Qantas Frequent Flyer members will soon face higher costs and tighter access when redeeming points for Emirates Classic Reward seats, particularly in First Class, under a series of changes rolling out from early 2026.

Under the new rules, children under nine can no longer be booked into Emirates First Class using Qantas Points from Jan. 21, 2026. From Feb. 18, 2026, only Qantas Silver status or higher members will be eligible to redeem points for Emirates First Class, shutting out Bronze-tier flyers.

From March 31, 2026, the points required for Emirates Classic Reward flights will rise by 20% in First Class, with increases of about 10% in Economy, ~30% in Premium Economy, and ~6–10% in Business.

Qantas said existing bookings will not be affected, though any changes to those bookings will be subject to the new rules.

The moves mirror Emirates’ own restrictions on award travel introduced last year, including status-based access and age limits for First Class redemptions, and follow reductions in credit card transfer partnerships that made Emirates awards harder to obtain.

The changes were first flagged by frequent-flyer communities and confirmed in industry reporting by Thrifty Traveler and Australian Frequent Flyer, citing updated Qantas and Emirates policies.

Sources: ThriftyTraveler.com; AustralianFrequentFlyer.com