Author: Matt Graham
Bidding for a OneUp Upgrade on Air New Zealand
If you have an upcoming flight with New Zealand’s flag carrier, you might be interested in upgrading to a nicer seat. Air New Zealand’s upgrade system is a little different to most for a few reasons. Firstly, it uses an “auction” to determine who can upgrade. Would-be upgraders can place a bid for a OneUp … Continued
Amex devalues rewards program
Some American Express cardholders are in for a nasty surprise in November. From 1 November 2015, Amex’s fee-free cards and a small range of corporate cards will no longer be a part of the popular Membership Rewards Ascent program. This program will instead be replaced by the Gateway program, resulting in a range of significant … Continued
Joining Qantas Frequent Flyer for free
With over 10 million members, the Qantas Frequent Flyer program is arguably the most popular frequent flyer program in Australia. Technically it isn’t free to join as Qantas charge an $89.50 joining fee to Australian residents. But the good news is that there are a number of ways to avoid paying this fee altogether and … Continued
No onboard drinks: Misleading Advertising?
This week a number of members accuse Virgin Australia of blatant misleading advertising after a member was refused a glass of wine on a recent flight. This member chose to fly Virgin on the back of a high-profile campaign promoting the free food and drink now available on all Virgin flights. In the advertisements, a … Continued
Chasing birdies in the UK
This week’s trip report is a golfer’s paradise. Our member bluebagger recently headed to Europe to tick a few things off the bucket list. A visit to the Isle of Skye will be in order and it would seem that our member is a golf fan. Over two weeks they managed to get in six … Continued
Travelling to Greece during the financial crisis
If you’ve been watching the news lately, you’ll probably be aware of the current financial turmoil the European nation of Greece is facing. As the future of Greece hangs in the balance, banks are shutting down and citizens have taken to the streets in protest. So, should travellers be reconsidering a holiday in Greece? And … Continued
Qantas cuts fuel surcharges, but it’s not all good news
For the second time this year, Qantas has cut its fuel surcharges following an ongoing decline in fuel prices. These cuts will reduce the price of frequent flyer redemption tickets by up to 25%, depending on the route and travel class. Our members are mostly pleased to see a reduction, however agree that Qantas’ fuel … Continued
Pros & cons of registering with Smart Traveller
Registering your travel plans with the “Smart Traveller” service is spruiked as a way to enhance your safety while travelling overseas. Registering allows the Australian government to keep track of you, so they can contact you if there is an attack or natural disaster in a part of the world you are travelling to. The … Continued
Enjoying the Good Life by maximising the Value of Frequent Flyer Points
This week our members share their top tips for getting the most value from their frequent flyer points. The value of a point fluctuates considerably, so knowing their worth can be important. A typical frequent flyer point could be worth as little as 0.4 cents, or as much as 7 cents or more, depending on … Continued