Latest news

A humorous take on travelling to Bali

This week one member writes about their travels to the popular Indonesian tourist destination Bali, meeting up with family while earning some Virgin status credits along the way. But this isn’t any ordinary trip report. Along with detailed reviews of the flights, accommodation and things to see and do in Bali, the report is also … Continued

26 Aug 2015 Destinations

Premium Economy: Worth the extra cost?

The concept of Premium Economy is reasonably simple. The cabin provides a middle-ground, offering discerning customers greater comfort than traditional economy class at a price below that of Business class. But, what benefits do Premium Economy passengers receive exactly, and do they justify the extra cost over regular economy? I may need to do a … Continued

25 Aug 2015 Airlines, Miles and Points

Qantas announces bumper profit, 787 orders

Brand new Boeing 787 aircraft will be added to the flying kangaroo’s international fleet from 2017. This is just one piece of good news to come from the Qantas full-year financial results, announced last week. Following consecutive losses and a lengthy restructuring program, Qantas also announced a large profit. It seems that our national airline … Continued

24 Aug 2015 Qantas

Qantas Compensation Lottery

This week our members discuss the compensation received from Qantas after their flight was ruined by defective on-board equipment. Issues warranting compensation on recent flights range from faulty in-flight entertainment systems to broken seats; and the compensation received varied from a few thousand points to many hundreds of dollars. Although most passengers would prefer that … Continued

20 Aug 2015 Qantas

Living it up in New Caledonia

One advantage of the former US Airways frequent flyer program was the uncanny opportunity to take advantage of its frequent flyer redemption zones. While some members were able to travel to take advantage of a loophole that allowed for travel to Japan for around $500 – in first class – another such travel opportunity was … Continued

19 Aug 2015 Destinations

Conquering a fear of flying

For many, flying is a joy and a privilege. But for nervous flyers, the experience could be completely different. Just the thought of stepping foot in a plane can make some travellers very nervous. One AFF member seeks advice on how to overcome their fear of flying ahead of a trip to the United States. … Continued

18 Aug 2015 The Journey

Tigerair takes over Virgin’s Bali flights

Virgin Australia will cease operating most of their flights to South-East Asia from next March. Virgin will withdraw entirely from the Perth-Phuket route, while three of the airline’s flights to Bali will be handed over to low-cost subsidiary Tigerair. Virgin will provide Tigerair with three Boeing 737 narrow-body aircraft to operate the flights between Bali … Continued

17 Aug 2015 Virgin Australia

Transfer Amex Points for Maximum (A)Advantage

If you have an Amex credit card, you’re probably earning Amex Membership Rewards points. These points can be transferred to a variety of airline or other loyalty programs. But which is the best program to transfer points into to ensure maximum returns? Amex Membership Rewards points can be transferred to numerous airline loyalty programs, mostly … Continued

15 Aug 2015 American Express

Our Frequent Flyer Millionaire!

A new member has managed to accumulate more than half a million frequent flyer points in just four months since joining AFF! It’s a staggering achievement, but perhaps even more surprising is how easy it was for our member to achieve their impressive new points balance. Our member has not been accumulating miles by flying … Continued

13 Aug 2015 Airlines, Miles and Points

Australia’s longest shortcut

How should one return home after booking a one-way flight to the opposite end of the country? For AFF member JohnM, the answer was a scenic road trip that takes in the best of the Australian outback over the course of two weeks. I’m on the bird PER-xBNE-CNS tomorrow morning. Arrive tomorrow night and spending … Continued

12 Aug 2015 Destinations

Top Tips for travelling to Tahiti

Ahead of a trip to tropical Tahiti, advice is sought about the destination, and how to get there. I’m looking at the Qantas offering from Sydney to Tahiti. This consists of a JetConnect flight to Auckland and then an onward QF codeshare to Papeete operated by Air Tahiti Nui. A couple of questions to anyone … Continued

11 Aug 2015 Destinations

Virgin rolls out new Business Class seats

Virgin Australia has begun fitting its A330 aircraft with brand new, luxurious business class seats, with the airline’s Boeing 777s next in line for an upgrade. Pictures of the new seat design were released several months ago. Our members are very impressed by the elegant yet practical design. The seats convert into 80 inch lie-flat … Continued

10 Aug 2015 Virgin Australia