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.
How to Get a Travel Exemption to Leave Australia
Since 25 March 2020, Australian citizens and permanent residents have been banned from leaving the country without a travel restriction exemption from the Department of Home Affairs. Australia’s outbound travel ban was first introduced in response to the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, before Australia had a hotel quarantine system. It was designed to stop Australians going … Continued
Triple Qantas Points on Flights, Hotels & Car Hire
Qantas Frequent Flyer is giving triple points on all flight, hotel, holiday and Avis car rental bookings made from 22-31 July 2021 (previously until 27 July). This “Christmas in July” deal covers travel dates from 28 July 2021 until 30 June 2022 (or 30 July 2022, in the case of car hire bookings). With this … Continued
Podcast #65: Loyalty Programs: Behind the Scenes
The ‘AFF on AIR’ podcast often looks at frequent flyer and loyalty programs from a consumer’s perspective. But what goes on behind the scenes? What is the logic behind the decisions made by the people running loyalty programs? To find out what goes on behind the scenes, Matt Graham is joined on Episode 65 of … Continued
Loyalty Programs: Behind the Scenes – AIR065
Ever wondered what the people designing loyalty programs are thinking? For example, why do points expire so quickly? Are all airlines just trying to devalue your points? And what role do loyalty programs play in helping airlines out of the pandemic? Find out this and lots more in this episode, as loyalty program … Continued
New Zealand Travel Bubble Paused for 8 Weeks
The New Zealand government has suspended travel from all Australian states & territories to New Zealand for the next 8 weeks, in response to growing outbreaks of the Delta strain of COVID-19 in various parts of Australia including Sydney. From 11.59pm on 23 July 2021, Australians will no longer be able to travel to New … Continued
Can You Get a Refund for Cancelled Domestic Flights?
As the past week has shown, domestic travel restrictions within Australia can change very quickly. This makes it difficult to book flights with confidence. But to maintain cash flow, airlines need the public to keep booking! So, most airlines have introduced additional flexibility for domestic flight bookings. But can passengers expect a refund if they’re unable … Continued
Virgin Australia Slashes Business Class Fares
Virgin Australia has significantly reduced its Business Class fares on many domestic routes, with seats now regularly available from as little as $199 one-way – or even as low as $182 with a promo code! But there’s a catch: Customers can no longer book the cheapest Business Saver fares on most routes within four weeks … Continued
New Flights to Australia Launched During COVID-19
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has caused enormous disruption to the aviation industry. Countless international routes in and out of Australia have been grounded, and many airlines have stopped flying to Australia altogether for the time being due to the highly restrictive inbound passenger caps. This now includes American Airlines, which just announced it … Continued
Rex Cancels All Boeing 737 Flights Until August
Rex Airlines has cancelled all of its scheduled Boeing 737-800 flights until at least the end of this month, as Adelaide joins Sydney and Melbourne in lockdown. As of this afternoon, there are no Rex jet services available for sale until 1 August 2021. It’s not yet clear if the cancellations will be extended even … Continued