Weekly News Roundup: Aug 24 - Aug 30, 2026

This backfill covers Monday 24 to Sunday 30 August 2026. The Qantas booking offer below has expired. The week brought one short booking window and a clearer timetable for Qantas Frequent Flyer changes. Finder also reported on bank card changes that were already on the way.

Westpac and St.George card changes came into focus

On 24 August, Finder reported on changes that Westpac and St.George had already announced for 30 September. They covered reward program fees, earn rates and the number of points needed for some redemptions. These changes have since taken effect.

For the tracked Westpac Altitude Qantas Black, Finder reported that the annual Qantas Rewards Program fee would rise from $75 to $155. Its international earn rate would rise from 1.2 to 1.5 Qantas Points per $1, while the rate for “all other purchases” would fall from 0.5 to 0.4. Westpac's card page now lists the $155 program fee. That page shows current terms; Finder's dated report is the source for the before-and-after figures.

Finder also reported that a $100 Altitude eGift card would move from 23,500 to 29,412 points. That is 5,912 more points, about 25% more for the same gift card. Its report lists changes to St.George Amplify cards too. If you hold one of these cards, the useful check is your total card and program fees alongside the rewards you actually redeem; the headline earn rate alone misses part of the change.

Qantas opened a double-rewards booking window — now expired

On 26 August, Qantas launched its “Twice as Rewarding” offer. Members could register for either double Qantas Points or double Status Credits on eligible new bookings made from 26 August through 2 September 2026. The travel window was 3 September 2026 to 14 August 2027. Australian Frequent Flyer reported the launch that week.

Each traveller needed their own registration. Eligible flights had to carry a QF flight number and be operated by Qantas or one of the operators listed in Qantas's terms. Jetstar flights and partner-operated codeshares did not qualify. The chosen reward applied across eligible bookings; members could not take double points on one flight and double Status Credits on another. Qantas said the bonus Status Credits counted towards Lifetime Status, but not its Loyalty Bonus. Registration and booking closed on 2 September. Qantas now marks the promotion as ended.

Qantas set 8 December for Frequent Flyer changes

In its 27 August results release, Qantas said status-credit rollover and earning Status Credits on the ground would begin in December. Australian Frequent Flyer's 28 August report and Qantas's program details set 8 December 2026 as the date. Points Club, Points Club Plus and Green Tier are due to end then.

Qantas says eligible points activity across ten categories can earn up to 140 Status Credits per membership year. One condition matters for card users: bonus points from Qantas Points earning credit cards and points converted from another card program do not count towards these on-the-ground Status Credits. The results release also put Qantas Points upgrades on Jetstar international 787 flights on a September timetable. That was a future rollout, not a service launched during this August week.