How to use PayRewards Points to book Oneworld flights 

When boarding your most recent Qantas flight, you might have seen the blue ‘Oneworld’ orb by the aircraft door. That’s the alliance that Qantas co-founded back in 1999 – and it’s spread its wings far wider since then. 

Today, Oneworld is a collective of 15 airlines largely based across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. While you’re no doubt familiar with Qantas Frequent Flyer, there are in fact many ways that you can travel aboard Oneworld flights by redeeming your PayRewards Points. 

As it happens, eight of our airline partner programs can get you flying near and far aboard a Oneworld airline. Here’s how PayRewards Points can take you there. 

Which airlines are in Oneworld?

More than half of Oneworld’s member carriers fly to Australia. And of course, Qantas is based here, giving Oneworld the strongest local presence of the ‘big three’ alliances. 

As it happens, almost every Oneworld member serving Australia proudly announces its home base in its name. There’s American Airlines, British Airways, Fiji Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines. (And, fun fact, the Q and NT in Qantas stand for Queensland and Northern Territory too, staying on-trend.) 

Not to be forgotten, Cathay Pacific also serves Australia from its Hong Kong hub. Its brand cleverly incorporates an ancient name for China, together with the desire to carry travellers across oceans, like the Pacific. 

Further abroad, that naming trend is also popular among Oneworld’s other members. There’s Alaska Airlines, Finnair, Iberia (based in Madrid on the Iberian Peninsula), Oman Air, Royal Air Maroc, and Royal Jordanian. 

PayRewards’ Oneworld Alliance transfer partners

You can convert your PayRewards Points straight into the frequent flyer programs of five key Oneworld Alliance carriers. Each program has its own distinct advantages. And for that matter, each scheme sets its own reward rates. Just pause and think about that for a moment. 

If you’ve spent your life using only one frequent flyer program, you might be used to thinking that a particular flight costs a certain number of points. Now, that might be true of the one frequent flyer program you’re familiar with. But the flexibility of PayRewards means you have the power to convert your points in different ways every time you travel. That means you can hunt for the best reward rate for the flight you want, convert your points only when needed, and pounce. 

Here are those five programs, and why you might use each one. 

Qantas Business Rewards 

You can convert PayRewards Points to Qantas Points at a 2:1 rate. That’s the most advantageous conversion rate from PayRewards to any Oneworld airline. You can then transfer points from Qantas Business Rewards to any personal Qantas Frequent Flyer account at a 1:1 rate. 

Best for: 

• Reward seat availability on Qantas, especially for those with Qantas status. 

• The ability for Qantas Platinum, Platinum One, and Chairmans Lounge members to request additional Qantas reward seats by phone. 

• Upgrades on Qantas. 

• Round-the-world bookings on Oneworld airlines.  

• Earning Qantas Status Credits on Qantas reward flights, for Qantas Points Club members. 

Keep in mind: 

• Reward flights on Qatar Airways are limited and are generally only made available shortly before departure. 

• There’s still limited integration with Oman Air, the newest Oneworld member. 

The British Airways Club 

Convert your PayRewards Points into Avios with The BA Club at a 3:1 rate. 

Best for: 

• Booking British Airways’ own flights between Sydney and Singapore – particularly in business class and first class. 

• Generous reward rates on short partner airline flights, including Qantas domestic and trans-Tasman.
• You can also convert Avios between The BA Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club at a 1:1 rate.

Keep in mind: 

• BA has both peak and off-peak rates on reward flights. These don’t follow large blocks of dates. Rather, they can change from one day to the next, and between different cabins. But you can still check how much a reward flight costs before converting your PayRewards Points. 

Cathay (Asia Miles)

Transfer your PayRewards Points into Asia Miles with Cathay at a 3:1 rate. 

Best for: 

• There are more reward seats available on Cathay Pacific flights than can be booked via other Oneworld programs. 

• Great-value reward rates on Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong and Europe. 

• If you have Cathay status, you may have access to even more seats on Cathay Pacific flights. 

Keep in mind: 

• Points transfers from PayRewards to Cathay are generally processed overnight, rather than instantly. It helps to plan a backup option using Asia Miles, just in case your preferred flight is snapped up during that brief window. 

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank 

Convert your points with PayRewards’ newest Oneworld airline partner, Japan Airlines, at a 3:1 rate. 

Best for: 

• Securing additional reward seats on Japan Airlines flights, versus those made available through other frequent flyer programs. 

• International travel to and from Japan, where you also have a connecting domestic flight in Japan. These domestic tags can be booked as part of the same international journey for no extra miles. 

• Combining multiple partner airline flights on a single booking for reduced reward rates. 

Keep in mind: 

• Mileage Bank is free to join, but you’ll need to be a member for over 60 days before you can begin to redeem miles. This applies even if you earn miles in those first 60 days. (Join for free now to get that 60-day clock started!) 

Qatar Airways Privilege Club 

You can transfer your PayRewards Points into Avios with Qatar Airways Privilege Club at a 3:1 rate. 

• Best for: 

• Business class reward flights between Australia and Europe, starting at 90,000 Avios. 

• Convert Avios between Privilege Club and The BA Club at a 1:1 rate for added flexibility. 

Keep in mind: 

• Reward bookings on partner airlines can be tricky to find and book online, particularly after recent changes to the Qatar Airways website. 

Other ways to book Oneworld flights with PayRewards Points 

Here’s what some might consider a slightly more advanced play. While for others, it’d be child’s play. We’re talking about converting your PayRewards Points to an airline outside the Oneworld Alliance, to then book a Oneworld flight. 

Why do this? Remember, different programs have different reward rates. Some pass along carrier charges, while others don’t. Conversion rates from PayRewards to partners can also differ. Sometimes, reward seats can also be available through one airline program, but not another. Mix that all together, and knowing all of your options is the smartest play in the book. 

Planning to travel with Qatar Airways? You might consider booking through Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program. From PayRewards, you can convert to Virgin Australia Business Flyer at a 2:1 rate – and from there to any personal Velocity account at a 1:1 rate. This can also be a great way to secure extra reward seats to Doha aboard Virgin Australia’s ‘wet lease’ flights. These are operated by Qatar Airways, but as they’re technically not Oneworld flights, you won’t see these reward seats through other Oneworld partner programs. 

Hoping to travel with Oman Air? These flights can be booked through Air Canada Aeroplan as well. A 2.5:1 conversion rate applies from PayRewards to Aeroplan. That has the potential to get you flying using fewer PayRewards Points than some alternatives. 

The last option may come as a surprise. But China Southern’s Sky Pearl Club offers reward seat bookings on both American Airlines and British Airways. You can convert PayRewards Points into miles with China Southern at a 3:1 rate. Granted, this might not be ‘Plan A’. But you never know – the option is there if you need it. 

That’s the advantage of PayRewards Points: they’re flexible. And with flexibility, you’re in a great position to win the game and travel in comfort, wherever your next venture takes you. 

Written by Chris Chamberlin

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About the author

Chris enjoys making the most of frequent flyer points, which have taken him around the world – usually, at the front of the plane. He’s travelled over 1.5 million miles sampling the best in Business Class and First Class. That’s further than three return trips to the moon! Chris is based at Point Hacks' Melbourne office as News Editor, and shares his experiences via @chris_chamberlin on Instagram. When he’s not travelling, he enjoys tennis, keeping fit, and discovering new gins.