Your Qantas Points live in your Qantas Frequent Flyer account, not on the card that earned them. Switching your spending to a Velocity earning card cannot move or remove your Qantas Points balance, only inactivity can. Qantas Points expire after 18 months without being earned or used. The two programs do not allow points to be transferred between them. Qantas Points have a 6-month shorter expiry period than Velocity Points. This makes regular qualifying activity particularly important. Complete at least one qualifying transaction through your Qantas account every 18 months while your cards earn Velocity points. Here is what happens when the Qantas earning card closes and how the Qantas clock works. We also cover low-cost ways to keep your account active and how to time the switch.
What happens to Qantas Points when the earning card closes
Closing a Qantas-earning credit card leaves the Qantas Frequent Flyer account and every point already in it untouched. This is because the program membership and the card are separate relationships. The risk relates to points that have not yet transferred from the card. Points from the current statement cycle that have not yet transferred to Qantas remain subject to the card’s terms. The same applies to bonus points that have not yet been credited. NAB’s and ANZ’s current offer terms state that uncredited bonuses may be withheld when an account is cancelled, suspended or transferred before crediting. Wait for the final statement’s points to transfer to your Qantas account. Confirm the balance before closing the card. This may mean keeping the card open for a few weeks after your last transaction. Do not close it simply because the new card has arrived.
Cards that earn bank points add a conversion step. A personal American Express Platinum card, for example, earns Membership Rewards points that only convert to Qantas Points on transfer. Closing the account can leave any untransferred points subject to the bank’s rules. Transferring the bank points before closing the account moves them into your Qantas account, where Qantas’ program rules apply. See our guide to moving Membership Rewards points to airlines for more information.
How the Qantas expiry clock works and what resets it
Qantas Points expire after 18 months without an eligible earn or use, per the Qantas Points expiry page. The activity rules have two important exceptions to note. Earning or using points with Qantas or its program partners resets the full 18-month period. For flights, the activity date is the day you take the flight. Transfers to or from an eligible family member do not reset the 18-month expiry period. Transfers of points from Qantas Business Rewards also do not reset the period. An account that only receives points from family transfers or Qantas Business Rewards can still reach expiry while points continue to arrive.
| Activity on the Qantas account | Effect on the 18 month clock |
| Points earned with Qantas or a program partner | Resets the full 18 months |
| Any redemption, including a Classic Reward booking | Resets, dated when the booking is made |
| Everyday Rewards balance converting to Qantas Points | Resets, as partner earning |
| Family Transfer received or sent | Does not count as activity |
| Transfer from Qantas Business Rewards | Does not count as activity |
The two programs also have different rules after points expire. Velocity publishes no reinstatement mechanism. Qantas has reportedly offered a path known as the Qantas Points Challenge. It is described as requiring contact within 6 months of expiry and earning 2,500 points within 3 months to restore the balance. The process is discretionary and not documented in the public terms. Treat it as a last resort rather than part of your points strategy. Our points expiry roundup compares the expiry rules across programs.
How to keep the balance alive while every card earns Velocity
One qualifying earn or use every 18 months keeps the entire balance from expiring. The cheapest options do not require a Qantas-earning card. A linked Everyday Rewards account can convert points automatically. Every 2,000 Everyday Rewards points convert to 1,000 Qantas Points, typically within a day. Keeping the link active can provide regular qualifying activity and help prevent the 18-month expiry period from being reached. A qualifying purchase through Qantas Shopping can earn partner points and reset the 18-month expiry period. A redemption of any size also resets the expiry period. A Classic Reward booking counts on the day you make the booking. Set a reminder for the 14-month mark and complete one of these activities before the 18-month deadline. This can help keep a six-figure balance active. The Qantas Wellbeing app has also offered points for everyday activity. Offers can change over time. The activity resets expiry only when points are credited to the account.
Qantas Points do not transfer to Velocity Points in either direction. Switching programs therefore leaves the two balances separate. Your Qantas Points remain available for Qantas redemptions across the network. Your Velocity Points balance can continue to grow separately. Holding a large balance for years also carries repricing risk. Consider redeeming points when you have a clear plan. Our rewards points valuation guide values points from each program, based on its December 2025 update.
How to choose the Velocity side and time the switch
As of July 2026, two main Velocity-earning card options have different eligibility rules. These rules can affect which card you apply for first. The American Express Velocity Platinum offers a 70,000-point bonus after $5,000 of eligible spending in 3 months. Its current offer excludes anyone who has held any American Express card issued in Australia in the past 18 months. This can affect someone who has recently switched from a Qantas American Express Premium or Ultimate card. The ANZ Rewards Platinum Velocity path offer is 60,000 points plus $50 back at $3,500, plus 20,000 at over 15 months. The offer excludes applicants who have held ANZ Rewards or ANZ Frequent Flyer cards in the past 24 months. Its auto-redemption transfers points to Velocity each month, creating regular Velocity activity. Compare the current options in our Velocity points-earning credit cards roundup. Our credit card minimum spend guide explains what counts towards each minimum spend.
- Warning: timing the switch is a multi-step process, and each step protects a different points balance.
- Wait for the old card’s final points to transfer to your Qantas account. Confirm they have arrived before closing the card, as uncredited bonuses and points from the current cycle can be withheld.
- Check the new card’s exclusion period against your card’s history before applying. Pay particular attention to the 18-month American Express rule if your previous card was a Qantas American Express product.
- Set up a way to keep your Qantas account active. Link an Everyday Rewards account or set a reminder for 14 months, as the new card will not reset your Qantas Points expiry period.
- The Velocity account then has its own 24-month expiry period. Monthly card earnings can reset this period when points are credited, subject to the applicable terms.
Frequently asked questions
Fees, rates and figures quoted are correct at the time of publication and should be verified directly with each provider before acting on them.
This article is general in nature and does not constitute personal financial advice. Consider your own financial situation before applying for any credit product. Point Hacks may receive a commission from card issuers for applications made through this site.
