What is tier point expiry?

Why do tier points expire at the end of a membership year?

Tier points measure recent loyalty rather than lifetime wealth. They are credited for qualifying activity, most often eligible flights, and are counted against a threshold a member has to reach or keep inside a set window. Qantas Frequent Flyer puts it in flight terms: the more eligible flights a member takes, the more Status Credits they earn and the faster they can achieve and retain status, and a member advances a tier by meeting the requirements within their Membership Year. [2] How much a single flight contributes depends on where the member flies, which airline operates the flight and the fare purchased, with more flexible fares and more premium cabins earning more. [2]

Because the counter is meant to reflect the current year, it is zeroed when the next year begins. Qantas states the mechanic plainly: Status Credits differ from Qantas Points, and while a member may earn both on the same flight, Status Credits reset at the start of each new Membership Year. [2] [4] The lifetime pages repeat the same rule, describing Status Credits that reset every Membership Year alongside a separate record of everything earned since joining. [6]

For Silver, Gold and Platinum, the reach and keep figures both include at least four eligible flights with a Qantas (QF) or Jetstar (JQ and GK) flight number. [2] [4] The Platinum One figures require at least 2,700 of the Status Credits to be earned on flights with a Qantas (QF) flight number on the ticket. [2]

Elsewhere the currency and the numbers are different, and each belongs only to the programme that sets it. The British Airways Club awards Bronze at 3,500 tier points, Silver at 7,500 and Gold at 20,000 tier points. [1]

When does the reset happen each year?

Qantas gives every member a Membership Year based on when that member joined Qantas Frequent Flyer, and members can look up their own dates in My Account or the Qantas App. [5] Because the Membership Year runs from the join date, the reset falls on that personal anniversary rather than on a single shared date for all members. [2] [5]

The boundary matters when a programme adds a new way to earn. Qantas says Status Credits on the ground launch on 8 December 2026, and that activity from the Membership Year a member is in on that date counts toward the new feature. Members whose Membership Year ends between 31 August and 30 November 2026 have their next Membership Year counted, while members whose Membership Year ends on 31 December 2026 or later have their current Membership Year counted. [5] No Status Credits on the ground are awarded before the launch date. [5]

What carries over when tier points reset?

What survives a reset is the permanent tally. Qantas keeps a record of all the Status Credits a member has earned since joining the programme, and enough of them unlock status for life: Lifetime Silver at 7,000 Status Credits, Lifetime Gold at 14,000 and Lifetime Platinum at 75,000. [6] Lifetime Silver brings oneworld Ruby status, Lifetime Gold brings oneworld Sapphire and Lifetime Platinum brings oneworld Emerald. [6] If a member's current flying status is higher than their lifetime tier, the lifetime benefits activate only once the higher status lapses. [6]

From 8 December 2026, Status Credits earned on the ground in up to ten categories of everyday spending also feed that lifetime record, with a ceiling of 140 Status Credits in each Membership Year. [5] Those Status Credits count toward Lifetime Status but not toward Loyalty Bonus, Platinum Bonus Reward, Platinum One Bonus Reward or Status Accelerator and Challenge earn requirements. [5]

Exceptions and limits

• Only eligible activity counts. Qantas awards Status Credits on eligible Qantas, Jetstar, oneworld and oneworld connect airlines only, and says Status Credits may not be earned on some fare types and booking classes. [2] [4]
• Flight minimums sit alongside the credit targets. Reaching or keeping Qantas Silver, Gold or Platinum requires four eligible flights with a Qantas or Jetstar flight number, so a large Status Credit total earned only on partner airlines is not enough for those tiers. [2]
• Status Credits are not Qantas Points. Qantas Points stay alive as long as the member earns or uses them at least once every 18 months, and the 18-month period starts from the date of the last eligible activity, or from the flight date if that flight was the last activity. Transfers to or from an Eligible Family Member and transfers from Qantas Business Rewards do not count. [3]
• Figures are programme-specific. The threshold numbers above belong to Qantas Frequent Flyer, and the tier point thresholds belong to The British Airways Club; neither set applies to another programme. [1] [2]

Frequently asked questions

Do tier points expire at the end of the calendar year?

For Qantas Frequent Flyer, Status Credits reset at the start of each new Membership Year, and the Membership Year is based on the date the member joined the programme rather than on 1 January. [2] [5]

Do Status Credits roll over into the next year?

Qantas resets Status Credits at the start of each new Membership Year but keeps a record of every Status Credit earned since joining, and those totals unlock Lifetime Silver at 7,000, Lifetime Gold at 14,000 and Lifetime Platinum at 75,000. [6]

Are Status Credits the same as Qantas Points?

No. Qantas says Status Credits differ from Qantas Points and reset each Membership Year, while Qantas Points remain valid as long as the member earns or uses them at least once every 18 months. [2] [3]

How many Status Credits are needed to keep Qantas Silver?

250 Status Credits, against 300 to reach Silver, and both figures include at least four eligible Qantas or Jetstar flights. [2]

Do Status Credits earned on the ground count toward lifetime status?

Yes. From 8 December 2026 Qantas members can earn up to 140 Status Credits a Membership Year on the ground, and those count toward Lifetime Status but not toward Loyalty Bonus or the Platinum and Platinum One bonus rewards. [5]

Related pages

Tier points, qualification period, status credit rollover, status renewal, status rollover, and the full glossary of frequent flyer terms.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers Qantas Frequent Flyer and The British Airways Club; other programmes' tier point and status credit rules are not covered here.

1. Tiers and benefits — The British Airways Club, British Airways, checked 18 October 2026
2. Status from flying — Status Credits and tier thresholds, Qantas Frequent Flyer, checked 18 October 2026
3. Qantas Points expiry — Qantas Frequent Flyer, checked 18 October 2026
4. Status from flying — Qantas Frequent Flyer (international site), checked 18 October 2026
5. Earn Status Credits on the ground — Qantas Frequent Flyer, checked 18 October 2026
6. Lifetime — Qantas Frequent Flyer, checked 18 October 2026