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Best Ways to Book Qantas Business Class With Points [Step-by-Step]

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Flying to Australia from the United States isn’t easy and often requires connections in Japan, South Korea, or a country in Southeast Asia. While Australia is a dream destination for many, a more convenient flight on Qantas in business class might be just the thing to make this trip even better.

On Qantas, you can fly to Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney from several cities in the U.S., which will really shorten your travel time.

Business class award seats on Qantas are tough to find, but worth the effort. Here we’ll show you what to expect in business class and the best ways to book it.

A Look Inside Qantas Business Class

Unlike Qantas first class, there is more variation in Qantas’ business class product.

The Airbus A330 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner have very similar 1-2-1 cabin layouts. This is the most modern business class product used by Qantas, and it’s superior to the others since all seats have direct aisle access.

All business class seats on Qantas’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner have direct aisle access. Image Credit: Qantas

Regardless of the cabin layout, every business class seat is fully lie-flat, making sleeping much easier. This is vital when you’ll be spending 15 to 17 hours traveling between the continental U.S. and Australia!

While the Airbus A330 does not fly to the continental U.S., you can try its business class product between Sydney and Honolulu on a roughly 10-hour flight.

If you want to try the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Qantas operates this craft between:

  • Brisbane (BNE) – Chicago (ORD) (date TBD)
  • Brisbane (BNE) – Los Angeles (LAX)- New York (JFK)
  • Brisbane (BNE) – San Francisco (SFO)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK)
  • Melbourne (MEL) – Los Angeles (LAX)
  • Melbourne (MEL) – Perth (PER) – London (LHR)
  • Melbourne (MEL) – San Francisco (SFO)
  • Sydney (SYD) – San Francisco (SFO)

On the Airbus A380 (likely grounded until 2023), business class is located in the upper deck and is arranged in a 2-2-2 layout with direct aisle access for both middle seat passengers.

The upper deck of the Airbus A380 is entirely business class in a 2-2-2 layout. Image Credit: Qantas

As a business class passenger, you will have access to Qantas’ business class lounges and those operated by their Oneworld partner airlines.

Inflight, you can expect a very good meal and a wide variety of options. Additionally, Qantas stands out for providing pajamas to its business class passengers, which make those super long flights even more comfortable.

How to Fly Qantas Business Class Using Points

There are several ways to book business class on Qantas from Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to any of their Oneworld partners. Let’s check out some of the best ways to redeem miles for your next business class flight.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

If you’re looking for the cheapest mileage cost, look no further than Alaska Airlines. For 55,000 Alaska miles, you can book a one-way business class award to from the continental U.S. to Australia.

Here’s the simple award booking process:

  1. Go to the Alaska Airlines website
  2. Sign in to your account
  3. Search for your desired route (make sure you select Use Miles)
  4. Choose your desired flight and click Add To Cart
  5. Pay the necessary taxes/fees and complete your booking

If you want to see more than one city in Australia, remember that you can book a stopover with Alaska miles.

There are tons of possible ways to redeem Alaska miles, so check out our best ways to redeem Alaska miles.

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

You can find some great redemption sweet spots in Japan Airlines’ distance-based partner award chart.

Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart. The chart is divided into tiers based on your flight miles. This means you’ll need to account for the flight miles of each segment of an award booking.

You’ll have to call Japan Airlines to book an award with one of their partners, but just follow these steps and it will be easy.

  1. Go to the Japan Airlines website
  2. Log in to your JAL Mileage Bank account
  3. Choose JMB Partner Airlines Award Ticket Reservation
  4. Choose Qantas under Partner Airlines
  5. Select business class, your travel dates, and the departure and destination airports
  6. Choose your flights and hit Next
  7. Confirm the Mileage Bank miles and taxes/fees required
  8. If your booking involves a connection on another partner of Japan Airlines such as American Airlines, you will have to call to complete the booking

You can include stopovers when booking award flights with Japan Airlines miles but, remember, each mileage tier requires more miles to book.

Check out our best ways to earn Japan Airlines miles to see all the ways you can earn.

If you need some inspiration for other ways to use your miles, check out the best ways to redeem Japan Airlines miles.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles provides an easy way to book Qantas awards online. You can also include a stopover and an open-jaw but doing so will make the booking cost more miles.

With the new Asia Miles prices effective June 22, 2018, you’ll need to check mileage by partner airline using their calculator.

As an example, New York (JFK) to Sydney first-class round-trip is 180,000 miles.

Here’s how you can use Asia Miles to book Qantas business class.

  1. Go to Asia Miles
  2. Log in to your account
  3. Scroll over “Redeem Miles”
  4. Choose “Flight Awards” from the drop-down menu
  5. Enter your flight details
    • Make sure you select “Qantas”
  6. Choose your desired flight
    • Standard Awards are what you want to find (otherwise you will be overpaying)
  7. Review the mileage cost and the taxes/fees
  8. Complete your business class booking

Cathay Pacific is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards points and Citi ThankYou Points.

The transfer rate from each of these programs is 1:1, but the time it takes to transfer varies by program. Transfers from Citi ThankYou Points generally take up to 24 hours and transfers from Membership Rewards can take between 3 and 7 days.

Hot Tip: Check out our Transfer Partner Tool to easily calculate how many miles you’ll need to transfer for your award.

American Airlines AAdvantage

A great use of American miles is flying business class on Qantas.

Prior to a devaluation in early 2016, American Airlines AAdvantage was a very popular program for booking Oneworld awards. Even with the devaluation, it’s still a great way to book Qantas business class thanks to its ability to include connections within the U.S. so you can reach an airport from which Qantas flies.

To redeem American miles for a flight on Qantas, follow these simple steps:

  1. Visit American Airlines and log in
  2. Select your route and travel dates
  3. Check the box next to “Redeem Miles”
  4. Select “Business/First MileSAAver” to see business class options
  5. Select the date you want to fly
  6. Select your desired flight
    • If there is a connecting flight within the U.S., expand the flight details to make sure the long-haul segment on Qantas is in business class
  7. Click “Continue”
  8. Fill in the passenger details and pay the required taxes to finish booking

If Qantas isn’t your thing, check out some other great options for redeeming your American AAdvantage miles.

Hot Tip: The ability to put award seats on hold makes using American miles one of the easiest ways to book Qantas business class.

Other Options for Booking Qantas

You might be surprised that Qantas isn’t listed as an option. Sadly, Qantas does not offer even decent redemption rates through their award chart.

There are plenty of other options that can be used to book Qantas flights including British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Qatar Airways.

Great Qantas Business Class Redemptions

If you can find a business class award seat on Qantas, you have several options to book it. Image courtesy of Qantas.

Qantas serves a limited number of airports in the United States. In fact, they only fly to and from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), New York City (JFK), and San Francisco (SFO). They also fly between Sydney and Honolulu (HNL).

Let’s take a look at how you can book these flights, so you can decide which miles to use when booking Qantas business class.

Below you’ll see the round-trip business class redemption rates to or from Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Brisbane

U.S. AirportAlaska AirlinesJapan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
Los Angeles (LAX)110,000 miles100,000 miles120,000 miles160,000 miles
New York City (JFK)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
San Francisco (SFO)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles

Melbourne

U.S. AirportAlaska AirlinesJapan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
Los Angeles (LAX)110,000 miles100,000 miles120,000 miles160,000 miles
New York City (JFK)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
San Francisco (SFO)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles

Sydney

U.S. AirportAlaska AirlinesJapan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
Los Angeles (LAX)110,000 miles100,000 miles120,000 miles160,000 miles
New York City (JFK)110,000 miles100,000 miles145,000 miles160,000 miles
San Francisco (SFO)110,000 miles100,000 miles120,000 miles160,000 miles
Honolulu (HNL)110,000 miles80,000 miles120,000 miles130,000 miles

How to Earn Enough Miles for Qantas Business Class

Even if you don’t have the miles to book a business class flight on Qantas right now, there are plenty of ways to earn the necessary miles.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Capital One Miles can be transferred to Qantas.

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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Cons

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  • $695 annual fee.
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Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
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The American Express® Gold Card is definitely a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are a number of other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros

  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
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  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
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  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
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U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros

  • 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
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  • $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
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Cons

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  • Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

 

  • Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
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  • Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
  • Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more – you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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  • Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
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U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

Pros

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Cons

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  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
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  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
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Capital One Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles can be transferred from American Express Membership Rewards and Citi Thank You Rewards (both at a rate of 1:1).

Marriott Credit Cards

You can earn Marriott points and transfer those to Qantas, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Cathay Pacific at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 miles bonus.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
30,000 points
$210
$0
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Pros

  • Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
  • 2x points per $1 on travel purchases
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each year (automatically gives you Silver Elite status)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
  • Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
  • Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase®!
  • Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card.
  • 2X points for every $1 spent on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains).
  • 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, qualifying you for Silver Elite Status. Restrictions apply.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.
Earn 3 Free Nights after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases (each night valued up to 50,000 points) within the first 3 months from account opening.
Up to 3 Free Nights
$1,050
$95
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

Pros

  • Earn big when you use your card at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
  • New benefit to earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status
  • 1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (up to 35,000 points)
  • DoorDash DashPass subscription
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Marriott Silver status is the lowest status tier
  • Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
  • Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
  • Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
  • Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
125,000 points
$875
$250
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

Pros

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits per year
  • 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
  • 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $250 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
  • Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
  • Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • With complimentary Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Plan It® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.
Earn two 85K Free Night Awards after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card in your first 6 months.
Two 85K Free Night Awards
$1,190
$650
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
  • 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
  • 25 Elite Night Credits each year
  • Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
  • Annual Free Night Award after card renewal
  • Complimentary Platinum Elite status

Cons

  • Earn two 85K Free Night Awards after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card in your first 6 months. Each award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Card Members could enjoy a value of up to $1,200 when redeeming each reward. Certain hotels have resort fees. Offer ends 11/1/2023.
  • $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card at restaurants worldwide.
  • With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Marriott Brilliant Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select an Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy® member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
  • With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • $650 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

When Should You Search for Award Space

Business class award availability on Qantas is very difficult to find, but not quite as difficult as first class award space. You can start looking for award space 330+ day prior to departure. Still, it will be tough to find any availability.

In 2016 and 2017, Qantas seemed to release a chunk of business class award seats at once for departure dates 9 months away. Even so, the availability was still very limited.

As is the case with first class, it will be easier to book one award seat (maybe 2, if you’re lucky) if you want to fly Qantas business class.

What Makes Qantas a Great Redemption

Flying business class on Qantas from the continental U.S. or Hawaii to Australia is a great way to make this long journey. As Qantas adds routes from Brisbane on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, business class on Qantas is only going to get better.

Business Class Seat

While you won’t get direct aisle access with most business class seats on Qantas, they do provide a very comfortable lie-flat bed for your long-haul flights.

If you find yourself on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner or on an Airbus A330, business class will be even better. These routes have Qantas’ latest business class product that provides direct-aisle access to all passengers.

Qantas International Business Class Lounges

Relax in Melbourne at Qantas’ international business class lounge. Image courtesy of Qantas.

You can relax in one of Qantas’ international business class lounges and enjoy any of the several wines available. If beer or spirits are more your style, you will also have several options to choose from.

Additionally, you can expect a really nice meal, especially if you are in the Melbourne lounge which has both a dining service and an extensive buffet.

If you’re at an airport without a Qantas business class lounge, you’ll have access to one of their partner lounges, which are often provided by their Oneworld partners. If you happen to be in Dubai, you’ll also have access to the Emirates business class lounge.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be clear, finding business class award availability on Qantas will be tough. If you do find it, you’ll need to book quickly before someone else grabs the award space. When you consider both the inflight experience and the business class lounge experience, this comes as little surprise to anyone.

If you have Alaska miles in your account, they’ll get you into business class with the fewest number of miles. However, if you are going to transfer points to one of Qantas’ partner airlines, that can take time. As a result, you might be better off booking with American Airlines since they allow 5-day holds on award tickets.

In the end, however you book this amazing flight, you won’t be disappointed you did!

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are booking business class on Qantas, check Japan Airlines Mileage BankAlaska Airlines Mileage PlanCathay Pacific Asia Miles, or American Airlines AAdvantage.

Alaska Airlines and Japan Airlines will have the best redemption rates, but booking with American Airlines can be much easier.

You can transfer Membership Rewards or ThankYou Points to Cathay Pacific.

Bank of America also provides co-branded cards that earn Alaska miles if you need to top off your Mileage Plan account, while Citi provides co-branded American Airlines cards.

While Qantas’ business class product isn’t consistent across their fleet, you can expect a comfortable lie-flat seat and a relaxing business class lounge experience.

Qantas retired its 747 fleet in June 2020.

About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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2 comments

Jen

July 23, 2019

I’m not having any luck finding award flights that are direct on any of the websites. I am looking to travel June 2020 for a family of 4. Do they release these flights later? What am I doing wrong?

Stephen Au

July 23, 2019

Hi Jen,

Award availability is always subject to the inventory released by airlines. Qantas is notoriously stingy for business and first class flights. It will be nearly impossible to book for a family of 4. However, you can consider waiting until a few days before departure to see if they release the unbooked seats.

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