Australia - Your Time Has Come

The last 20 years have seen incredible leaps in travel.  Most of us have enjoyed the rush!  Maybe, like me, you've traveled heaps both here and overseas for cheap.  Ticket prices have actually fallen over the years, both overseas and here in Australia!

When I was 22 I read a book called, "How to Travel as an Air Courier", and I immediately booked my first trip to Caracas, Venezuela.  I took sacks of packages as my checked luggage, and only had hand luggage; but I snagged a bargain.  And I did it
a few more times.  Of course since 9/11 courier flights disappeared, with all the new security regulations.

I've always lived on a small budget and far from family, so needed to find creative ways to get home.  Courier flights, mistake fares, super budget airlines, points tickets; I've tried them all.

America, in my opinion, has the most generous loyalty programs.  I know a lot about them, since that is where I grew up.  And over the years I've learned how to get the biggest bang for my buck from them, thanks to learning from some of the best US travel bloggers.  It has enabled me to travel the world for pennies. 

Just this past 12 months I've accumulated and redeemed 1+ million hotel and airline points. But those are US-based points programs.  


But I'd always wondered if I could do it here in Australia.  

After living here 8 years, would it be possible to get at least some percentage of the benefits they get in the USA?

Well, now it's time to reveal some secrets and travel tips I have, and put them to work for you.  And there are plenty of deals to be had!

Through this blog I want to educate you to be able to save big, like my wife and I, with very little investment of your time.  Usually, you can expect a daily post.  It will be brief enough for busy people to read and digest.  You'll be able to learn in minutes, what it took me years to learn.

Read Aussie Points Expert to get my tips and step-by-step instructions on:

1) Which credit cards can get you free (or nearly free) travel.

2) Detailed comparison of the airline programs of Australia, to give the biggest bang for your buck.  This will include the best way to earn and redeem points.  I will explain whether it is better to:

• Earn - credit points to an Aussie airline? or a partner airline?
• Redeem - redeem with an Aussie airline? or is it better to redeem with a partner?

3) 'Sweet spots', where you can redeem points for huge savings on certain routes!

4) Money-saving tips on hiring cars (and how to reduce the pesky excess they charge), and significantly reduce money spent on hotels.

5) Provide a simple cost analysis and rating of other well-known Aussie specific companies, so you can choose exactly where to spend your money to get the biggest payback.  (think wotif, agoda, flybuys, and others)

6) Trip reports, including Asia.  We love Asia; we've been there 7 times.  We know the budget airlines VERY well, and we will tell you our tricks for getting rock-bottom flights, hotels, and having an overall great, but inexpensive holiday.

I welcome your general comments on the blog as well, if you have any suggestions feel free to write in!

Thank you for reading!