Travel guides

Trip budgets, frequent flyer points and the fees nobody quotes you, worked out from Australia.

12 articles

Qantas and Virgin Baggage Rules Compared

Virgin Australia changed its carry-on rules on 2 February 2026. Economy now gets 8kg in the cabin against Qantas allowing up to 10kg in one piece, and the cheapest Virgin fares still include no checked bag at all.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

Premium Economy or Economy on Long Haul?

Premium economy buys you seven more inches of legroom and costs 60 to 100 per cent more than economy. On a 14 hour flight that is a different trade than it is on a 7 hour one.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

How to Budget a Trip from Australia

Most trip budgets fail the same way: the flights and hotels get priced, and everything else gets a guess. Building the budget in four blocks instead of one gets you within a few hundred dollars.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

Passport and Visa Requirements for Australian Travellers

An adult Australian passport costs $422 from January 2026 and takes about six weeks. The six month validity rule catches out travellers who checked the expiry date and thought they were fine.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

What a New Zealand Campervan Trip Costs

Campervan hire looks cheap at NZ$45 a day until fuel enters the picture. On a 3,000 kilometre South Island loop, fuel costs more than the van. And since June 2026 the old self-containment sticker no longer lets you freedom camp.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

Japan on a Budget: What It Costs from Australia

Ten days in Japan runs from about $2,800 to $12,400 per person from Australia. Japan costs less on the ground than most Australians expect and more to move around than they budget for. Here is every line, including whether the rail pass still pays.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

What a Week in Bali Actually Costs from Australia

A week in Bali runs from about $800 to over $3,000 per person from Australia. Flights and where you sleep decide almost all of that gap. Here is every line costed, area by area, with the fees that never make it into anyone's spreadsheet.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

What Travel Insurance Actually Covers

Smartraveller puts it bluntly: the Australian Government will not pay your medical bills overseas. Here is what a policy covers, what it excludes, and the two conditions that void most claims.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

Travel Money Cards Compared for Australians

The big four charge 3 to 3.5 per cent on every overseas purchase. Wise, Revolut, YouTrip and a handful of Australian banks charge nothing or close to it. On a two-week trip the gap runs to a few hundred dollars.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

The Best Credit Cards for Earning Qantas Points

Six cards on the Australian market earn Qantas Points. Sign-up bonuses run from 60,000 to 150,000, and annual fees run from nothing in year one to $1,200. The gap between them is not what the advertising suggests.

30 July 2026Read

Travel

Frequent Flyer Points in Australia: What They Cost, What They Return

A Qantas point buys 0.5 cents in the online store and up to 7 cents in a business seat. The carrier charge decides which end you land on. Here is the arithmetic, both major programs compared, and the cards that earn fastest.

9 June 2026Read