Travel Pointers Podcast Discussion

[Mwenenzi]

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Travel Pointers Episode 13 – How to Use Avios

Travel Pointers Episode 13 - How to Use Avios

In episode 13 of the Travel Pointers podcast, Matt Graham and Wilson McTaggart discuss the best ways for Australians to earn and use Avios.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Travel Pointers Episode 14 – Long-Haul Flights on Narrow-Body Jets

Travel Pointers Episode 14 - Long-Haul Flights on Narrow-Body Jets

In episode 14 of the Travel Pointers podcast, Matt Graham and Wilson McTaggart discuss Qantas' new A321 XLR and what it's like flying long-haul on narrow-body aircraft. They also chat about the routes they took from Europe to Australia.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[AFF Editor]

Translation: Spending too much time on aircraft to various parts the world and too much time in airport lounges. Little time for real work

I wish it was that, and we do travel a lot, but not quite. We were both busy working on other things in mid-June, including filling in for colleagues who were on leave.

The good news is that a new episode was released this morning.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

Another brilliant episode. loved the 321xlr segment.

 

[levelnine]

Good discussion of the RBA's proposed changes.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Travel Pointers Episode 17 – Premium Economy on Emirates​

Travel Pointers Episode 17 - Premium Economy on Emirates

In episode 17 of the Travel Pointers podcast, Matt Graham and Wilson McTaggart discuss what Premium Economy is like on Emirates.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Will Travel Pointer Podcast have interviews with others in the travel industry, or just aFF to aFF talkfest?
The interviews with others were good in the old format.

Point Hacks (owner of aFF) have now restated Podcasts

Wait, another Point Hacks Podcast?
Yes another Point Hacks Podcast! Long time readers of the site may be familiar with our previous podcasting projects – Points of View (2020 and 2022) and Travel Pointers (2024). Travel Pointers started life as a collaboration between Point Hacks and Australian Frequent Flyer, however it now primarily serves the avgeeks and advanced point collectors over at AFF. Travel Pointers is still regularly releasing and I’d highly encourage you to have a listen if you’re an experienced point hacker.
This new show is more a spiritual successor to the discontinued Points of View: Official Point Hacks Podcast. Each episode features casual discussions with some of the best frequent flyer experts in the business. The main differences are a change of host, more focus on point hacking essentials, and the addition of video.

So what are we calling this new podcast?

While I would never stick my nose up at a solid pun, we felt the best title is simply “Point Hacks”.
Each episode encapsulates the same thoughtful, expert advice you can expect from our website, free of jargon and full of tangible tips. If you have a friend or family member who are new to points, our hope is this show will inspire them to begin their point collecting journey.

Point Hacks | Point Hacks

Demystifying the world of frequent flyer points one podcast at a time.</p> <p>Point Hacks show you how to turn everyday spending and credit card rewards into unforgettable travel experiences. Whether you’re dreaming of a Business Class seat to Europe, a lu...

pointhackspodcast.podbean.com

 

[AFF Editor]

Will Travel Pointer Podcast have interviews with others in the travel industry

Yes, we do plan to have interviews with travel industry folks from time to time.

 

[tonynhe]

Just finished Episode 18. One thing I think might be worth pointing out is that booking through FHR and pay at hotel would actually qualify for SNP. If you have a hotel status and booked through FHR would mean benefits can add up (except Fans of MO). For most of the time, at least for Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt, FHR rate is the same as member rate, so the guaranteed 4pm CO and 100 USD is a pretty good deal.

 

[levelnine]

I think the episode might have benefited from a bit of an overview of the hotel loyalty space to set the scene.

For example, most of the major programs (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt) are American programs developed first and foremost for the American market. As a result, the reason why Australians generally should focus on status rather than points is that points are primarily earned through US credit cards. It also means that, for status, the further you are away from American travelers, the better your benefits will be — that's why Asia (ex Japan) is considered to be the sweet spot for status recognition of these programs. It also explains the move to dynamic pricing — there are too many points chasing too few properties. It also explains why Hyatt has kept its award chart for now and has better elite recognition — Hyatt has a smaller footprint than Hilton and Marriott, so attempts to compete for American customers on status benefits and better points prices.

That's very different from the airline loyalty space where there are many programs that have been designed from the ground up for Australians (QFF, VFF, etc).

 

[montefiorejackie]

Great points, and I totally agree. A lot of the American content really focuses a lot on Hyatt, but it just isn't as relevant for us in Australia being difficult to earn decent points. yes, there is outsized value in the points chart, but how do you actually earn the points?

Also Matt, you kind of contradicted yourself. You said IHG status is your top 2 favourite, but then you went on to say that Hilton would be your preferred velocity status match benefit to take. Why is this?

Sorry, not trying to be critical here. This is reflective of not just this episode but many of the episodes where really interesting points are made, but it would be very helpful if they were fleshed out a bit more, explained, and kind of double-clicked on, in a sense. Thanks for a great podcast!