Some flying terms explained

Airlines break down each cabin on the aircraft into different sub-classes, each of which are given an alpha code.

These generally determine the fare you pay, the conditions attached to your booking and the amount of Qantas Points and Status Credits you could earn.

Not all Qantas and partner airline flights, airfares and booking classes are eligible to earn Qantas Points or Status Credits. You can check the flight earn eligibility in the Airline Earning Tables and Frequent Flyer program terms and conditions.

On any flight there are a number of different fares available for purchase. Each Fare Type has its own conditions, including the number of Qantas Points and Status Credits you could earn.

For Qantas and Jetstar flights, the Fare Type is directly aligned to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Earn Category.

A Flight Segment is travel on the same flight number between originating and destination airports as shown on your E-Ticket or Itinerary.

For example, travel from Adelaide to Los Angeles with a change of flight number in Sydney would earn on both the Adelaide to Sydney and Sydney to Los Angeles Flight Segments.

Whenever your flight number changes during your trip, it will be counted as a different Flight Segment. Total earn is the sum of each Flight Segment.

'Marketing airline' or marketing carrier means the airline whose airline code or number (eg 'QF' for Qantas) is recorded on the ticket. This can be different to the airline whose aircraft is doing the actual flying (this airline is known as the operating airline or carrier). (Also known as codeshare flights, see below.)

For example: 

When booking on qantas.com you can purchase a flight from Sydney to Dubai on a Qantas flight number, but the flight is operated by Emirates (the Emirates aircraft is doing the flying).  The Qantas flight number (QF8413) is the marketed flight number, and Emirates is the operating carrier. Emirates also have their own flight number, EK413, for the same flight - this is the marketed and operated flight number for Emirates.  When claiming missing points QF8413 is the flight number that should be used for the claim, as this is the Qantas marketed flight number.

A codeshare flight is when you book a Qantas (QF) flight number for a flight that is operated by another carrier (also see Marketed flight number above).

This means that when flying to destinations not on the Qantas network, you could still maximise your rewards when you choose a flight with a QF flight number on your ticket where available.

Qantas Frequent Flyer Earn Categories Within the Frequent Flyer Program there are different earn rates called Qantas Frequent Flyer Earn Categories that are aligned to the type of fare you purchase.

For Qantas and Jetstar:  The Fare Type you purchase with Qantas or Jetstar will determine which Frequent Flyer Category you align to.

For Partner Airlines: A combination of your Booking Class, the airline you are travelling with and where you fly will determine which Qantas Frequent Flyer Earn Category you align to.

Your Fare Type or Booking Class is generally available during the booking process. It is also displayed on your E-Ticket.

See how your Fare Type or  Booking Class aligns to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Earn Categories, then check out the Earn Calculator to see what you could earn.

The Qantas Frequent Flyer program has a region-based earn structure.  We divide the globe up into regions to group popular destinations that Qantas and our partners fly to and from. Refer to our full Region definitions.

Because Qantas and our partner airline networks are so diverse, some flights don't fall into a particular region.  For these flights you'll earn based on distance bands listed under the mileage bands section of the Qantas and Jetstar Earning Table or the Partner Airline Earning Table.