Planning & Booking

A great trip starts with smart planning and careful booking. From finding the best deals to navigating frequent flyer programs, this section covers everything you need to make your travel dreams a reality. Check below for articles and advice on planning and booking your next trip, and chat to our community for more info.

Bid for an upgrade on your flight

Bid For an Upgrade on Your Next Flight

Want to upgrade to Business Class on your next flight? Upgrading with frequent flyer points could be one option. But if you don’t have enough points or your fare isn’t eligible for a points upgrade, bidding could be another way to score an upgrade. Many airlines including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand and even … Continued

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787

Fly Premium Economy to Europe from $1,828 Return

Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines both have some excellent round-trip Premium Economy fares available now for travel from Sydney and Melbourne to Europe, starting from as low as $1,828 return. Singapore Airlines also has some stellar Premium Economy sale fares available now from Melbourne and Sydney to New York. Both are full-service airlines. The main … Continued

International Flights on Sale for December 2021: Will They Fly?

Airlines Slash Travel Agent Commissions

Many international airlines are about to slash the commissions they pay to Australian travel agents by as much as 80%, upending the traditional business model of travel agencies. From tomorrow (1 July 2022), airlines including Qantas and British Airways will reduce the base commission paid to travel agents via Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) on … Continued

A Scandinavian Airlines plane at Copenhagen Airport

SAS Age-Based Price Discrimination

It’s not that uncommon for some airlines to offer discounts to children, or even to sell tickets at different prices based on a person’s location, the type of electronic device they’re using or if they’re travelling for work. There are also plenty of examples of airlines charging different fares on domestic flights to residents and non-residents, … Continued

Travel agent

Is a Travel Agent Renaissance Coming?

The coronavirus pandemic has sadly forced many bricks-and-mortar travel agencies to close, putting many skilled travel agents out of jobs. To make matters worse for surviving travel agencies, airlines everywhere are now trying to bolster their own recoveries by slashing commissions paid to travel agents. Yet, as international travel slowly rebounds, experienced travel agents are … Continued

man traveler with hat holding beer glass and looking to airplane, Asian passenger sitting and relax in modern lounge at international airport terminal. Travel concept

Where to Search for Cheap Flights

Everyone loves a cheap flight, but what’s the most efficient way to find one? AFF members often discuss current airfare deals on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum. If you’ve subscribed to an airline mailing list, you may also be notified when that airline goes on sale. But if you need to book a flight to … Continued

Beautiful view of Churches in Oia village, Santorini island in Greece at sunset, with dramatic sky.

Cheap Flights to Europe from $606 Return

Over the past two years of border closures and COVID-related travel disruptions, there haven’t been many good deals on flights to Europe. But Singaporean low-cost carrier Scoot is trying to change this, with flights from Australia to Europe available now from as little as $606 return. The flights with Scoot are available from Gold Coast, … Continued

Inflight staff serving food to a female business passenger in the business cabin, Qantas A330

How to Find Domestic Widebody Flights

Apart from some rare exceptions like Japan, the majority of domestic flights in most countries are operated by narrowbody aircraft like the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320. These are perfectly fine for short hops, but flying on a widebody jet is always just a little bit nicer. In Economy, you’ll often have a bit more … Continued