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.
Bali Flights in Limbo
Flights to and from Denpasar are in limbo as Mount Agung, a volcano on the Indonesian island of Bali, threatens to erupt. Locals have been evacuated from the immediate vicinity of the volcano but flights are still operating as normal… for now. Aircraft cannot fly through volcanic ash for safety reasons. In 1982, British Airways … Continued
Earning Quick & Easy Qantas Points
If you’re just short of the Qantas points needed for a reward flight, don’t worry! There are numerous ways to earn Qantas points quickly, easily and cheaply. One member was recently 4,500 points short of a reward flight. Thanks to our community’s advice, they were able to bridge their points shortfall in under 24 hours. … Continued
Frequent Flyer Point Optimisation
Frequent flyer points open the door to a world of opportunities. Using points, you can travel to almost anywhere in the world. You can even fly in the comfort of Business or First class! Many of us try to simply accumulate as many frequent flyer points as possible. But with a little bit of planning … Continued
Qantas First Class across the Pacific
Last week’s trip report featured “the business”, Virgin Australia’s highest class of travel across the Pacific. This week, our member Berlin reviews Qantas’ trans-Pacific First class. Berlin had booked a Business class ticket, flying from Sydney to Los Angeles and returning from Dallas. Thanks to some frequent flyer points and a little bit of luck, … Continued
Last Chance for Virgin America Redemptions
This week is your last chance to redeem Virgin Australia Velocity points for Virgin America flights! It’s also the final call for Virgin America Elevate redemptions on partner airlines including Virgin Australia. The Opportunity Virgin Australia currently partners with three US-based airlines; Delta, Hawaiian Airlines and Virgin America. But a merger between Virgin America … Continued
Auckland Fuel Shortage Cancels Flights
Dozens of flights to and from Auckland, New Zealand have been cancelled over the past fortnight. Many long-haul flights departing Auckland have also been forced to make costly diversions en-route. The cause of the chaos is a severe shortage of fuel at Auckland Airport that could last up to two weeks. Until the fuel supply … Continued
Qantas First Lounge Passes for Platinum One Members
Qantas has added a new benefit for its top-tier Platinum One frequent flyers. Platinum One members now receive two annual lounge passes which can be gifted to friends and family or used to bring additional guests into the lounge. These passes can be used in Qantas’ acclaimed international First class lounges, or any other international … Continued
Benefitting from Cancelled Flights
Flight cancellations can cause great inconvenience and wreak havoc to your travel plans. But sometimes there is a silver lining. This week our members share times they have benefitted from flights being overbooked, cancelled or delayed. Numerous passengers have been compensated with free upgrades, free hotels and bonus frequent flyer points, and one member tells … Continued
Review: Virgin Australia Business Class to Los Angeles
Our member juliusg recently sampled “the business”, Virgin Australia’s premium cabin on flight VA23 from Melbourne to Los Angeles. The verdict? According to our member, Virgin Australia’s trans-Pacific Business class is better than Qantas, Delta, American Airlines and United. Overall this is the best business class between Australia and the USA still. The trip got … Continued