If you had any doubt that frequent flyer programs have truly become frequent buyer schemes, check out this statement by the CEO of Qantas Frequent Flyer, Simon Hickey. In an interview published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Hickey said that only 35 percent of Qantas points are earned by flying while the remaining 65 percent are earned through credit cards and other partners. The airline reported it had earned A$328 million from its frequent flyer program in the past year.