Latest news

Top Tips for Stress-Free Travel

This week our members reveal their best travel tips and tricks. Countless “gems” have been shared, that will help travellers with everything from charging phones to saving money on hotels. To save luggage space and reduce the number of overseas adaptors needed, one member suggests packing a power board with multiple Australian-style power point connections. … Continued

17 Sep 2015 The Journey

First Class Showdown: Emirates vs Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines and Emirates boast arguably two of the best First Class products in the world. And as part of a recent round-the-world trip, our member Alanslegal was fortunate enough to take multiple First Class flights on both airlines! To compare and contrast the experiences, a trip report has been written. So, which airline achieved … Continued

16 Sep 2015 Flight Reviews

South America using Points: Mission Impossible?

Redeeming frequent flyer points for free flights can be a challenging exercise at the best of times. But getting to South America is particularly difficult due to the relatively small number of flights between Australia and the Latin American continent. Qantas and its partner LAN currently have a duopoly on flights between Australia and South … Continued

15 Sep 2015 Airlines, Miles and Points

135% Bonus Miles in New “LifeMiles” Promotion

Avianca, the national airline of Colombia, is not an airline on the radar of most Australian flyers. But its loyalty program “LifeMiles” offers some unique and substantial advantages. Most significantly, the program makes premium cabin travel for a fraction of the price possible! LifeMiles is one of a handful of programs to sell its own … Continued

14 Sep 2015 Avianca

Shortcuts to Elite Status with Hilton Hotels

Hotel loyalty programs, such as the Hilton Hotels “HHonors” scheme are sometimes overlooked. But for frequent travellers, there are some fantastic benefits on offer. The key benefits of hotel status, apart from free hotel nights, come with elite status. Hilton’s program has three premium status tiers; Silver, Gold and Diamond. Silver status is earned after … Continued

12 Sep 2015 Hilton Honors

Transfer Virgin Velocity Points for Maximum Value

If you’ve accumulated a stockpile of Virgin Velocity points, you don’t just have to redeem them on Virgin Australia flights! Velocity points can also be transferred across to the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program. So, how does this work exactly, and what are the benefits of transferring? As long as you have an account with both … Continued

10 Sep 2015 Virgin Australia

Cruising across the Atlantic

Our member Kolo recently cruised across the Atlantic to New York as part of a trip to the UK and North America, in what was undoubtedly a memorable experience. The trip began flying in Business class to Edinburgh on Virgin and Etihad. All seems to have gone off to a great start in Virgin’s Business … Continued

9 Sep 2015 Cruises

New Qantas Lounge opens in Perth

In good news for frequent flyers travelling to Perth, Qantas has opened its much-anticipated Business lounge at Perth Airport. The lounge has become an instant hit among our members. The large lounge space features modern décor and new innovations including a gourmet pizza bar and wine bar, as well as work stations and a sports … Continued

7 Sep 2015 Airport Lounge Reviews

Platinum Perks Whittled Away

It’s not that long ago that Qantas Platinum status came with the “ultimate” in perks. No expense was to be spared for the airline’s valuable Platinum members. But with Platinum One (and Chairman’s Lounge) members now trumping Platinum members, combined with a seemingly never-ending cycle of devaluations and cost-cutting, some members feel that their Platinum … Continued

5 Sep 2015 Qantas

Qantas Loyalty a One-Way Street?

After many years of loyalty to the flying kangaroo, one dissatisfied member feels that Qantas has failed to return the favour. This member has held Platinum status for over a decade, but had to put overseas travel on hold for a year due to the birth of a child. Qantas does not allow members to … Continued

3 Sep 2015 Qantas

The Ultimate Swiss Sightseeing Guide

Our member UpInTheAir:) recently spent a wonderful, warm summer week in Switzerland. Prior to departure, advice and suggestions were requested from our well-travelled members, who have once again risen to the occasion. A wealth of advice on everything to do with travelling in Switzerland has been offered. The result is a trip report packed full … Continued

2 Sep 2015 Destinations

Qantas/China Eastern partnership given green light

A new partnership between Qantas and China Eastern Airlines has been approved by the ACCC. The joint venture means that Qantas’ relationship with China Eastern will be akin to the much-touted partnership with Emirates. Qantas and China Eastern flyers will receive reciprocal benefits when flying on either airline including lounge access, other status privileges such … Continued

31 Aug 2015 Qantas