Country: Australia ·
Hub: Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE) ·
Alliance: oneworld ·
IATA code: QF
24-hour free cancellation: Yes — full refund within 24 hours of booking on US-issued tickets where departure is 7+ days away (US DOT applies).
Typical refund timeline: 14–21 business days for credit card refunds; cross-border refunds can take 4–8 weeks.
Qantas is Australia's flag carrier and one of the world's safest airlines, operating long-haul service from Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), and Brisbane (BNE) to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Dallas (DFW), New York (JFK), Honolulu (HNL), and Vancouver (YVR). Qantas operates the world's longest commercial flight (Perth-London, 17h+) and is expanding ultra-long-haul service to JFK from 2026. Their fare structure spans six brands from Economy Sale (cheapest, most restricted) to First class.
Qantas long-haul fare classes and their flexibility
Qantas economy is sold in three brands: Economy Sale ($99 change fee, no cancellation refund), Economy Saver ($99 change, cancel for credit), and Economy Flex (free changes, cash refund). Premium Economy typically charges $80 to change. Business class is $50 to change, with most fare types eligible for a Qantas Travel Credit refund. First class is fully flexible and refundable. Fare difference applies in all cases when changing to a more expensive flight.
Qantas Travel Credit and how it works
When you cancel a non-refundable Qantas ticket, you receive a Qantas Travel Credit equal to the ticket value minus the cancellation fee. This credit is valid 12 months from the original booking date and can be used toward any future Qantas booking. Qantas has historically been generous about extending credit expiry on a case-by-case basis, especially when requested before the expiry date. An agent can request extensions on your behalf.
Long-haul disruption and what Qantas owes you
Qantas's ultra-long-haul routes have a particular pattern of disruption — connection misconnects, aircraft swaps, and Pacific weather diversions are common. When Qantas cancels your flight or causes a delay over 4 hours, you're entitled to a free rebooking on the next available Qantas or oneworld partner flight, or a full cash refund. Qantas does not fall under EU261 (Australia has no equivalent compensation regulation), so cash compensation for delays is limited to actual incurred expenses (meals, hotel, ground transport).
Qantas Points and award ticket changes
Award tickets booked with Qantas Points (frequent flyer redemptions) have their own fee structure: $99 USD per passenger to change, plus any points difference. Cancelling an award ticket refunds the points to your account with a $99 fee. Qantas Points cannot be used to pay change fees on cash tickets — they can only be used at booking time. Cash-plus-points hybrid bookings have complex rules that warrant a phone call.
Qantas change & cancellation fees in detail (2026)
| Fare class | Change fee | Cancellation fee |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | $99 | $200 |
| Premium Economy | $80 | $150 |
| Business | $50 | $100 |
| First / Suites | $0 | $50 |
Indicative fees per passenger per direction. Fare difference may apply. Refundable fare types have different rules — call to verify your specific ticket.
Common reasons US travellers call about Qantas
- Change a Qantas long-haul ticket to or from the US
- Rebook after a Qantas schedule change on the LAX/SFO/DFW/JFK routes
- Cancel and recover ticket value as Qantas Travel Credit
- Handle complex multi-stop tickets with codeshare segments
- Apply Qantas Points to a change or fare-difference cost
Qantas FAQ
$99 USD per passenger per direction for Economy fares, $80 for Premium Economy, $50 for Business, and free for First class. Fare difference always applies.
Only within the 24-hour grace window. Outside that window, Economy Sale fares are not refundable for cash. You may receive a Qantas Travel Credit for the ticket value minus a $200 cancellation fee.
Credit-card refunds typically process in 14–21 business days. Cross-border refunds (US card on AUD-currency ticket) can take 4–8 weeks. Travel credits are issued immediately upon cancellation.
Australia has no formal compensation scheme like EU261. Qantas owes you a refund or rebooking but no cash compensation for delays. However, they often offer travel credits or upgrades as goodwill on a case-by-case basis, especially for premium cabin passengers.
Yes — Classic Upgrade Rewards let you bid points for an upgrade at any time after booking, subject to availability. A phone call to a knowledgeable agent will often surface upgrade availability that the website hides.