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.
Virgin Velocity Halves eBay Points
Velocity Frequent Flyer members will now earn only one point per dollar on Ebay purchases, down from two points per dollar, as of 1 September. Just a head up for anyone else doing shopping regularly on eBay while earning 2 points / $ like me. Just done the shop for today and notice a message … Continued

Qantas Business Class for $283 return!
How does a return Qantas Business class trip for just $283 sound?! Thanks to a current promotion, it’s possible to pick up 18,000 British Airways Executive Club Avios (points) for just $239. That’s enough points for a return Qantas Business class flight from Sydney to Melbourne, or two return trips in Economy. The 18,000 Avios … Continued

Central Asia: An Underrated Destination
When planning your next holiday destination, Kazakhstan is probably not the first country that comes to mind. But perhaps it should be. The economic powerhouse of Central Asia has plenty to offer, and planning a trip there is easier than you might think! AFF member Mattg recently visited Kazakhstan, and he was seriously impressed. Kazakhstan … Continued
How to fly to Israel using Qantas Points
Israel has traditionally been a difficult destination to reach using Qantas points. But redeeming points to Tel Aviv has just become a little easier, thanks to an expanded partnership between Qantas & El Al… The Opportunity Israel has traditionally been a difficult destination to reach using Qantas points. This is especially the case if … Continued

Best Virgin Partner Airline to Europe?
Virgin Australia does not operate its own flights to Europe. Instead, Virgin’s frequent flyers can choose to fly on a range of partners that do. Of Virgin Australia’s 12 partner airlines, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines both offer convenient, one-stop connections between Australia and a range of European destinations. So, which airline is best for … Continued

Qantas to Refurbish A380 Fleet
Qantas will refurbish its entire fleet of Airbus A380s, with new seats in all cabin classes and a new on-board lounge on the upper deck. The upgrades will provide a welcome boost for Qantas’ ageing A380 fleet, but Qantas flyers will need to wait another 2-3 years. The Business class and Premium Economy seats will … Continued
Cyber Theft over Hotel Wifi
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were stolen from a member’s bank accounts after they used the wifi internet at an overseas hotel. This member’s phone numbers were ported, bank logins changed and emails redirected. The hackers then transferred a substantial amount of money into their own bank accounts. Our member is not sure exactly how this … Continued
Ultimate Luxury in the Blue Mountains
Emirates is known for its luxurious premium cabins in the air, but it seems they do luxury just as well on the ground. Our member tmdellit recently spent 40 hours of pure luxury at the Emirates One&Only Resort in the Wolgan Valley. The resort is located near the Blue Mountains, just a few hours’ drive … Continued

Airberlin on its Last Legs
Airberlin, Germany’s second-largest airline, has filed for bankruptcy. Airberlin flights are still operating as normal for the moment, thanks to a loan from the German government. But the long-term future for the airline is perilously uncertain. Airberlin is a partner airline of both Qantas, through its membership in the Oneworld alliance, and Virgin Australia. The … Continued