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.
Increased Security Delays Australian Travellers
Australian travellers have faced delays and longer waiting times at airports around the country over the past week after security was tightened. It follows the discovery of an alleged terrorist plot involving a flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Following the arrest of four people last week, security was immediately enhanced at Australian airports. As … Continued

Flybuys: Locking out Frequent Flyers!
The Flybuys loyalty program may have the word “fly” in its name, but frequent flyers using the program are at a bizarre disadvantage. One member discovered this week that it is impossible to redeem Flybuys points from outside Australia. This includes transferring points to the Velocity Frequent Flyer and Etihad Guest airline programs. The Flybuys … Continued

Cruising Around the World
Our member turtlemichael is currently in the middle of a trip around the world! Since retiring, this member has enjoyed plenty of longer overseas trips. This one is no exception. Over 100 days, this member will travel around Europe before catching a cruise across the Atlantic to Canada. We leave on June 30. We have … Continued

Qantas Premium Economy for HALF the Points!
Want to fly Qantas to destinations like Los Angeles, Dubai, Santiago or Johannesburg in Premium Economy? Book for HALF the number of points via the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program! After some inspiration on ways to redeem your frequent flyer points? In our weekly Points Inspiration segment, we highlight an excellent frequent flyer redemption opportunity … Continued

Experiences with Asiana Airlines
Ahead of a trip to New York, one member is currently researching flights. They’ve flown to the United States via Los Angeles several times. This time, they’re considering flying Asiana Airlines for a change. Based in Korea, Asiana Airlines is a Star Alliance member offering daily flights from Sydney to Seoul and beyond. Before booking … Continued

Qatar Airways Coming to Canberra
Qatar Airways will commence daily Boeing 777 flights to Canberra, of all places, from 12 February 2018. The new route looks like a big win for Canberra, but the real winner is Sydney. The Canberra-Doha flights will operate via Sydney in both directions, meaning that Sydney receives a second daily direct flight to Doha. Meanwhile, … Continued
Qantas Compensation Farce
A Qantas flyer is still waiting for compensation after they were downgraded from First class. This member had booked a First class award from Dallas to Sydney for his wife using Qantas points. But the flight was cancelled at short notice. An alternative routing was offered via Los Angeles and Auckland on other airlines, but … Continued
Complimentary Virgin Status Upgrades
It’s relatively well-known that Qantas will occasionally renew a frequent flyer’s status, even if the required number of status credits is not earned. But it seems Virgin Australia is also now upgrading its members’ status levels, even if they haven’t quite flown enough. One member recently had their status upgraded from Gold to Platinum, even … Continued

Singapore Airlines Premium Economy: A Worthwhile Investment
On a recent trip to Frankfurt, our member dxwell decided to splurge on Premium Economy tickets with Singapore Airlines. After a very pleasant flight, they now wonder why they hadn’t tried Premium Economy sooner! I recently flew SQ Premium Economy from SIN to FRA and found both the hard product and soft product to be of very high quality. … Continued