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.
Velocity points earned with Agoda not posting
As Agoda is a partner of Virgin Australia, Velocity frequent flyers should be able to earn points by booking hotel accommodation online through the Agoda booking portal. However, some of our members have reported that the entitled points have not been posting properly. Are our members doing something wrong or is there a problem on … Continued
Frequent Flyers Anonymous
Our members have some confessions to make. This week they discuss the excuses offered to friends and family when trying to explain their frequent flying. While some travel frequently for work, flying is an exciting yet misunderstood hobby for others. For some of our fortunate members, regular overseas travel is considered normal. Some members fly … Continued
Australia to Israel, via… Namibia!
The Qantas oneworld awards are arguably one of the best ways to use Qantas points. For 140,000 Qantas points one can travel up to 35,000 miles, with up to 5 stopovers anywhere in the world along the way. The only other rules are that there needs to be travel on at least two oneworld airlines … Continued
Pros & Cons of Qantas Club membership
Complimentary lounge access is an included benefit for frequent flyers with Gold or equivalent elite airline status. However for infrequent flyers who don’t fly enough to earn such status, there is an option to purchase lounge access. There are a number of programs, such as Priority Pass, that offer lounge access for a fee. For … Continued
Toddlers in First Class: A Recipe for Disaster?
Screaming toddlers can be a nightmare anywhere, let alone on a long flight. But one member this week wonders if they are simply asking for trouble by taking their 18-month-old with them on a long flight in first class. Of prime concern to our member is the disruption and inconvenience a screaming infant could cause … Continued
Turkish Airlines to Israel
Thanks to a good deal on flights with Turkish Airlines, one of our members recently visited the country of Israel. We don’t see many trip reports about this part of the world, but it seems Israel is a destination rich in history, culture and even food. Israel has always intrigued me as a travel destination. … Continued
Auckland vs Wellington for a long weekend in New Zealand
Having never been to New Zealand, one member can’t decide between Auckland and the capital Wellington. Our member will be travelling to one of the cities across the ditch for a long weekend next month, but airfare prices to Auckland and Wellington are almost identical. Mrs bertflyer and I have never been to NZ and … Continued
Children eligible for UK Departure Tax refund
The UK is infamous for its high departure tax imposed on departing airline passengers. Under the Air Passenger Duty, passengers are currently slugged up to $280 on top of their airfare! But there is some good news for flyers. From the first of May, children are now exempt from this tax if flying in economy. … Continued
Most Memorable Travel Experiences
This week our members discuss their favourite travel experiences and memories. Our well-travelled members certainly have an extraordinary array of different travel stories under their belts. For one member, the Running of the Bulls in Spain was a memorable experience. The annual event often makes the news even in Australia for the many injuries and … Continued