Author: Matt Graham

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to more than 100 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course! Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine. You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.

The Best Programs to Earn Star Alliance Gold Status

Podcast #87: Getting an Airline Status Match

Many Australian Frequent Flyer members would already know about the benefits of elite airline status. As a reward for your loyalty, you’ll receive special treatment and lots of extra benefits like lounge access, priority at the airport or better access to upgrades that make your travel experience just that much better. If you have status with … Continued

AFF on AIR podcast artwork

Getting an Airline Status Match – AIR087

  In this episode, Matt is joined by co-founder of StatusMatch.com and former head of the Malaysia Airlines Enrich loyalty program Mark Ross-Smith for a behind the scenes look at the world of airline status matching. Learn about why airlines offer status matches, how you can get one, and more!   Episode contents: 1:05 – … Continued

How Qantas Plans to Fly A330s to LA, SFO

Qantas Adds Perth-Johannesburg Flights

Qantas will fly non-stop from Perth to Johannesburg in South Africa, with a new thrice-weekly service launching in November 2022. Operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, QF65 will depart Perth at 3pm and arrive in Johannesburg after 11 hours and 15 minutes of flying at 8.15pm, local time. The return service QF66 will depart Johannesburg … Continued

The Business & First Class check-in queue at Zurich Airport

Flying Soon? Expect Delays & Disruptions.

If you’re planning to travel over the upcoming winter school holidays, you’re not alone. Millions of Australians will take to the skies over the coming weeks, in what is set to be an even busier travel period than the Easter holidays. Many Australians are preparing to travel to international destinations such as Europe and Bali. It’s … Continued

Virgin Australia resumed flying to Bali last week

Why Virgin’s Bali Flights Are All Stopping in Darwin

Virgin Australia resumed flights to Bali last week for the first time since 2020. Sydney-Denpasar was the first route to relaunch on 15 June, while the routes from Brisbane and Melbourne to Bali restarted on 17 June. These flights have been full, but it hasn’t quite been smooth sailing for Virgin. So far, every single … Continued

Qantas Airbus A330-300

Qantas Customer’s Nightmare Trip to London

When deciding which airline to fly to London, there were several reasons that Peter, the husband of AFF member Alectoris, decided to book with Qantas. A key consideration was that Qantas offers non-stop flights from Australia to the UK, avoiding the uncertainty of transiting via a third country given the changing COVID-19 situation. Being particularly … Continued

Hamad International Airport, Qatar

COVID-19 Transit Requirements for Key International Airports

Australia no longer requires international arrivals to get a pre-departure COVID-19 test. But many other countries still have their own travel requirements which may including COVID-19 testing, even if you are just in international transit. To make matters even more complicated, a few countries still aren’t allowing international transits at all. International travel in June … Continued

Emirates home check-in service

New Home Check-in Service for Emirates First Class

Emirates has introduced a new home check-in service for First Class passengers flying from Dubai. This service is available to anyone booked in Emirates First Class, including passengers on Classic Reward tickets booked using Emirates Skywards miles or Qantas points. The optional service needs to be booked at least 24 hours in advance, with a … Continued

Qantas and Malaysia Airlines planes

Qantas Points, Status Credits on Malaysia Airlines Slashed Further

Qantas Frequent Flyer members already earn a significantly reduced rate of points and status credits on many Malaysia Airlines flights. But Qantas frequent flyers will soon earn a lower rate of points and status credits on even more Malaysia Airlines routes. It has already been the case for years that Qantas Frequent Flyer uses different … Continued