Qantas Frequent Flyers now have access to 15 new island destinations in the Philippines, courtesy of a new partnership with Philippine Airlines that launched on May 28, 2026.
Under the arrangement, Qantas members can use their points to book Classic Reward seats across the entire Philippine Airlines network, including routes to North America and the Middle East via Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila.
Island hopping with points
The partnership opens up popular Philippine destinations that were previously unavailable through the Qantas partner network. These include the beaches of Boracay, the diving hub of Cebu, and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed province of Palawan, home to the limestone lagoons of El Nido.
Andrew Glance, CEO of Qantas Loyalty, declared that the partnership comes in response to growing demand for island-hopping travel among members.
“Many of our members want their points to take them further than just the major hubs,” Glance said. “From the world-class beaches of Boracay to the limestone lagoons of El Nido, these are destinations that feel like a true reward. Members can now build an entire island-hopping itinerary using points.”
Growing travel demand
Data from the Philippine Department of Tourism shows that Australian visitor arrivals to the Philippines rose 19% in the first quarter of 2026 as compared to the same period last year.
Philippine Airlines operates 22 weekly flights between Australia and Manila, including daily services from Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) on Airbus A330 aircraft and from Brisbane Airport (BNE) on Airbus A321neoLR aircraft. Classic Reward seats are available in Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins across these routes.
Philippine Airlines President Richard Nuttall noted that the partnership strengthens the airline’s ties with Australia.
“Together with Qantas, we are strengthening our links with Australia, making it simpler for Australians to visit the Philippines while enjoying greater choice and flexibility with their miles,” Nuttall said.
The new Philippine Airlines destinations add to the 20 million reward seats available across Qantas, Jetstar and 30 partner airlines, including Emirates, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific. According to Qantas, the number of Classic Reward seats booked through partner airlines has doubled over the past five years.
Members can search for availability using a new tool on qantas.com, launched in March 2026, which enables them to browse seats by destination and cabin type across a 12-month booking window.