Airlines, Miles and Points

Airlines, miles, and points is the most popular topic at Australian Frequent Flyer. In this category, we provide expert tips, insider tricks, and facilitate discussions about Qantas, Virgin Australia, non-Australian airlines, and global airline alliances. From earning and redeeming frequent flyer points to maximising elite status benefits, we aim to help you get the most out of your travel. We also cover every step of the journey – from planning and booking flights to experiencing the flight itself, and finally, arriving at your destination. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or just starting to explore the world of frequent flyer programs, you'll find valuable advice to elevate your travel experience. See below for articles on airlines, miles and points.

Qantas 747 Premium Economy

Qantas Premium Economy for HALF the Points!

Want to fly Qantas to destinations like Los Angeles, Dubai, Santiago or Johannesburg in Premium Economy? Book for HALF the number of points via the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program! After some inspiration on ways to redeem your frequent flyer points? In our weekly Points Inspiration segment, we highlight an excellent frequent flyer redemption opportunity … Continued

1 Aug 2017 Cathay Pacific
Asiana Airlines flight attendants

Experiences with Asiana Airlines

Ahead of a trip to New York, one member is currently researching flights. They’ve flown to the United States via Los Angeles several times. This time, they’re considering flying Asiana Airlines for a change. Based in Korea, Asiana Airlines is a Star Alliance member offering daily flights from Sydney to Seoul and beyond. Before booking … Continued

31 Jul 2017 Other Airlines
Qatar Airways was the only airline to increase flights to Australia during April 2020

Qatar Airways Coming to Canberra

Qatar Airways will commence daily Boeing 777 flights to Canberra, of all places, from 12 February 2018. The new route looks like a big win for Canberra, but the real winner is Sydney. The Canberra-Doha flights will operate via Sydney in both directions, meaning that Sydney receives a second daily direct flight to Doha. Meanwhile, … Continued

29 Jul 2017 Qatar Airways

Qantas Compensation Farce

A Qantas flyer is still waiting for compensation after they were downgraded from First class. This member had booked a First class award from Dallas to Sydney for his wife using Qantas points. But the flight was cancelled at short notice. An alternative routing was offered via Los Angeles and Auckland on other airlines, but … Continued

27 Jul 2017 Qantas

Complimentary Virgin Status Upgrades

It’s relatively well-known that Qantas will occasionally renew a frequent flyer’s status, even if the required number of status credits is not earned. But it seems Virgin Australia is also now upgrading its members’ status levels, even if they haven’t quite flown enough. One member recently had their status upgraded from Gold to Platinum, even … Continued

26 Jul 2017 Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia 737 business wine

New Business Seats for Virgin’s 737s

As Virgin Australia expands its presence in Hong Kong and China (starting with the launch of Melbourne-Hong Kong flights this month), the airline is left with a small problem. Virgin will soon be using its small fleet of six wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft to fly to Asia. This means these aircraft will no longer be … Continued

17 Jul 2017 Virgin Australia
Man in suit with a nice watch

Faking Platinum One Status

It takes a lot of flying to achieve Qantas Platinum One status. But as one member recently discovered, there is another way. Well, kind of… This member recently noticed that a colleague with Gold status was proudly displaying Platinum One bag tags on their luggage. When questioned, this colleague admitted to buying the Q bag … Continued

13 Jul 2017 Qantas
Qantas A380 Economy Class row 48 exit row

Loss of Exit Row Seats

Gold and Platinum frequent flyers will no longer be able to enjoy the extra legroom of exit row seats free of charge. Qantas has begun charging for these prized seats on all flights. This includes short domestic flights. All flyers will now need to pay the fee, which ranges from $20 to $180 per flight, … Continued

10 Jul 2017 Qantas
Qantas Boeing 737s at Brisbane Airport

How to Stop Qantas Points Expiring

Frequent flyer points do not have an unlimited life. Your Qantas points will expire if your account is inactive for more than 18 months. If your points are due to expire soon, you can prevent this by earning or redeeming at least one Qantas point before this happens. Otherwise, you stand to lose your entire … Continued

8 Jul 2017 Qantas
Virgin 737 and Qantas A330 at Melbourne Airport

Virgin vs Qantas: Apples and Oranges?

Virgin Australia has gone to great lengths to compete with Qantas since it was rebranded from Virgin Blue. But according to one member, there are two reasons that Virgin and its Velocity Frequent Flyer program cannot be compared to Qantas and its frequent flyer program. The first reason is Virgin’s underwhelming on-board catering. Virgin creates … Continued