Latest news

“Dynamic Currency Conversion” rip-off

Ever been offered the opportunity to pay in Australian dollars while shopping overseas or on a foreign website? Chances are, you’ve been exposed to “dynamic currency conversion”. You might think that the merchant is doing you a favour by converting the price to your native currency, but the reality is that they’re probably ripping you … Continued

2 May 2015 Travel Money

Crash course in maximising frequent flyer points

Our members this week deliver a crash course on maximising the value of your frequent flyer points. Responding to a request for advice from an inquisitive new member, our members offer a wide range of valuable tips. Being new to the world of frequent flyer points, it’s a significant but decidedly positive learning curve for … Continued

30 Apr 2015 Airlines, Miles and Points

An epic South American adventure – another RooFlyer classic

We’re privileged on AFF to see another trip report from veteran traveller and trip report writer RooFlyer, who recently jetted off to South America for a month-long tour. The impressive destination list will include the likes of Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Quito and the Iguassu Falls, to name but a few! Following in the footsteps … Continued

29 Apr 2015 Destinations

No value in Virgin Flexi fares?

One member is frustrated at what they perceive as a considerable devaluation of Virgin’s more expensive Flexi fares. They complain that while the benefits have decreased, the prices of Flexi fares have soared. Flexi fares often cost triple the price of a standard Saver ticket. Can someone enlighten me on the benefit of booking a … Continued

28 Apr 2015 Virgin Australia

Qantas reinstates Perth-Singapore flights, but they’re not daily

After a year-long hiatus and months of speculation, Qantas recently announced they are resuming flights between Perth and Singapore, with services to resume in June. The route was operated for many years until it was cut from the route map in an apparent cost-cutting exercise last year. The move angered many Perth-based flyers, who were … Continued

27 Apr 2015 Qantas

Top Travel Apps

This week our members discuss their favourite apps for overseas travel. And there are certainly a wide range of different apps used by our members, for a large variety of purposes. Most our members use apps covering many different functionalities, such as this respondent: Tripit for my itinerary, Citymaps2go for offline maps w/ GPS, MyFlights … Continued

25 Apr 2015 Travel Tools & Technology

Stuck between an obese flyer and a hard place

One member this week bemoans having to share their seat with a fellow passenger whose size is not well-equipped for a standard seat. In a case of seat invasion, our member had a very uncomfortable journey. The situation is not fair on anyone involved- it can be embarrassing for the overweight passenger and uncomfortable for … Continued

23 Apr 2015 Travel Lifestyle

Magical Venice – the canals, the food, the people

Our member Flying mermaid recently began an exciting, whirlwind tour around the world in the magical Italian city of Venice. The trip began with a flying start, if you’ll pardon the pun, in Qantas first class on the A380. The journey to the city of canals was almost smooth, except for a missed connection resulting … Continued

22 Apr 2015 Destinations

Maximising the full first class experience

Flying in first class on an international flight is something many of us would love to do if we had the chance. Luckily, thanks to many of the tricks discussed on AFF, first class flying is not out of reach. But for someone who has never experienced the luxury of the pointy end of the … Continued

21 Apr 2015 Qantas

Finally, free food on all Virgin flights

Virgin Australia began offering free food on all domestic flights last week. The news has been largely welcomed by our members, who have long complained of Virgin’s lack of consistency when it comes to in-flight service. Until now, those on flights between the east coast and Perth already received a complimentary hot meal. However the … Continued

20 Apr 2015 Virgin Australia

IHG Rewards Club enhancements – Positive or not?

Our members are divided over changes recently announced by Intercontinental Hotels Group to its loyalty program, IHG Rewards Club. Are the changes a positive thing for customers or not? A major part of the announcement is the creation of a new tier above Platinum, which is currently the highest tier. At the same time, IHG … Continued

18 Apr 2015 IHG One Rewards

Travel Insurance Trap

This week our members discuss paid insurance policies versus credit card-based travel insurance for international travel. One member is concerned about the fine print and asks our members views about whether ‘free’ international travel insurance attached to credit cards provides viable coverage. Our members have lived and learned and can provide some key tips in … Continued

16 Apr 2015 Credit Cards