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.
Following successive price increases in 2022, Emirates’ fuel surcharges (sometimes referred to as “carrier charges”) are now among the highest of any airline in the world. In fact, the additional taxes & charges on a return Emirates Business or First Class reward booking from Australia to the Americas are now almost $5,000 per passenger! This … Continued
Qantas announced last week that it will soon finally commence the long-awaited upgrade to its Auckland Airport heritage site lounge precinct that was first announced in 2018, but delayed by the pandemic. The current separate Business and First Lounges in Auckland will be combined to create a single Qantas International Lounge, similar to the one … Continued
In Australia, members of parliament are eligible for complimentary membership of Qantas’ exclusive, invitation-only Chairman’s Lounge. This comes with the ultimate in perks when flying with Qantas including personalised service, free upgrades and access to dedicated VIP lounges in major Australian airports – among many other unwritten benefits. Virgin Australia also operates a special invitation-only … Continued
For many frequent flyers, top-tier elite status is the “holy grail” of airline loyalty programs. It comes with lots of extra benefits when you fly, such as lounge access, access to priority queues and a higher chance of getting upgraded. As a result, some frequent flyers are willing to go quite extreme lengths to attain … Continued
If you have Emirates Skywards miles that have been sitting in your account during the pandemic, you may need to act fast to prevent them from expiring and losing all their value! Like many airlines, Emirates has been extending the validity of Skywards miles that would have been due to expire during the COVID-19 pandemic … Continued
Qantas has announced plans to build a new domestic Business Lounge at Adelaide Airport to serve alongside its existing Qantas Club lounge. It’s one of a range of Qantas lounge upgrades announced today as Qantas revealed an underlying loss before tax of $1.86 billion for the 2021-22 financial year. The new Qantas domestic Business Lounge … Continued
Qantas will return to the Big Apple in 2023, with a new one-stop service from Sydney to New York’s JFK airport via Auckland, New Zealand. Launching on 14 June 2023, Qantas flight QF3 will depart Sydney at 10.05am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Auckland at 3.15pm. After a 105-minute turnaround in Auckland, the … Continued
Virgin Australia has reopened the Premium Entry to its lounge at Brisbane Airport during the morning peak. But there’s still no planned re-opening date for the Premium Lounge Entry in Sydney. The Premium Entry was a popular benefit before COVID-19, and its return will be welcomed by frequent flyers. It allows Velocity Gold and Platinum … Continued
Qantas recently launched weekly flights from Sydney to Tonga and Samoa, with the latter service operating via Brisbane. Seats to Tonga start from $866 return, while Sydney-Apia fares start from $966 return in Economy Class. Fares in Business are obviously a lot more expensive. But if you have Qantas points to spend, there’s currently good … Continued
On Sunday, Qantas issued an apology to frequent flyers for the airline’s recent operational issues and offered a range of gifts as a peace offering. One of the promises made was that Qantas would release more Classic Flight Reward seats, with the first tranche of additional award availability to be released from 12pm today. On … Continued
Cathay Pacific has retired its Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles loyalty programs, combining them into a single new program simply called “Cathay”. Existing accounts with both programs will transition into Cathay accounts. Previously, Cathay Pacific used two separate loyalty programs. Asia Miles was free to join and allowed members to earn and redeem miles … Continued
Singapore Airlines is currently running an excellent sale on Business Class flights from Bangkok, Thailand to destinations in Europe and the United States. There are also some great Singapore Airlines Premium Economy deals available from Bangkok to New York, as well as from Kuala Lumpur to Paris! For example, right now you can book a … Continued
