Bad news for travelers who like using Qantas Points to book Emirates First Class. Qantas Frequent Flyer has just announced a trio of changes that impact how Emirates First Class award redemptions, and the changes will make booking these awards more expensive and much more difficult than they are now.
Under the new rules, which begin this month and into February, passengers redeeming for Emirates first class with Qantas Points must meet several new conditions. First, all passengers on an Emirates first class award must be at least nine years old. The previous policy allowed any age, so this immediately disqualifies families with younger children from redeeming on first class using points.
Second, beginning February 18, 2026, Emirates first class award tickets will only be available to Qantas Frequent Flyer members who hold at least Silver status with the program. That blocks entry-level Qantas members from booking first class awards. If you are Bronze or a non-status member, your route to Emirates First Class using points is essentially closed off.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
