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.
Many AFF members take pride in finding the best travel deals and optimising their frequent flyer points. But many say that they struggle to help friends and family members who don’t share the same passion for our hobby. There are countless stories of members who’ve tried to help, only to find their advice has fallen … Continued
If you’re looking for something more comfortable than Economy but more affordable than Business or First class, Premium Economy can be an excellent compromise. More and more airlines have introduced Premium Economy products in recent years. This product is particularly attractive to many Australians, especially when flying to Europe or North America, as these are … Continued
Next year, Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympic Games. As is often the case when a city hosts a major sporting event, many thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Tokyo. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will run from Friday 24 July to Sunday 9 August 2020, although there will be a few soccer matches … Continued
Ever tried to book a frequent flyer redemption ticket, only to be told there’s no award availability? If you’ve ever tried to redeem your frequent flyer points for a flight, you probably answered “yes”! It will often be the case that there’s indeed no award availability on the flight you want. But sometimes the availability … Continued
We all love to get a great deal on Business and First Class flights. There are plenty of legitimate ways to save money on flights, for example by taking advantage of airline sales or redeeming your own frequent flyer points. But some deals are, in fact, too good to be true. You may have come … Continued
Airline passengers often try to predict how full a flight will be for a variety of reasons. For example, it may give an indication of how likely an upgrade is to clear. Or, if you know that your flight will be full (or empty), it may influence your choice of seat selection. But is there … Continued
Australians have been left out of pocket after online travel agency Bestjet went out of business at the end of last year. Thousands of Bestjet bookings have been cancelled, and many of the affected passengers are now left without a refund or a confirmed flight. While some Bestjet customers still have confirmed bookings, others have … Continued
When booking flights, online travel agents like Bestjet, CheapOair and Trip.com are often cheaper than the airline’s own website. But are the savings worth it? An AFF member was recently searching for three Singapore Airlines Business class tickets. Laffer found the same flights available on Bestjet.com for $1,500 cheaper than Singapore Airlines’ own website. It is … Continued
If you’ve ever had to call an airline – especially Qantas – you’ve probably had the frustrating experience of an extended wait on hold. But it doesn’t have to be this way! By calling at off-peak times, you’ll be served much faster. So, when exactly is the best time to call Qantas and other airlines? … Continued
Have you ever noticed that some flights are more expensive if you only spend a short amount of time at the destination? This is probably a result of airlines imposing a “minimum stay” requirement on their cheapest fares. For example, say that you need to travel to New York for a short work trip. You’ll … Continued
There’s just one week left to take advantage of Hong Kong’s fuel surcharge ban! From 1 November 2018, fuel surcharges on award flights departing from Hong Kong will no longer be regulated. This will likely lead to a sharp increase in the taxes and carrier charges you’ll pay when redeeming points out of Hong Kong. … Continued
The humble Boeing 737 is the backbone of the Qantas and Virgin Australia domestic fleets. These narrow-body aircraft operate the vast majority of domestic flights within Australia. In fact, Virgin Australia has 82 Boeing 737s in its fleet of 93 aircraft. Qantas owns 72 of these aircraft. Boeing 737 Business Class on both Qantas and … Continued