Latest news with #frequentflyer
Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
Travel Week 2025: The Forbes Vetted Getaway Guide
W ith busy schedules and the constant demands of work and life, it's harder than ever to find time to fully unplug. Still, according to recent research from the University of Georgia, taking a vacation is not only more beneficial to your health and well-being than previously thought, but the positive effects of time off last much longer than your hotel reservation. That's why we assembled the Forbes Vetted Getaway Guide, your trusted resource for quick-yet-satisfying trip ideas that will help you unwind without using all of your PTO days. Each destination below has been handpicked by our frequent-flyer editors as either a relaxing location that you can soak in over a few days or a must-see city that can be easily reached with a direct flight. For those looking to dig their toes in the sand, we've got top-rated beach retreats and luxurious all-inclusives in the Caribbean and Mexico, plus easy-to-reach U.S. coastal towns with tons of character. Mountainous hot spots, like Aspen and Jackson Hole, offer a uniquely calm and scenic vibe to help city dwellers escape the gridlock and connect with nature. And European trips to beloved places like Rome and Mallorca are perfect for travelers looking for spontaneous adventure and late-in-the-game deals. Once your stay is booked, check out our picks for the very best luggage and travel accessories to efficiently prep for your trip, from carry-ons and weekender totes to crossbody bags that will keep your essentials close. And don't miss the genius packing guides featuring practical tips and in-flight necessities, recommended by seasoned jet-setters like Shay Mitchell, Neil Patrick Harris and our very own globe-trotting senior travel editor, who has stamped her passport in more than 40 countries. CREDITS Editing: Astrid Taran, Kim Peiffer, Jennifer Ferrise
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Aussie with 1.5 million points details insane holiday
Andy Pudmenzky has two obsessions – collecting frequent flyer points and visiting theme parks – and he's found a way to combine both. The thrillseeker from Brisbane recently turned his childhood love of roller-coasters into the ultimate European adventure – booking a return business class seat on Singapore Airlines to Frankfurt, using some of his 1.5 million Velocity points. 'There were four of us. One of my friends lives in Germany so he met us there and three of us saved up points and flew together on business class from Brisbane,' Andy told The 42-year-old used his expertise to help his mates accumulate enough points to cover their flights, giving them some handy tips. 'The main thing was to get enough points to be able to fund the trip (around 180,000 points each way),' he said. 'The first thing I asked them was 'what card have you got' and they said 'oh just one from my bank'. 'I said, 'oh, no, no – some are good but make sure you get one that earns you points with your frequent flyer program' in which this case was Velocity. 'For me personally, and the one I always recommend is American Express Platinum because out of all the cards I've seen and looked at, you get the most points per dollar. It also has some good benefits like free lounge access locally here on the Virgin network and free international insurance which is a fairly big chunk.' After signing up to the Amex card, the boys also got 60,000 bonus points which Andy said helped towards covering their reward seat. 'The rest was just every day spending and Flybuys (Coles) and all the other ways you can get points (such as Velocity e-store).' It was the first time the friends used points to secure business class flights and since then they've become equally as obsessed in accumulating points to travel in luxury. The group flew business on Singapore Airlines (a Virgin Australia partner), with Andy joking the first time he ever flew with the airline, he had no idea business seats were flat lay. 'First I thought 'jeez this is a really wide seat' and then the flight attendant mentioned that it goes into a bed as well – I thought it just reclined a bit more (than economy),' Andy laughed. The marketing guru and avid photographer said the moment they touched down in Frankfurt, they were refreshed, recharged and keen to embark on their 27-day long trip. The boys gallivanted around Europe in a hire car, covering 4,300km, visiting 14 theme parks across eight different countries. Andy was personally living his best life, having hopped on more than 50 roller-coasters including his favourite – the 110km/h Toutatis coaster in Parc Asterix in France. He rode it six times in one day. 'I would have ridden it more if the lines weren't so long,' he laughed. The 42-year-old said, however, in terms of his favourite theme park, it's Europa-Park in Germany. 'It's a huge park. People often spend about two days there. It's actually made by a rollercoaster manufacturer.' Other theme parks they visited were in Denmark and Belgium. He also completed his 100th unique coaster on the trip. 'The purpose of this trip was just to go to theme parks. A work friend actually said, 'Oh cool are you going to Europe, you get to see all the churches and monuments' – and I said 'Oh no I've done that all before, this is all just roller-coasters'. 'He was like 'what'? He thought it was definitely a bit strange,' Andy laughed. Andy now has his sights set on Japan for his next rollercoaster holiday. 'I am going to head south to Hiroshima – there's tonnes of theme parks there including Disney and Universal, so I'll definitely be checking those out as well.' Andy started collecting points around 10 years when he signed up to Velocity. He said it has helped him visit more than 20 countries, including seeing his family back home in Germany. He has used his points in both economy and business classes. He said flying at the pointy end was once 'so out of reach', but now he's managed to make it a reality. 'It wasn't until I saw people on social media saying they were flying internationally in business class. It was so out of reach for a younger me. The I started looking into it a bit more and learned about points hacking and that you can use these points to get rewards seats to really make intentional travel on business class possible.' He chose Virgin's Velocity program for their pros. 'Just looking at the network available – so you look at where the points can take you, where the airline goes, where their partners go.' Andy has around 1.5 million points and counting. After all, he's going to need all the points he can get if he's going to fund his rollercoaster obsession and visit every theme park across the globe.
The Guardian
03-07-2025
- The Guardian
Qantas cyber-attack: what data was taken and what should I do if I'm affected?
Qantas has said the personal information of up to 6 million customers could have been stolen in a cyber-attack this week. What should you do if you're caught up in the attack, and is your frequent flyer account at risk? Qantas has said a cybercriminal targeted a call centre and gained access to a third-party system that held customer information. The company detected the unusual activity on Monday and shut it down, but believes a 'significant' amount of the personal information of customers may have been taken. The alleged culprit of the attack has yet to be identified, but shares similarities with a ransomware group known as Scattered Spider. The group has targeted airlines in the US in recent weeks by calling the IT support for large companies, often impersonating employees or contractors to deceive IT help desks into granting access, and bypassing multi-factor authentication (MFA). Qantas is still investigating the amount of data taken but believes it includes: Names Email addresses Phone numbers Dates of birth Frequent flyer numbers The airline has said the breach did not include credit card details, personal financial information or passport details, as this information was not held by the system. The airline said no frequent flyer accounts were compromised, and passwords, pins and log-in details have not been accessed. Not immediately. Qantas said no accounts were compromised. In order to access your frequent flyer account, you need the account number, surname and a pin. Two of the three of those were accessed in the data breach – so if your pin is recycled and may have appeared in other breaches, it could be compromised. Importantly, however, Qantas has enabled multi-factor authentication for its frequent flyer accounts, meaning when you log in, it will need to confirm either by SMS or through an authentication app (if set up) that you're really you. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email If your phone number has not been compromised by hackers (by porting your number to a new phone – typically used by hackers to get past MFA to break into online banking) then it would not be a concern. If you currently use SMS-based MFA, you should consider switching to an authentication app for a greater level of protection. Additionally, Qantas will email you when your account is logged in for the first time on an unfamiliar device – meaning that if a hacker does manage to get in, you will know about it quickly. Qantas has advised customers affected by the breach that at this stage there's no requirement to reset their password or pin. The national cyber security coordinator, Lt Gen Michelle McGuinness, told ABC News Breakfast on Thursday that people should be on the lookout for suspicious actions, and not respond to unsolicited emails, texts or calls. 'If you think someone is reaching out to you from an official capacity, hang up or don't respond – go and source your own number or email to reach out to that person,' she said. She said people should ensure they have unique and strong passphrases for each account they use on the internet, always use MFA and ensure their software on their devices is up to date. Using a password manager that is built into iOS and Android is useful to keep track of all the various accounts you maintain. The federal government has set up a website to guide people through how to improve their cybersecurity.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Airlines Officially Reinstates Old Rule in July
American Airlines is bringing back an old policy just in time for the summer. In March 2024, American Airlines announced that it was limiting standby access to AAdvantage members. This move incentivized travelers to sign up for the airline's frequent flyer program. As you'd expect, not everyone was on board with that move. Fast forward roughly 16 months later, and American Airlines has already reversed its decision. Starting on July 1, standby access is eligible for all American Airlines travelers regardless of their membership status. "All customers are eligible to list for same-day standby with an agent up to 45 minutes prior to departure – regardless of AAdvantage membership or status. The policy is only applicable to domestic flights and segments," American Airlines said. "We are continuously looking for ways to enhance the travel journey for our customers and this update gives all customers the convenience of a flexible itinerary, space permitting." This move puts American Airlines on par with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines when it comes to standby access. Even though American Airlines is reverting back to its old policy, it won't diminish the value of an AAdvantage membership. The policy states that AAdvantage members are eligible for same-day standby up to 15 minutes before departure. After all, American Airlines has added a few more destinations in an effort to help out its membership numbers. 'American is focused on giving our customers the most options to pick the perfect vacation destination, and now there are even more ways to turn travel dreams into reality' Jason Reisinger, American's Managing Director of Global Network Planning said in a statement. 'Earning AAdvantage miles and status with American's new summer routes is the perfect setup to planning winter holidays with friends and family.' American Airlines Officially Reinstates Old Rule in July first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 1, 2025
The Verge
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Qantas hacked.
An initial review has confirmed the data includes some customers' names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and frequent flyer numbers. Importantly, credit card details, personal financial information and passport details are not held in this system. No frequent flyer accounts were compromised nor have passwords, PIN numbers or log in details been accessed.
