Qantas Club membership fees are set to rise by 17 per cent as the airline plans to equip its lounges with $100 million worth of renovations.
The price increase will see the new annual fee increase from $699 to $828, including the $129 membership fee, while the renewal fee will increase from $540 to $629.
The new prices will be introduced from April 18. Current members whose renewal expires after this date can renew before the deadline to avoid the increase.
Qantas justified the price rise by pointing to increased operational costs since the last levy increase seven years ago.
Qantas Club members are set to benefit from $100 million worth of upgrades rolled out across the airline’s 24 domestic lounges.
Annual Qantas Club membership fees will increase by 17% from April 18, 2024.
Qantas Club members can access the airline’s 24 domestic lounges and more than 600 international lounges.
Members also have access to more than 600 international lounges through Qantas and its Oneworld partners.
A spokesperson said the increase “follows a reduction in contributions for several years during the pandemic”.
Executive Traveler’s David Flynn believes the higher price will lead to a lull in new Qantas Club members.
“Many travelers will find it simply more beneficial to have a meal and a drink or two in the terminal, especially when there are many more choices on the menu compared to the Qantas Club buffet,” he said. -he declared to Today’s telegraph.
Champagne Mile loyalty expert Adele Eliseo pointed out that there are several ways to access Qantas lounges without a membership.
“You can actually get into the Qantas Club by reaching the top tier of their ‘points plus club’, which requires 350,000 points to get there,” she said.
“There are also a number of credit cards (linked to Qantas) that offer lounge passes which may be sufficient for many travelers.”
New members joining Qantas will pay $828, including the $129 membership fee, while the renewal fee will increase to $629.
Executive Traveler’s David Flynn believes the higher price will lead to a lull among new Qantas Club members.
Although Qantas Club fees are competitive with other international memberships, such as $991 with United Airlines and $1,300 with American Airlines, there are cheaper Australian options.
She recommended travelers think about how many times they plan to travel per year to determine whether increasing membership fees can be justified.
Although Qantas Club fees are competitive with other international memberships, such as $991 with United Airlines and $1,300 with American Airlines, there are cheaper Australian options.
Virgin Australia offers access to its seven national lounges for $399 per year.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for comment.