The latest global rankings of airline loyalty programs show Qantas on the rise but still outside the top 10, while Virgin Australia’s Velocity didn’t even make the list. Why is that? And what does this mean for travellers and agents?
Qantas Frequent Flyer improved its standing in the World’s Best Airline Rewards Programs 2025 by point.me, climbing from 24th place in 2024 to 17th this year.
However, while the airline highlighted better customer service, expanded partner links, and more reward seats as reasons for the improvement, the program still lags well behind international leaders such as Flying Blue (Air France-KLM), Aeroplan (Air Canada) and United MileagePlus.
Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer was excluded from the rankings altogether. The reason? The program is limited to Australian and New Zealand residents, which meant it did not meet point.me’s global accessibility criteria.
Loyalty programs continue to be growth revenue streams for airlines. In its latest Domestic Airline Competition report, The ACCC found Qantas’ Frequent Flyer program earned $2.6 billion in 2023-24, with a whopping $3.3 billion in unredeemed points, while Virgin’s Velocity program earned the airline $409 million.
Who made the global top 10?
The 2025 rankings crowned Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) as the world’s best program, followed by Aeroplan (Air Canada) and United MileagePlus (UA).
Rounding out the top 10 were:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Etihad Guest
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue (already at #1 but highlighted for joint reach)
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
These programs scored highest on redemption flexibility, award availability, and the strength of their global partner networks, areas where Australian programs still lag.
Why didn’t Qantas make the global top 10?
According to point.me’s methodology, the world’s best loyalty programs excel at three things: redemption value, partner flexibility, and broad accessibility.
Qantas has made progress, but not without common client frustrations for Frequent Flyers. Premium reward seats often require high points balances, redemptions can carry hefty fees, and international partner booking options can be limited.
While Qantas has taken steps to improve availability, such as introducing “Classic Plus” rewards, these seats often require significantly more points than traditional Classic Rewards. That leaves the airline trailing global leaders who offer more transparent and achievable redemption paths.
Why was Velocity left out entirely?
Velocity’s exclusion from the 2025 loyalty programs ranking is notable. Despite being popular with domestic travellers and credit card earners, its restricted membership base meant point.me did not consider it for global evaluation.
The program is also undergoing major shifts: new elite tiers like “Forever Gold” and “Platinum Plus” are set to launch, alongside changes to how reward seats are priced and accessed. For agents, this means being prepared to explain the evolving rules to clients and recalibrate expectations.
Looking ahead, Virgin’s broader strategy could influence Velocity’s evolution. Qatar Airways (QR) has increased its stake in Virgin Australia and deepened its partnership, opening new international codeshare opportunities and strengthening links to the oneworld alliance network. Though details on integration remain in development.
How does this impact travel advisors?
For many clients, Qantas and Virgin remain the most practical loyalty options given their domestic dominance. However, these rankings highlight that globally, Australian travellers may get better value by diversifying. Advising frequent international flyers to also consider membership in loyalty programs like Air Canada’s Aeroplan or British Airways Executive Club could unlock better redemption opportunities and flexibility.
At the same time, credit card programs offering transferable points give savvy travellers a way to hedge against sudden devaluations or seat shortages in a single program. Agents who understand these nuances can guide clients toward maximising both domestic convenience and international value.
What’s next for loyalty programs in Australia?
Airline loyalty is no longer just about flying. Today, the real game is in everyday spending. With most points earned through credit cards, shopping and dining, programs now compete for daily transactions, reshaping how travellers earn, redeem and stay loyal.
Both Qantas and Virgin are signalling ongoing evolution. Qantas is under pressure to improve redemption transparency and deliver meaningful upgrades to maintain loyalty, while Virgin’s program reset could either strengthen Velocity’s appeal or confuse customers depending on execution. The challenge for travel sellers will be staying across changes and communicating them clearly to clients.
As of December 2024, Qantas Frequent Flyer (QFF) had 17 million members and Virgin Velocity Frequent Flyer (VFF) had 12.9 million members.
