number. Once this threshold is reached, Silver status is granted for the remainder of the current membership year, plus the following year.
How many credits are needed to maintain Silver status?
Once Silver status is achieved, 300 Status Credits must be earned each membership year to avoid being downgraded to Bronze.
Note: Members can earn up to 140 Status Credits per year through their everyday spending (Qantas-linked credit cards, retail partners, energy providers, etc.).
Key silver benefits:
Silver status is the first step toward the program’s truly advantageous status levels. It’s at this level that members begin to feel a tangible difference in their travel experience. Here’s an overview of the benefits granted to Silver members:
Bonus points earned:
Silver members receive a 50% bonus on Qantas Points compared to Bronze members on eligible Qantas, Jetstar, and American Airlines flights. A 25% bonus also applies on American Airlines flights, with additional benefits on partners such as Emirates, China Eastern, and Alaska Airlines.
Check-in and Boarding:
Silver members enjoy priority check-in, an additional baggage allowance, and a complimentary lounge invitation. They also receive priority access to the airport standby list and standby service compared to Bronze members, on eligible fares.
Baggage:
An additional baggage allowance of up to 12 kg is granted, except on flights to and from North and South America.
Seating:
Additional access to a selection of seats at the front of the cabin is available. Please note: As of February 2026, the designation “Preferred Seating” has been replaced by “Forward Seating,” with no change for members who have already selected or purchased this type of seat.
Status credit loyalty bonus:
For every 500 Status Credits earned on eligible Qantas or Jetstar flights, an additional 50 Status Credits are awarded. This bonus must be claimed within 90 days of being earned and can be earned up to four times per membership year, for a maximum of 200 Status Credits, which also count towards Lifetime Status.
Customer service:
Silver members can skip the queue when calling Qantas from Australia.
Status pause:
When a family grows, you can request to pause your status for up to 18 months while continuing to earn Qantas Points and Status Credits. This status freeze option for parental leave is considered a relatively rare benefit among comparable loyalty programs.
Reward ticket booking:
Silver, Gold, and Platinum members have priority access to Classic Flight Rewards seats (reward tickets) when available, a benefit not offered to Bronze members.
Where does Silver fit in the program hierarchy?
The Qantas Frequent Flyer program has four distinct “elite” tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum One. Bronze is considered the entry-level tier, not an elite level. Silver is therefore the entry-level elite tier, followed by Gold and Platinum, which add benefits such as lounge access, Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, and extended perks with partners like Alaska Airlines.
The real value of Qantas elite status depends heavily on the member’s place of residence: travellers based in Australia or flying frequently with Qantas and its partners (Jetstar, Emirates, American Airlines, Oneworld) benefit more than those who reside elsewhere.
Comparative table between Silver and Bronze status
|
Criteria |
Bronze | Silver |
| Status credits required | None (basic status) |
300 SC to reach |
|
Qantas Points Bonus |
No bonus |
+50% on Qantas/Jetstar, +25% on American Airlines |
|
Additional baggage |
No |
Up to 12 kg extra (excluding the Americas) |
|
Lounge access |
No | An additional invitation |
|
Recording priority |
No |
Yes |
| Front seats (Forward seating) | No |
Additional access to a selection |
|
Waiting list/standby priority |
Ahead of non-members | Ahead of Bronze members |
| Paused status | Not applicable |
Up to 18 months (parental leave) |
|
Priority access to reward tickets |
No | Yes |
FAQ
Q: What is the difference between Qantas Points and Status Credits?
A: Qantas Points are used to “pay” for award tickets, upgrades, or purchases in the program shop. Status Credits, on the other hand, cannot be directly exchanged for anything: they only determine your progression through the status levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc.). You can have many points without ever reaching Silver, and vice versa.
Q: How long does it take to go from Bronze to Silver?
A: It depends solely on the number of flights taken and the Status Credits accumulated during a membership year, not on the time elapsed since enrollment. A frequent flyer can reach Silver in a few months, while an occasional flyer may take several years.
Q: How many points/credits are needed exactly to maintain Silver status?
A: You need to earn 300 Status Credits each membership year to maintain Silver status. A minimum of 4 eligible flight segments is also required each year.
Q: Do I lose my Silver status if I don’t fly for a year?