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.

Air Canada Dreamliner Premium Economy cabin

Air Canada’s Interesting Domestic Premium Cabin Pricing

If you’ve flown in Business Class on Qantas’ Boeing 737s and Airbus A330s, you’ll know that there’s a huge difference in the Business Class products on these two aircraft. Qantas’ narrow-body Boeing 737-800 features basic reclining Business seats with a little more width and legroom, which are suitable for the short flights it generally operates… … Continued

29 May 2022 Air Canada
Virgin Australia and United Airlines will become partners in 2022

Guide to Virgin Australia’s Partnership with United Airlines

Velocity Frequent Flyer members can now earn and redeem points on United Airlines, as well as earning status credits and receiving reciprocal status benefits. Overall, this is great news for frequent flyers of both Virgin Australia and United. The partnership is reasonably comprehensive and there are benefits available in both directions. However, United MileagePlus members … Continued

25 May 2022 Virgin Australia
Rex Saab 340 planes at Albury Airport

Rex Withdraws from 7 Regional Routes

Rex will end all services on the Sydney-Canberra route this weekend, just over a year after entering the route. The announcement comes days after the regional airline revealed it will cease serving the Melbourne-Albury route at the end of May. Rex is also withdrawing from five other regional routes including Sydney-Bathurst and Adelaide-Kingscote at the end … Continued

Qantas A380

Seats Lost in Qantas Call Centre Stuff-Up

When calling an airline to make a simple enquiry about a confirmed booking, you certainly wouldn’t expect them to cancel your entire ticket without your consent or knowledge. But that’s exactly what happened to a Qantas Frequent Flyer member recently after they called Qantas to enquire about changing their Business Class flights. AFF member davidhes had … Continued

23 May 2022 Qantas
Virgin Australia 737 Business Class service 2022

Virgin Business Class Doesn’t Cater to Dietary Needs

On many levels, Virgin Australia now offers a better domestic Business Class service than Qantas. Ever since Virgin revamped its Business Class catering in March 2021, the on-board meals have generally been well received and the on-board service is typically excellent. (AFF’s long-running thread on Virgin Australia Business catering is a testament to this.) However, … Continued

22 May 2022 Virgin Australia
Bonza 737

Bonza Won’t Offer Website Bookings

Update (October 2022): Bonza has launched a travel agent portal to allow travel agents to book Bonza flights. It remains the case that the only way to book direct will be through Bonza’s app. In October 2021, Bonza announced plans to launch a new Australian low-cost airline connecting regional Australia with Boeing 737 MAX jets. … Continued

Qantas A380 First Class dining

Bizarre Trick to Get Qantas First Class Awards

Update: Since this article was published, Qantas appears to have pulled all First Class award inventory. For many people with Qantas Frequent Flyer points, redeeming for a First Class international flight is the “holy grail” of rewards. But it can be exceptionally difficult to find Qantas First Class award availability, even if you have status … Continued

AFF member Rugby's missing iPhone

The Crazy Adventure of an AFF Member’s Lost Phone

In the Qantas safety video played at the start of every flight, passengers are told that if they lose their phone they should contact a crew member immediately. “Please avoid moving your seat or trying to retrieve it as phones as tablets may be damaged or destroyed if caught in the seat mechanism,” the safety video … Continued

15 May 2022 Post Flight
Oslo departures board

13 New Airlines That Launched During COVID-19

Many airports around the world look different now. Some of the changes are minor, like the addition of COVID-19 testing stations, markings on the ground telling you where to stand or vending machines selling face masks and hand sanitiser. Plane spotters may also now notice that some of the aircraft tails at airports around the … Continued

15 May 2022 Other Airlines
Qantas A321XLR livery

Qantas’ First A321XLRs Won’t Have Lie-Flat Business Seats

Last week, Qantas announced a huge order of brand new Airbus aircraft. The showpiece of the announcement was the new Airbus A350-1000s which will fly Qantas’ non-stop “Project Sunrise” flights from Sydney to London and New York. But Qantas also announced a large order of Airbus A321XLR and A220 aircraft which will ultimately replace the … Continued

12 May 2022 Qantas
Qantas premium lounge entry, Brisbane Airport

Check Your Qantas Status Credit Rollover!

Throughout the pandemic, Qantas has offered a range of initiatives to help frequent flyers to extend their status. After initially extending everyone’s status for one year in 2020, Qantas in 2021 and 2022 has also offered frequent flyers based in Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to extend their status for another year by booking … Continued

12 May 2022 Qantas