Philippine Airlines and Qantas expand frequent flyer partnership

Philippine Airlines and Qantas have expanded their frequent flyer partnership to enable members of both airlines’ loyalty programs to redeem points across both airline networks.

Under the agreement, members of Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program redeem points for flights to 15 new destinations previously not included on the Australian airline’s network such as Caticlan (Boracay), Cebu, and El Nido.

In return, members of Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay Miles program can book flights across Qantas’ domestic and international network. Destinations covered include Adelaide, Hobart, Byron Bay, and Cairns.

For Qantas, the new expansion of the partnership with Philippine Airlines responds to the growing trend of island-hopping by members of the Frequent Flyer program.

"Many of our members want their points to take them further than just the major hubs. Partnering with Philippine Airlines opens up more of Asia and adds 15 destinations previously missing from our partner network,” said Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance.

Philippine Airlines’ President Richard Nuttall added: “Together with Qantas, we are strengthening our links with Australia, making it simpler for Australians to visit the Philippines while enjoying greater choice and flexibility with their miles.”

The new reward seats on Philippine Airlines add to the 20 million seats available to book across Qantas Group (including Qantas and Jetstar) and its partners such as Emirates, American Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. According to Qantas, the number of Classic Reward seats booked through airline partners has doubled in the last five years.

Qantas currently operates flights to Manila from Sydney and Brisbane, while Jetstar operates flights between Manila and Perth, along with a seasonal winter (southern summer) Brisbane-Cebu service.

With the partnership with Qantas, Philippine Airlines expands its network in Australia where it operates a total of 22 weekly flights between Manila and four cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Previously, the airline has launched and expanded frequent flyer partnerships with Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.

“Loyalty partnerships are an important part of extending the reach of Mabuhay Miles and delivering more value to our members,” Nuttall said. “Through our partnership with Qantas, we are expanding access to destinations that complement our network, particularly across Australia, while giving members greater flexibility in how they use their miles.”