The Thai government has approved changes that would end the current 60-day visa-free stay for Australians and visitors from more than 90 other countries. That generous 60-day exemption only arrived in July 2024, when Thailand was still trying to goose its post-pandemic tourism economy. It applied to passport holders from...

Air New Zealand has officially launched its refreshed loyalty programme, Koru, replacing the long-running Airpoints brand and shifting more than five million members into a new tier structure from 22 April 2026. Existing Airpoints and Status Points carry across, so members are not starting again from scratch. The less thrilling...

The Australian government has signed four new or updated aviation agreements, opening the door to more flights and more codeshares. Although, as ever with aviation bilaterals, permission to fly is not the same thing as an airline actually putting metal in the sky. The Albanese Government says it has negotiated...

Australia has a long and fairly brutal history of killing every attempt to form a third domestic airline to compete with Virgin Australia and the Qantas Group. Compass flamed out in the early 1990s. Impulse was folded into Qantas. Virgin Blue survived, but only after Ansett’s collapse turned it into...

Greetings from Adelaide. I’m here for one of my regular catch-ups with family. You will be pleased to know that after more than 10 days, the jet-lag-induced brain fog I have been suffering from seems to have abated. My cold also seems to be receding. So, I hope to return...

Australian international travellers will pay more to leave the country from 1 January 2027. The Federal Budget confirms the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) will rise by AU$10 from AU$70 to AU$80. This is a Commonwealth charge applied to most passengers departing Australia by air or sea. Airlines collect it through...

Virgin has announced a major upgrade to its mobile app and domestic airport check-in experience. It promises a 50% redution in check-in times across 10 Australian domestic airports. The rollout starts this month, May 2026, and should rbe complete before the end of the year. What this actually means is...

The Australian Federal Government has cottoned on to the public service’s travel habit of taxpayer-funded airline lounge memberships. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has banned Commonwealth agencies from charging taxpayers for Qantas Club, Virgin Australia lounge and similar airline memberships. The directive emerged from the 2026 budget papers. Lounge bill The...

Greetings from Sydney. As you will find out below, I have been battling an awful case of jet lag. It has filled me with brain fog, sleep deprivation, irritability, and a general lack of thought capability. I’ve written a post about what I should have done to combat it. What...

About a week ago, I returned from London to Sydney via Istanbul and Singapore. My flights were mostly with Turkish Airlines, with the last leg on a wet-leased Finnair A330 on a Qantas ticket. It’s been a week, and I am still desperately sleep deprived, irritable, brain fogged, and useless....

Virgin Australia has responded to Qantas’ latest double rewards offer with its own ‘Pick Your Bonus‘ 2026 promotion, giving Velocity Frequent Flyer members the choice of double Status Credits or double Velocity Points on eligible flights. Qantas’ current offer is limited to flights between 12 May and 31 August 2026....

Qantas has launched a short, sharp ‘double rewards’ offer for Frequent Flyer members. You can choose between double Status Credits or double Qantas Points on eligible flights within Australia and across the Tasman. The booking window is tight. You need to register and book between 12.01 am AEST on 5...