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.

Downtown skyline of Seoul, South Korea with Seoul Tower.

T’Way Air Launching Sydney-Seoul Flights

South Korean low-cost carrier T’way Air will be one of two new airlines to begin operating direct Sydney-Seoul flights next month. From 24 December 2022, T’way Air will launch 4x weekly seasonal flights between Sydney and Seoul’s Incheon Airport using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. T’way Air has been operating under that name since 2010 with a … Continued

8 Nov 2022 Other Airlines
Shonkys award for Qantas, with Marg Rafferty, Editorial Director

Does Australia Need EU-Style Air Passenger Protections?

Last week, consumer advocacy group Choice awarded Qantas its annual Shonky Award for “unusable flight credits, delayed flights, disappearing baggage, and endless call wait times”. It described the flying kangaroo as “The Spirit of Disappointment” for letting down many of its customers. “People are still paying premium prices to fly Qantas, but it’s clear from … Continued

7 Nov 2022 Qantas
Los Angeles, USA - 20. February 2016: United Airlines Airbus A320 at Los Angeles airport (LAX) in the USA

Australia-USA Flights at 50% of Pre-COVID Capacity

At the start of 2020, Qantas was selling around 34,000 weekly seats between Australia and five destinations in the continental United States. It’s now operating just over 13,000 weekly seats in this market, with services to Los Angeles and Dallas only. Virgin Australia, meanwhile, has stopped flying to the United States altogether. Virgin used to … Continued

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 in original red livery

Has Virgin Australia Had Its Goldilocks Moment?

In the seven years leading up to the pandemic, Virgin Australia never once made an annual profit. Already in a weak financial position, it didn’t take long after COVID-19 hit for Australia’s second-largest airline to enter voluntary administration. Virgin Australia had been a good airline that was popular with passengers, but for too long was … Continued

Use Qantas Points to Fly on Bangkok Airways

Qantas Frequent Flyer members can now redeem their points for Classic Flight Reward seats on Bangkok Airways, a boutique airline based in Thailand. The expansion of Qantas’ partnership with Bangkok Airways was first announced in 2019 but delayed due to COVID-19. It’s now finally a reality. Classic Flight Reward seats in Economy Class are available … Continued

Inflight economy cabin passengers are getting food served in Qantas A330

8 Excellent (Non-First Class) Airline Meals

When flying international First Class, the meal service is designed to be a luxurious, multi-course dining experience. But you don’t necessarily have to be flying First to get great food on board! Because airline meals are generally produced on a mass scale and are often reheated from frozen, they can at times be quite awful. … Continued

30 Oct 2022 In Flight
Swiss A330 lands in Zurich with mountains in background

What Are The IATA Northern Winter & Summer Schedules?

Today marks the beginning of the 2022-23 IATA northern winter scheduling period. For passengers, this doesn’t really mean much – but it’s a significant date for airline schedulers. Many new airline route launches, cancellations or restarts are planned around the IATA scheduling seasons. With today heralding in the new IATA northern winter season, for example, … Continued

Qatar Airways Boeing 777 at Canberra Airport

Qatar Airways Stops Selling Flights to Canberra

Qatar Airways’ new route to Canberra could be dead in the water before it even started. In July of this year, Qatar Airways announced that it would launch daily flights from Doha to Canberra via Melbourne from 1 October 2022. But shortly before this route was due to launch, the Qatari airline announced that the … Continued

29 Oct 2022 Qatar Airways
Panoramic urban city aerial night view with crosstown traffic in ginza, tokyo, Japan

How Will Virgin Australia Launch Flights to Tokyo?

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Virgin Australia won a daily slot to operate flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Virgin prepared for months to launch daily Airbus A330-200 flights from Brisbane to Tokyo, which were to be operated in partnership with All Nippon Airways. The airline even began selling tickets and had planned a big … Continued

27 Oct 2022 Virgin Australia
Qantas Boeing 737-800 Business Class

Sydney-Melbourne in Qantas Business Class: 737 or A330?

When flying from Sydney to Melbourne with Qantas, you’ll often have the choice to fly on a narrow-body Boeing 737 or a wide-body Airbus A330. The Airbus A330 is a more popular aircraft with most passengers because it has a better Business Class product and is more spacious. On the Qantas A330, all Business Class … Continued

26 Oct 2022 Qantas