Qantas Frequent Flyers have a new way to put their points balance to work, with Jetstar launching Classic Upgrades to Business Class using Qantas Points.
The new option applies to eligible international flights operated by Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliners and allows passengers who already hold an eligible Economy booking to request an upgrade using a fixed number of Qantas Points.
For travellers who like the idea of flying Business Class but don't necessarily want to pay the full Business Class fare upfront, this could be an interesting new option.
And with Jetstar currently more than doubling the number of Business Class seats aboard its refurbished Dreamliners, there should eventually be considerably more seats available at the pointy end of the plane.
How many Qantas Points does a Jetstar Business Class upgrade cost?
The number of points required depends on the route.
Jetstar has provided two examples at launch:
- Melbourne to Singapore – 37,000 Qantas Points
- Sydney to Osaka – 45,300 Qantas Points
Those points are for the upgrade only. You'll still need to have purchased an eligible underlying Jetstar fare.
The points required can also vary between routes and may change over time, so these figures shouldn't necessarily be treated as permanent pricing.
How do Jetstar Classic Upgrades work?
Passengers with an eligible booking can request an upgrade to Business Class using Qantas Points.
At launch, the new Classic Upgrades are available for eligible flights booked directly through Jetstar, with bookings made through the Qantas website expected to become eligible later. Some travel-agent bookings may also qualify depending on the booking, fare and flight.
Importantly, requesting an upgrade doesn't guarantee you'll get one.
Upgrade requests are subject to availability. Jetstar says requests are generally processed in the order they're received, with passengers advised of the outcome no later than four hours before departure.
Your Qantas Points are only deducted if the upgrade is successful. If it isn't, you retain your original booking and your points.
So if you've already booked an eligible Jetstar international flight and have a healthy Qantas Points balance sitting around, it may be worth putting the request in sooner rather than later.
What does Jetstar Business Class include?
A successful Classic Upgrade gets you more than just the larger seat.
Jetstar Business Class includes 30kg of checked baggage, inflight meals and priority boarding, along with a wider reclining seat and comfort pack.
However, there's one fairly important distinction for anyone imagining they'll also be enjoying a pre-flight Champagne in the Qantas lounge.
A Jetstar Classic Upgrade does not automatically include Qantas lounge access.
Executive Traveller reports that Qantas lounge access remains restricted to eligible passengers, including those travelling on a paid Jetstar Business Max fare or passengers who qualify through their frequent-flyer status or other existing lounge-access entitlement.
So don't turn up five hours early expecting the upgrade alone to get you into the lounge.
Image: Photo by Nguyen Minh on Unsplash
Jetstar is adding a lot more Business Class seats
The timing of the new upgrade option isn't accidental.
Jetstar is currently refurbishing its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet and increasing the Business Class cabin from 21 seats to 44 seats.
The refurbished aircraft also introduce new Business Class seats and inflight Wi-Fi, while entertainment is streamed to passengers' own devices rather than through traditional seatback screens.
Jetstar says the larger cabins will create tens of thousands of additional Business Class seats across its international network each year.
Destinations served by the airline's Dreamliners include popular Australian holiday routes to places such as Singapore, Osaka, Seoul, Phuket and Colombo.
One thing to keep in mind is that the refurbishment program is still underway, so passengers may encounter either the original or refurbished Dreamliner product depending on the aircraft operating their flight.
Didn't Jetstar already let you upgrade using Qantas Points?
Sort of — but this is different.
In June 2026, Jetstar introduced Points Plus Pay for Business Class upgrade bids.
That system allows eligible Qantas Frequent Flyers to make an upgrade bid using a combination of Qantas Points and cash. It expanded on Jetstar's existing cash upgrade bidding system.
The new Jetstar Classic Upgrade is much closer to the familiar Qantas points-upgrade concept.
Instead of deciding how much cash and points you're prepared to bid, there's a set points requirement for the route. You submit your request and, if Jetstar can accommodate the upgrade, the points are deducted.
For people who prefer knowing exactly how many points an upgrade will cost, that's a much simpler proposition.
Is upgrading Jetstar with Qantas Points good value?
That will depend heavily on the flight.
Using 37,000 Qantas Points to move from Economy to Business between Melbourne and Singapore could look very attractive if Business Class fares are particularly expensive on your travel dates.
On another trip, the difference between the Economy fare you've purchased and the price of simply buying Business Class outright might be small enough that using tens of thousands of points doesn't make as much sense.
There are also the extras to consider.
If you would otherwise have paid separately for checked baggage, meals or other inclusions that come with Business Class, those costs can form part of the value you're getting from the upgrade.
It's worth comparing:
your original Economy fare + the points required for the upgrade
against
the price of buying Business Class outright.
There's no universal answer, but at least travellers now have another option.
Another way to stretch Qantas Points further
For Australian families in particular, Qantas Points aren't necessarily about flying everywhere in Business Class.
Sometimes they're simply a way to make an expensive trip a little more affordable.
Jetstar's new Classic Upgrades add another possibility: book the Economy fare that suits your budget, then use points to try for some extra comfort on the longer international sectors.
That's particularly interesting as Jetstar expands its refurbished Dreamliner fleet and effectively doubles the number of Business Class seats available on each aircraft.
The catch is that an upgrade remains a request rather than a guarantee.
But if you've already booked an eligible Jetstar Dreamliner flight and have plenty of Qantas Points available, checking how many points Jetstar wants for an upgrade certainly can't hurt.
