Author: Matt Graham

Matt Graham

Matt was the editor of Australian Frequent Flyer from 2015 until 2025. His passion for travel has taken him to more than 100 countries - with a lot of help along the way from frequent flyer points! 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 @Mattg.

A Cathay Pacific A350 and Japan Airlines 767 at Vancouver Airport

Qantas Partner Awards: What If The Airline Cancels Your Flight?

When redeeming Qantas points to fly overseas, you’ll often end up on a partner airline as it can be difficult to find award availability on Qantas-operated flights to destinations such as Europe – especially in premium cabins. Redeeming points to fly on a partner airline is a perfectly normal aspect of most frequent flyer programs. … Continued

Needle is lost in haystack and searching with loupe

Podcast #94: Amazing Airline Award Chart Loopholes

When redeeming for flights, the key to really maximising the value of your frequent flyer points is to understand how airline award charts work. These charts determine the number of points you’ll need for a flight redemption, and you can get outsized value by exploiting any loopholes or sweet spots in the award charts. With most … Continued

AFF on AIR podcast artwork

Amazing Airline Award Chart Loopholes – AIR094

  Learn why airline award charts are the key to maximising your frequent flyer points, as Matt shares some of the most incredible frequent flyer redemptions he’s seen during his years of covering and using points. Plus, COVID-19 travel restrictions are coming down across northern Asia as Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong reopen their borders … Continued

RwandAir Airbus A330

RwandAir to Join Oneworld Alliance

Rwanda’s national carrier RwandAir has announced its intention to join the Oneworld alliance with the backing of Qatar Airways. If the airline is accepted into Oneworld, it would be a great win for the alliance which currently lacks coverage through central and southern Africa. Oneworld’s African coverage was improved when Royal Air Maroc joined the … Continued

Planet Earth with detailed relief is covered with a complex luminous network of air routes based on real data. Australia and New Zealand. 3D rendering. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

Why International Flights Are So Expensive Right Now

If you’ve tried booking an international flight recently, you’ve probably noticed that flights to and from Australia are expensive right now. Award flight availability is also particularly limited at the moment. There are clearly a few factors at play which have combined to create a perfect storm of poor availability and high airfares. For example, … Continued

Jetstar 787 takes off

No Seats Available on Jetstar to Bali For Next 3 Weeks

Jetstar is not currently selling any seats on its flights between Australia and Denpasar for travel until 17 October 2022 – after the end of the school holidays. These seats were removed from sale more than a week ago and have not returned. While some flights are likely fully booked due to the school holidays, … Continued

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350

What Virgin Atlantic Joining SkyTeam Means for Australians

Virgin Atlantic (not to be confused with Virgin Australia!) has announced that it will join the SkyTeam alliance in early 2023. This is great news for Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members, who will soon be able to earn and redeem Virgin Atlantic points across the SkyTeam alliance. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members will also be … Continued

Qantas Frequent Flyer launched its Green membership tier earlier this year

More Airlines Give Status Credits for Environmental Contributions

In late 2021, Qantas and Etihad Airways became the first airlines in the world to offer easier elite status qualification to frequent flyers in exchange for purchasing carbon offsets, donating to environmental causes and making more sustainable choices. With the Qantas Green tier, frequent flyers can earn 50 status credits (or 10,000 bonus points) by completing … Continued

Qantas 787-9

Qantas Ending COVID Flexibility on Reward Bookings

There are only a few days left to take advantage of fee-free changes and cancellations on Qantas Classic Flight Reward bookings. The airline’s Flexible Classic Flight Rewards policy will come to an end next Friday, 30 September 2022. Qantas began waiving change and cancellation fees on Classic Flight Reward bookings in May 2020, as part … Continued