Qantas and Emirates have announced they will extend their cornerstone partnership for another five years, meaning customers and frequent flyers of both airlines will have access to an expansive joint network, and millions of reward seats to travel across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.K.
The agreement was signed by Emirates President Tim Clark and Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce at the International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting in Boston.
The airlines have existing approvals from regulators to operate a joint business until March 2023. Qantas and Emirates will seek re-authorisation from relevant regulators, including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, to continue the core elements of the partnership including coordination of pricing, schedules, sales, and tourism marketing on approved routes until 2028. The deal includes an option to renew for another five years beyond that.
Together, both airlines are making millions of reward seats available for frequent flyers to access more than 100 destinations using their Qantas Points or Skywards Miles, which many have been stockpiling throughout the pandemic.