Why Qantas Separated Strategy from Execution in Its Loyalty Division
Qantas separates strategy from execution in its 18M-member loyalty program, launching a US$50M Sydney-based Center of Excellence. How Asia's airlines are restructuring loyalty operations.
Qantas is restructuring its Loyalty marketing division, splitting strategic planning from campaign execution across its 18-million-member frequent flyer program to create a dedicated in-house Marketing Center of Excellence in Sydney.
Qantas Creates US$50 Million In-House Marketing Operation
The restructure creates two separate teams. One handles high-level strategy and partnership management. The other, a new Sydney-based Center of Excellence with a US$50 million budget, manages creative production, analytics, and campaign execution.
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The Center of Excellence will oversee a pipeline of more than 50 concurrent projects, reflecting the scale of a program spanning dozens of verticals and hundreds of commercial partners.
Qantas CMO Petra Perry described the rationale directly: "Decoupling marketing strategy, planning, and partnerships from execution allows us to create two distinct and dedicated teams. Our new Centre of Excellence will serve as an in-house engine room of specialists to efficiently manage creative production, analytics, and the high volume of campaigns delivered each month to members."
The new Center of Excellence leader will report directly to Perry. Qantas is currently recruiting for that role.
Loyalty Division Generates US$556 Million Operating Profit in FY25
The restructure follows a strong financial result for Qantas Loyalty. The division recorded US$2.863 billion in revenue for FY25 with earnings before interest and tax of US$556 million, an operating margin of approximately 19.4%.
The US$50 million Center of Excellence budget represents approximately 9% of loyalty operating profit reinvested into marketing operational capability.
The restructure also follows leadership changes at the division level. Andrew Glance was appointed CEO of Loyalty and Customer, taking on responsibilities previously held by Catriona Larritt, who departed for Endeavour Group.
Asia Pacific Loyalty Programs Face Similar Operational Pressures
The Qantas restructure arrives as loyalty programs across Asia Pacific undergo parallel structural changes.
AirAsia completed a major consolidation in 2025, bringing seven national carriers under a single AirAsia Group entity. Its AirAsia MOVE digital platform now serves as the centralized customer engagement and loyalty interface across the group, targeting 155 million passengers across 175 destinations.
Hong Kong Airlines is separately transitioning its Fortune Wings Club from a flight-based to a spending-based points model, a shift that increases data complexity and campaign personalization requirements.
Flight Centre Travel Group is also launching a new leisure loyalty program in H1 FY26, initially in Australia.
Qantas Signals Shift from Growth to Efficiency Phase
Qantas's own recruitment materials describe the Center of Excellence mandate as guiding the team through a transition from "building" to "optimizing," signaling that the loyalty program has moved past its growth phase and is now focused on operational efficiency and margin improvement.
Two marketing leads, Sarah Harrison and Kirsty Blackburn, are currently listed on LinkedIn. Qantas declined to provide further detail on the broader marketing team structure.
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