Latest news

“Automated Passport Control” expedites USA arrivals

Australian travellers to the United States will be pleased to know that “Automated Passport Control” (APC) kiosks can now be used when entering the country. APC machines have now been installed at many major airports in the United States, including Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, San Francisco and both of New York’s international airports. This … Continued

20 Jul 2015 Post Flight

Free Seat Selection on Jetstar

Like most low-cost airlines, Jetstar does not give much away for free. This includes seat selection. Choosing your seat of choice on a Jetstar flight typically costs at least $5 for a regular seat or even more for an “extra legroom” or “up-front” seat. But there is a trick to get the seat you want … Continued

18 Jul 2015 Jetstar

Secrets to Status Match Success

If you hold elite status with any airline, you may be able to get it matched by another airline for free! Numerous status match deals have been circulating on AFF lately. Two of the most popular are from Airberlin of the oneworld alliance and Alitalia, a member of the SkyTeam alliance. A status match is … Continued

16 Jul 2015 Airlines, Miles and Points

Cheap business class to Europe courtesy of Life Miles

This week we follow our member RB‘s trip to some of the less well-travelled parts of Germany, Italy and Spain. To travel to Europe in comfort and style, but without breaking the bank, our member made good use of Life Miles. LifeMiles is the frequent flyer program of Columbian airline and Star Alliance member Avianca. … Continued

15 Jul 2015 Flight Reviews

Bidding for a OneUp Upgrade on Air New Zealand

If you have an upcoming flight with New Zealand’s flag carrier, you might be interested in upgrading to a nicer seat. Air New Zealand’s upgrade system is a little different to most for a few reasons. Firstly, it uses an “auction” to determine who can upgrade. Would-be upgraders can place a bid for a OneUp … Continued

14 Jul 2015 Air New Zealand

Amex devalues rewards program

Some American Express cardholders are in for a nasty surprise in November. From 1 November 2015, Amex’s fee-free cards and a small range of corporate cards will no longer be a part of the popular Membership Rewards Ascent program. This program will instead be replaced by the Gateway program, resulting in a range of significant … Continued

13 Jul 2015 American Express

Joining Qantas Frequent Flyer for free

With over 10 million members, the Qantas Frequent Flyer program is arguably the most popular frequent flyer program in Australia. Technically it isn’t free to join as Qantas charge an $89.50 joining fee to Australian residents. But the good news is that there are a number of ways to avoid paying this fee altogether and … Continued

11 Jul 2015 Qantas

No onboard drinks: Misleading Advertising?

This week a number of members accuse Virgin Australia of blatant misleading advertising after a member was refused a glass of wine on a recent flight. This member chose to fly Virgin on the back of a high-profile campaign promoting the free food and drink now available on all Virgin flights. In the advertisements, a … Continued

9 Jul 2015 Virgin Australia

Chasing birdies in the UK

This week’s trip report is a golfer’s paradise. Our member bluebagger recently headed to Europe to tick a few things off the bucket list. A visit to the Isle of Skye will be in order and it would seem that our member is a golf fan. Over two weeks they managed to get in six … Continued

8 Jul 2015 Destinations

Travelling to Greece during the financial crisis

If you’ve been watching the news lately, you’ll probably be aware of the current financial turmoil the European nation of Greece is facing. As the future of Greece hangs in the balance, banks are shutting down and citizens have taken to the streets in protest. So, should travellers be reconsidering a holiday in Greece? And … Continued

7 Jul 2015 Destinations

Qantas cuts fuel surcharges, but it’s not all good news

For the second time this year, Qantas has cut its fuel surcharges following an ongoing decline in fuel prices. These cuts will reduce the price of frequent flyer redemption tickets by up to 25%, depending on the route and travel class. Our members are mostly pleased to see a reduction, however agree that Qantas’ fuel … Continued

6 Jul 2015 Qantas

Pros & cons of registering with Smart Traveller

Registering your travel plans with the “Smart Traveller” service is spruiked as a way to enhance your safety while travelling overseas. Registering allows the Australian government to keep track of you, so they can contact you if there is an attack or natural disaster in a part of the world you are travelling to. The … Continued

4 Jul 2015 Travel Tools & Technology