How My Last Hotel Booking Earned Me a Business Class Ticket

(And Why This Strategy Works in Australia)

By The Vivacious Traveller

Most people assume Business Class reward seats require years of saving, multiple credit card bonuses, or obsessively collecting points on groceries. And while those things help, they’re not the whole story. One of the simplest - and most overlooked - ways to earn a significant amount of Qantas Points is through the way you book your accommodation.

On my most recent hotel stay, I earned 92,185 Qantas Points from a total of $5,587 booking. That’s more than enough for a Sydney to Singapore Business Class reward seat, a flight that can retail for up to $5,280. One week’s worth of accommodation booking delivered the value of an entire premium cabin flight - not because I spent significantly more, but because I stacked the right earn rates.

The Misconception Holding Most People Back

A lot of travellers immediately dismiss Qantas Hotels because they assume it’s “always more expensive”. This idea gets repeated so often that people stop checking for themselves.

In reality, Qantas Hotels frequently runs:

• Member-only deals

• Seasonal sales

• Flash promotions

…which can absolutely match (or sometimes beat) Booking.com, Agoda or Expedia. Accommodation pricing moves constantly across booking portals, and the only reliable way to know who is cheapest is to compare in real time. I do this every single time.

Why Cashback Isn’t Always the Better Deal

Choosing a cheaper portal with $150 - $200 cashback might feel like the smart choice… but it doesn’t unlock the value that premium cabin redemptions do.

Points open the door to:

• Lounge access

• Priority check-in and boarding

• Flatbeds

• Champagne and premium dining

• A flight experience worth thousands

…all from a hotel stay you were going to book anyway.

Where Qantas Hotels Becomes a Powerhouse

This strategy becomes seriously effective once you reach Points Club Plus. I first qualified through a mix of credit card bonuses and Woolworths shopping challenges back when they were strong. But after that first year, I realised that being inside Points Club Plus fundamentally changes how valuable the Qantas ecosystem becomes.

During Triple Points promotions, Points Club Plus members earn significantly more than standard members. If your booking is also linked to Qantas Business Rewards through your ABN, and you pay with a high-earning Qantas credit card, the earn rate compounds into something huge.

Here’s exactly how this booking stacked:

The Stacking Strategy (My Exact Method)

• Triple Points sale - 9 points per dollar

• Points Club Plus 50% bonus - 13.5 points per dollar (or 25% more for Points Club, landing you 11.25 pts per $ instead)

• Qantas Business Rewards (ABN) - +1-3 points per dollar (the points at booking shows 1 point per $ but their Ts & Cs say 3 pts per $ so double check when the points land on your QBR account

• Paid using Qantas ANZ Black card - +2 points per dollar (1 point per $ base rate + 1 point per $ for purchases on Qantas.com) or even more with select cards (e.g. 2.25 pts per $ with the Qantas ultimate amex card)

Total earn rate:16.5 Qantas Points per dollar

At that rate, a $5,587 booking could earn you ~92,185 points - more than enough for a Business Class reward seat to Singapore.

The Outcome

Booking value: $5,587
Total points earned: 92,185 (based on 100% payment during the booking process)

Equivalent redemption:
Sydney - Singapore Business Class
Cash value: up to $5,280 for a one way, flex fare

So instead of saving $200 - $300 through cashback portals…
I unlocked thousands in flight value.

So, Is Points Club Plus Worth It?

I recently did a recent post on the Points World Instagram page answering that.
But this example speaks for itself.

If you:

• book mid range to premium hotels,

• travel a few times a year,

• or already hold a Qantas-earning credit card…you’re leaving value on the table if you’re not stacking.

Points Club Plus won’t always make sense for everyone.

But if you play the game intentionally?
It can become one of the most powerful tools you have.

Now unfortunately Qantas is discontinuing Points Club and Points Club Plus later this year (exact date yet to be announced by Qantas - but it is supposedly around October 2026). However, if you manage to qualify for Points Club or Points Club Plus before the program is discontinued, you should be able to enjoy its benefits until the end of your next Qantas membership year.

Ready to Build Your Personalised Points Plan?

If you’re serious about earning more points, unlocking premium cabins, and using strategies like this to maximise your everyday spending, book a 1:1 Points Strategy Session with me.

In your session, we’ll:

• map out your personalised path to Points Club or Points Club Plus

• identify the earn categories you’re underutilising

• build your stacking strategy (cards, ABN, partners, promos)

• create a tailored 12-month earning plan

• ensure you’re maximising value from every expense - not just travel

If you want to earn like this intentionally (and stop leaving thousands of points on the table), this is the exact session that will get you there.

Book your session here

If you would rather build your own Points Strategy yourself, you can download our Points Blueprint here instead.