Airlines, Miles and Points

Airlines, miles, and points is the most popular topic at Australian Frequent Flyer. In this category, we provide expert tips, insider tricks, and facilitate discussions about Qantas, Virgin Australia, non-Australian airlines, and global airline alliances. From earning and redeeming frequent flyer points to maximising elite status benefits, we aim to help you get the most out of your travel. We also cover every step of the journey – from planning and booking flights to experiencing the flight itself, and finally, arriving at your destination. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or just starting to explore the world of frequent flyer programs, you'll find valuable advice to elevate your travel experience. See below for articles on airlines, miles and points.

When points won’t stretch the distance

While many of our members like to accumulate points rather than spend them, some have been burned by hard lessons from the past. As the events of 2001 showed with the demise of Ansett, sometimes it can be a case of easy come easy go. Spending those points rather than saving them can be a … Continued

8 Sep 2014 Qantas

Nuts-on-board: A deadly snack?

An unexpected danger to some passengers on board is the dissemination or consumption of nuts. A four year old girl on a Ryan-Air flight suffered an alleged anaphylactic shock after a fellow passenger opened a packet of nuts in another row. This story raised a number of issues with our members and led them to … Continued

4 Sep 2014 In Flight

Portable Devices go Gate-to-Gate

One of the biggest changes to the customer experience when flying domestically has been in the area of in flight entertainment (IFE). With seat back screen systems expensive to install and keep updated with technology, airlines have been looking at ways to save money. WiFi streaming is a technology that for many airlines solves the … Continued

2 Sep 2014 In Flight

Seat buddy issues

For many, the joys of travel include the opportunity to meet to new people. Thanks to assigned seating, you will not always have the choice as to whom you may sit with. That long haul flight could see time fly should you be lucky to be seated beside someone who is witty and entertaining. Taking … Continued

31 Aug 2014 In Flight

Frequent Flyer Perk Envy

This week many members suffer from some serious perk-envy when some of our members reveal the perks that are attached to their careers. An Amex gold card where accrued points are allowed to be used at the employee’s discretion is a frequent flyers fantasy. A company car with all registration, insurance and petrol paid is … Continued

Low cost but not low loss

In the last week, the focus has been on Qantas and its financial performance. To many, it’s seen as a legacy carrier struggling to compete in the world of other airlines, both full service and low cost. But Qantas is not the only airline in a world of pain when it comes to financial results. … Continued

Virgin Fare Glitch: Fair or not?

One member this week is horrified at what they perceive is a potential fraud on behalf of Virgin when booking via the Virgin website. This member booked a flexi-fare and upon selecting the relevant fares and attempting to pay, the price was $17 more than the advertised price and no explanation was given for the … Continued

21 Aug 2014 Virgin Australia

More Qantas pain due this month

For the past few years Qantas customers have become used to the bad news. With each 6 monthly financial results announcement, the chances of new equipment, routes and services diminish. This month it appears it will be no different. With the results due soon, news is already leaking out that further job cuts are going … Continued

19 Aug 2014 Qantas

Malaysia – the land of opportunity for Qantas?

It’s no surprise that events of recent months have affected Malaysia Airlines badly. The run of bad luck or misfortune has seen passenger loads drop significantly and deep discounting on many routes, including traffic to Australia. With heavy competition from low cost competitor Air Asia, some of our members feel the One World Airline could … Continued

12 Aug 2014 Qantas

Passports vanish in-flight

This week, one of our members asks a question about a situation no one would want to find themselves in Last week I received a panicked call from a friend of a friend (person A) who had just landed at BKK for the start of a 2 week TH holiday. Somewhere between boarding their flight … Continued

9 Aug 2014 In Flight

Booking Secrets Revealed!

One member seeks the advice of our booking-savvy members to determine the cheapest way to book flights and accommodation. Our member has had experience with sites such as Expedia and agents such as Flight Centre and wants to get the low-down on the best deals. Rule 1 of booking success, according to our members, is … Continued

Is Australia still a two airline country?

From the late 1940s until the 1990s, Australia operated under a two airline policy. That policy put in place a law that specified only two airlines could operate the routes between major cities. Over the time it was in place, travel by air was expensive, and often inflexible. For some routes, there would be two … Continued