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.

Taj Mahal, India

Soaking Up the Sights of India and China

Our member RooFlyer recently spent twelve jam-packed days travelling around India and China, sampling a range of airlines and hotels along the way. The trip wouldn’t have been possible without advice and tips from a wide range of AFF members, on everything from tour guides to securing award seats on Singapore Airlines. This first post is about the … Continued

Redeeming Virgin Velocity Points to the USA

Redeeming Virgin Velocity points for Business class flights to the United States used to be fairly simple. But in recent times, securing a reward seat has become a real challenge. All Velocity members can redeem points for Business reward seats. Velocity Gold and Platinum members can also request a points upgrade to Business class, provided … Continued

Velocity Points to Stop Flowing at BP?

BP has announced plans to purchase Woolworths Petrol for $1.8 billion, spelling an end to Woolworths’ long-standing partnership with Caltex. It will likely also signal the end of BP’s extensive partnership with Velocity, the frequent flyer program of Virgin Australia. As part of the deal, BP will acquire more than 500 Woolworths-branded petrol stations. If regulatory … Continued

First Class Tickets Earned in 3 Months

A grateful new member has already earned enough points for two First class tickets to Europe, with the help of the Australian Frequent Flyer forum! Remarkably, they managed to earn these points in just three months by taking advantage of credit card signup bonuses. And this member believes that anyone can do the same thing. … Continued

The Key to a Successful Points Upgrade

Upgrading to Business or First class is not only an affordable way to travel in luxury, but also an excellent use of frequent flyer points. Unfortunately, there’s a catch: upgrades can be difficult to secure, and there’s a risk that your request will be unsuccessful. But there’s some good news if you want to use … Continued

Virgin Australia 737

Should Virgin Australia Join an Alliance?

Virgin Australia currently belongs to a virtual network of partner airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Air New Zealand. Virgin flyers can earn and redeem points with each of these partners. Velocity Silver, Gold and Platinum members also enjoy reciprocal status recognition when flying with these airlines. But some members believe that the existing arrangements … Continued

Around the World in First Class

AFF member mmchow recently set off on what looks like the adventure of a lifetime, sampling First class on Etihad, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines as they circle the globe! Frequent flyer points were redeemed for each of the flights, and they’ve certainly made the most of them. It all started with the soon-to-expire 20K … Continued

Bonus Qantas Points Bonanza

One of the best deals of the year on Qantas points is back! Until 31 December, you can earn 5 points for every dollar spent on Qantas gift vouchers. That’s on top of the points you could earn for taking the flights and for buying the vouchers with a credit card. Qantas vouchers can be used to book … Continued

Travelling to London, UK

Non-Stop Flights to London in Doubt

It’s no secret that Qantas has been considering flying non-stop from Perth to London as early as next year, using its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. But it seems this new flight, which would be one of the world’s longest, may not go ahead after all. Qantas will receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft in … Continued