Qantas has added new perks for their best, Platinum One, status members. Domestic partners of Platinum One members will now automatically receive Platinum status in Qantas Frequent Flyer, allowing them access to domestic business lounges and first class international lounge along with other Platinum benefits. The Platinum status can only apply to “a spouse or de facto domestic partner” and not to anyone the Platinum One member chooses. If the Platinum One member loses his status (and has the soft landing to Platinum status), the partner Platinum member will revert back to whichever membership level they were before the gifted status.

Another Platinum One change is the introduction of new Platinum One bonus points levels. Platinum One members who earn 5,000 status credits in a membership year will get 75,000 points and those who earn 7,000 status points will get 100,000 points. And in other good news, Platinum One members will now be exempt from fare differences when they move to an earlier domestic Qantas flight if they are traveling on a flexible fare, they will earn double points through Qantas Restaurants, there will be no fee when booking flights over the phone to the Qantas call center and will receive a free Premium membership to the Qantas Golf Club, which will launch this summer.

Bottom line: Platinum One was introduced in 2011 and requires members to earn 3,600 status credits in a year, three times the number required for Platinum status. The elite program of Qantas Frequent Flyer does not yet offer a lifetime membership and a Qantas representative has said the idea of introducing one is “not on the radar.”