Latest news

Increased Security Delays Australian Travellers

Australian travellers have faced delays and longer waiting times at airports around the country over the past week after security was tightened. It follows the discovery of an alleged terrorist plot involving a flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Following the arrest of four people last week, security was immediately enhanced at Australian airports. As … Continued

5 Aug 2017 Airports & Lounges

Flybuys: Locking out Frequent Flyers!

The Flybuys loyalty program may have the word “fly” in its name, but frequent flyers using the program are at a bizarre disadvantage. One member discovered this week that it is impossible to redeem Flybuys points from outside Australia. This includes transferring points to the Velocity Frequent Flyer and Etihad Guest airline programs. The Flybuys … Continued

3 Aug 2017 Flybuys

Cruising Around the World

Our member turtlemichael is currently in the middle of a trip around the world! Since retiring, this member has enjoyed plenty of longer overseas trips. This one is no exception. Over 100 days, this member will travel around Europe before catching a cruise across the Atlantic to Canada. We leave on June 30. We have … Continued

2 Aug 2017 Destinations

Qantas Premium Economy for HALF the Points!

Want to fly Qantas to destinations like Los Angeles, Dubai, Santiago or Johannesburg in Premium Economy? Book for HALF the number of points via the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program! After some inspiration on ways to redeem your frequent flyer points? In our weekly Points Inspiration segment, we highlight an excellent frequent flyer redemption opportunity … Continued

1 Aug 2017 Cathay Pacific

Experiences with Asiana Airlines

Ahead of a trip to New York, one member is currently researching flights. They’ve flown to the United States via Los Angeles several times. This time, they’re considering flying Asiana Airlines for a change. Based in Korea, Asiana Airlines is a Star Alliance member offering daily flights from Sydney to Seoul and beyond. Before booking … Continued

31 Jul 2017 Other Airlines

Qatar Airways Coming to Canberra

Qatar Airways will commence daily Boeing 777 flights to Canberra, of all places, from 12 February 2018. The new route looks like a big win for Canberra, but the real winner is Sydney. The Canberra-Doha flights will operate via Sydney in both directions, meaning that Sydney receives a second daily direct flight to Doha. Meanwhile, … Continued

29 Jul 2017 Qatar Airways

Qantas Compensation Farce

A Qantas flyer is still waiting for compensation after they were downgraded from First class. This member had booked a First class award from Dallas to Sydney for his wife using Qantas points. But the flight was cancelled at short notice. An alternative routing was offered via Los Angeles and Auckland on other airlines, but … Continued

27 Jul 2017 Qantas

Complimentary Virgin Status Upgrades

It’s relatively well-known that Qantas will occasionally renew a frequent flyer’s status, even if the required number of status credits is not earned. But it seems Virgin Australia is also now upgrading its members’ status levels, even if they haven’t quite flown enough. One member recently had their status upgraded from Gold to Platinum, even … Continued

26 Jul 2017 Virgin Australia

Singapore Airlines Premium Economy: A Worthwhile Investment

On a recent trip to Frankfurt, our member dxwell decided to splurge on Premium Economy tickets with Singapore Airlines. After a very pleasant flight, they now wonder why they hadn’t tried Premium Economy sooner! I recently flew SQ Premium Economy from SIN to FRA and found both the hard product and soft product to be of very high quality. … Continued

24 Jul 2017 Singapore Airlines

Diners Club: Still Good Value?

The value in many Australian credit cards has diminished in recent months, as banks respond to the RBA’s new interchange fee rules. But how have the changes affected Diners Club, which markets itself as a “premium” option? Diners Club credit card points can be transferred to a very wide range of airline frequent flyer and … Continued

22 Jul 2017 Credit Cards

Airport Lounges: Money down the Drain?

Many frequent flyers go out of their way to access airport lounges. Some purchase lounge memberships; others always book the same airline so they can use the lounge. But is airport lounge access really worth paying for? At least one member believes not. This member opines that the food and beverage at terminal retail outlets … Continued

20 Jul 2017 Airports & Lounges

Call and Surf Overseas without Roaming Fees

Using your mobile phone overseas can be an expensive exercise. But it doesn’t have to be. Many telcos now offer special deals on global roaming. You can save even more money by purchasing a local SIM card at your destination. If you want to keep your Australian phone number when travelling overseas, you’ll need to … Continued

19 Jul 2017 Travel Tools & Technology