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.
Podcast #69: Singapore Airlines on Operating to Australia in the Pandemic
Flying internationally to or from Australia over the past 18 months has been extremely challenging for passengers. This is especially so for the tens of thousands of Australians who remain stuck overseas in September 2021. Previous episodes of the AFF on Air podcast have investigated the challenge of returning to Australia from a passenger’s perspective. But … Continued
Singapore Airlines on Operating to Australia in the Pandemic – AIR069
Many previous episodes of the AFF on Air podcast have explored the difficulty of getting back to Australia during the pandemic. Navigating the current system is clearly a nightmare for travellers. In this episode, we’ll get an airline’s perspective. Karl Schubert is the Public Relations Manager for Singapore Airlines in the South West Pacific … Continued
New Round of Velocity Status Extensions (September 2021)
Virgin Australia has announced another new status extension offer for many of its Velocity Frequent Flyer Silver, Gold and Platinum members. Depending on which offer they qualify for, selected Velocity members will now get to enjoy their status for an extra five or eight months. Velocity Gold and Platinum members who previously participated in last … Continued
Hilton Honors Extends Status Until March 2023
Hilton Hotels will extend the status tiers of all Hilton Honors members for another year. All Hilton Honors Silver, Gold and Diamond members will now automatically receive a status extension until 31 March 2023. Any nights that members had completed in 2021 will not go to waste, with Hilton extending rollover nights for members at … Continued
International Flights on Sale for December 2021: Will They Fly?
Many airlines are now planning to resume international flights to and from Australia by Christmas, with Qantas and others betting on a mid-December reopening of the country’s international border. Meanwhile, other airlines that have continued to operate loss-making international flights into Australia throughout the pandemic are preparing to ramp up their schedules within months. Many mainstream … Continued
Last Chance for Qantas Points with The Economist
It’s the final call for Qantas Frequent Flyer members to earn up to 25,000 bonus points for subscribing to The Economist. That’s because The Economist’s partnership with Qantas Frequent Flyer is ending on 18 September 2021. The number of Qantas points you can earn until 17 September 2021 (next Friday) depends on the type and … Continued
How to Stop Qantas Business Rewards Points Expiring
Numerous AFF members say their Qantas Business Rewards points have expired recently without any warning. Just like Qantas points, Qantas Business Rewards points expire after 18 months of account inactivity. If you haven’t taken any flights or earned any Qantas Business Rewards points since the beginning of the pandemic – which happens to be 18 … Continued
Passport Renewal Delays Expected
With Australia’s international border set to reopen within months – at least for some states and territories – it’s almost time to dust off your passport… and more importantly, check when it expires! According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has warned that the government is expecting a surge in … Continued
Niche New Routes Launched to Launceston
It’s been a big week for Launceston Airport in northern Tasmania. Virgin Australia this week announced it will add a non-stop service from Launceston to Perth, running 3x weekly on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. The seasonal route will operate from 5 November 2021 until 30 January 2022. It comes as Virgin’s inaugural Launceston-Adelaide service took off … Continued