Qantas and Philippine Airlines unlock 15 new 'Island Hopping' destinations for Frequent Flyers

Qantas Frequent Flyers now have more ways to reach Southeast Asia and beyond in a new partnership with Philippine Airlines (PAL) launching today. Members can now book Classic Reward seats across the entire PAL network, offering greater access to North America, the Middle East and 15 new island destinations via Manila.

Key Highlights
- Classic Reward seats: Qantas Frequent Flyers can now redeem points across the entire Philippine Airlines (PAL) network.
- Expanded reach: Access to North America, the Middle East, and 15 new island destinations via Manila.
- Island hopping made easy: Members can build itineraries connecting multiple Philippine islands using points.

New Island Destinations
- Boracay – world-renowned beaches
- Cebu – diving capital of the Philippines
- Palawan – UNESCO World Heritage-listed province (including El Nido’s limestone lagoons)
- Plus 12 other island destinations now accessible through PAL’s domestic network.

Market Context
- Australian tourism surge: Visitor arrivals to the Philippines from Australia rose 19% in Q1 2026 compared to the same period last year.
- PAL operations: 22 weekly flights between Australia and Manila, including:
- Daily Sydney–Manila (Airbus A330)
- Brisbane–Manila (Airbus A321neoLR)

Leadership Insights
- Qantas Loyalty CEO Andrew Glance: Partnership responds to members’ demand for island-hopping rewards, calling destinations like Boracay and El Nido “true rewards.”
- PAL President Richard Nuttall: Highlights stronger ties with Australia and added value for Mabuhay Miles members.

Bigger Picture
- Adds to the 20 million reward seats available across Qantas, Jetstar, and 30 partner airlines (including Emirates, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific).
- Classic Reward bookings through partner airlines have doubled in the last five years.
- New search tool on qantas.com (launched March 2026) lets members browse millions of seats by destination and cabin type across a 12-month window.

This partnership is a smart play: it extends Qantas’ loyalty ecosystem deeper into Southeast Asia, while PAL gains stronger inbound traffic from Australia.