There was a lot of excitement in aviation circles when the new low-cost carrier Bonza launched in January this year.

The airline saw a gap in the market to operate routes that weren’t being served by other airlines.

Today marks another milestone, as Bonza has opened a base at Melbourne’s Tullamarne airport with the launch of flights to its ‘home’ base on the Sunshine Coast.

Tullamarine will be home to a portion of the airline’s staff and crew, as well as two Boeing 737-MAX aircraft that will soon be taking customers to 11 destinations.

The launch comes as Bonza says it has reached the key milestone of selling over 100,000 seats via the Fly Bonza app – the only way to book seats directly with the airline.

That’s a very impressive figure and bodes well for the future of the airline.

“Our team of legends have been working hard to set up and launch our second base at Melbourne Tullamarine,” said Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza.

“The Victorian capital is our second home and based here are a number of cabin crew, pilots and first officers who get to come home after a day travelling to regional destinations on our route map,” he added.

The routes from Melbourne Tullamarine include:

• Bundaberg: Fares from $89 per person one way, 2 flights per week from 10 May 2023
• Gladstone: Fares from $89 per person one way, 2 flights per week from 11 May 2023
• Mackay: Fares from $89 per person one way, 2 flights per week from 23 May 2023
• Mildura: Fares from $49 per person one way, 3 flights per week from 8 May 2023
• Port Macquarie: Fares from $69 per person one way, 2 flights per week from 4 May 2023
• Rockhampton: Fares from $89 per person one way, 3 flights per week from 11 April 2023
• Sunshine Coast: Fares from $79 per person one way, 4 flights per week from 30 March 2023
• Tamworth: Fares from $59 per person one way, 2 flights per week from 2 May 2023
• Toowoomba Wellcamp: Fares from $79 per person one way, 4 flights per week from 17 April 2023

From Toowomba Wellcamp, customers can also connect to flights to Townsville from 19 April and the Whitsunday Coast from 21 April 2023.

Travellers are currently able to book flights up until the end of October.

The airline says the schedule for Christmas and beyond is due to be added soon.

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Qantas is stepping up its food game in lounges and onboard flights with new menus and bigger portions. And they’re using premium ingredients from Aussie producers, too.

They’ve already started rolling out new menus on domestic flights, and international flights will get the upgrade from March 29th. Expect a focus on seasonal ingredients with plant-based options in every cabin.

Domestic flights 

For domestic flights, business class is getting a boost with lighter meal options like ploughman’s and cheese plates, and yummy soups. Plus, they’re bringing back starter salads and pre-take off water and juice on longer flights.

International flights

International flights are getting a makeover, too. Economy class is getting new dishes like cajun prawns with spiced rice, Korean chilli and garlic chicken with kimchi, and black pepper beef with oyster mushrooms.

And instead of just a snack, passengers will get a second meal in all cabins on flights to Asia. In economy, these include chicken fried rice, and sage and lemon ravioli with kale and napolitana sauce.

Premium economy passengers are in for a treat with a new starter salad and ice-cream service on all flights. Their main meals are getting an upgrade, too, with dishes like salmon with tomato fennel sauce and quinoa, and braised lamb shank with red wine mushroom sauce and potato puree.

In first class, new menu options include upmarket dishes featuring calvisius caviar, Queensland spanner crab salad, crumbed margra lamb cutlets, and seared glacier 51 toothfish.

Meanwhile in international business class, gueses will enjoy seared grasslands beef fillet, free-range chicken kyiv, and seared snapper with black bean sauce.

Lounges

If you’re hanging out in the Qantas lounges, get ready for some new ‘plate of the day’ options.

In International First Lounges, expect dishes like steamed blue eye with pickled daikon, and eight-hour beef brisket with potato puree, tarragon and shallot butter.

The International Business Lounges are also stepping up their game with fresh ricotta and crisp pancetta plates, and beef, bacon and dark ale pies.

Oh, and did we mention ice cream in Qantas Clubs and international and domestic Business Lounges? Yes, please!

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Qantas and Jetstar are giving customers an extra year to use all those flight credits they received during the travel chaos from March 2020 to September 2021.

Out of the $2 billion in credits the airlines gave out, there’s still about $800 million unused.

They’ve already extended the deadline three times, but now they’re doing it one last time to give customers a final opportunity to book flights.

Before this change, you had to book and finish your travel by December 31, 2023. Now, you still need to book by the end of this year, but you’ve got until December 2024 to actually go on your trip.

Qantas and Jetstar have tried to make using those COVID credits easier. They’ve set up a special help line, sent out reminders, and given people prompts when booking online.

Need help? Qantas customers can hit up the Travel Credit Concierge Team at 1300 171 505 or check out the Travel Credits Hub. For Jetstar peeps, just use LiveChat to find your voucher details.

Expect to receive an email about the changes to your vouchers. But if you booked through a travel agent, give them a call to sort it out. Happy travels!

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Qantas is expanding its partnership Taiwan-based China Airlines so that you can now use Qantas Points to travel to more than 75 destinations across the globe with the carrier.

Previously, Qantas frequent Flyers were able to use points to travel on China Airlines between Australia and Taipei only.

Now, you can any flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to Taiwan and onwards throughout Asia, North America and Europe.

China Airlines is a very well-regarded full-service airline which offers business, premium economy and economy cabins.

In business class on its A350 fleet, for example, you’ll find comfortable seats in a 1-2-1 layout…

… as well as a solid-looking premium economy option…

… and a fairly standard economy cabin.

China Airlines has a very good reputation among frequent flyers. The dining and service onboard are also reported to be at a high standard.

There’s good availability of reward seats, especially towards the end of 2023, and taxes and fees are low too – so if you’re interested in a getaway, act fast!

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Qantas Loyalty has launched a new online shopping platform, Qantas Marketplace. 

The platform allows Frequent Flyers to earn and use Qantas Points on over 20,000 products from more than 900 premium and household brands.

This marks a large online retail expansion of the Frequent Flyer program, replacing the Qantas Rewards store and offering an increased variety of products and brands.

It also supplements the existing Qantas Shopping portal, which connects users to external shopping websites, where your purchases are tracked and earn Qantas Points.

With Qantas Marketplace, you shop directly with Qantas. The platform brings together brands and products across fashion, beauty, homewares, appliances and technology.

Popular brands such as Apple, BOSE and Dyson continue to be available, along with offerings from niche retailers.

Frequent Flyers are able to use their Qantas Points to shop using Points Plus Pay, with a 10 percent discount for Points Club Plus members and a 5 percent discount for Points Club members.

When you pay with cash, however, you can earn Qantas Points: at least 3 per dollar spent (up from two points at the former Rewards Store).

As an introductory offer, Points Club members will earn an additional three Qantas Points per dollar spent (i.e. a total of six) and Points Club Plus members will earn an additional six points per dollar spent (i.e. a total of nine) until 30 June 2023.

Members are also able to take advantage of regular bonus points offers.

For example, until 31 March 2023, you can earn up to 10,000 bonus points (worth hundreds of dollars when used for reward seats or upgrades) when paying for purchases with cash.

Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said the platform offers members a seamless and premium shopping experience that rewards them for every purchase.

“Our Frequent Flyers already earn more points on the ground than they do through travel. With Qantas Marketplace, we’re connecting them to hundreds of brands that they know and love, with the added benefit of being able to earn and use points,” said Ms Wirth.

“We know our members are always looking for more value and ways to boost their points balance, so we’ve increased the points earn rate on the platform too,” Ms Wirth added.

Qantas Marketplace is available at marketplace.qantas.com.

If you’re considering spending points at the Marketplace, be aware that you can usually get more value from your points by booking flights or holidays with Qantas.

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Qantas has announced that it’s pouring $100 million into enhancing lounges in Australia and overseas. This means four brand new lounges, as well as renovations to their existing ones.

Here’s a rundown of what’s in store:

• a swanky new First Lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport
• a refreshed Hong Kong International Lounge
• a complete overhaul of the International Business Lounge in Sydney
• a bigger and better International Business Lounge in Melbourne
• a new Hobart Qantas Club
• a new Broome Regional Lounge.

This is the biggest investment in Qantas’ lounge network in over 10 years, and it comes as the airline expands its domestic and international routes and gets ready for some next-gen aircraft.

London First Lounge

A brand new First Lounge at Heathrow Airport is being built to go along with the launch of Project Sunrise direct flights between the UK and Australia’s east coast (starting with Sydney).

The plan is to open it in late 2025, and it’ll be right next to the current International Lounge, which will become a dedicated Business Lounge.

Some expected highlights of the new First Lounge include direct access to boarding gates, awesome airfield views, a focus on wellbeing features, and top-notch dining.

This will be the fifth Qantas First Lounge, joining the ones in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Singapore, and Sydney.

“London is one of the most important destinations on our network and it’s the perfect location for a First Lounge, especially with our direct Project Sunrise flights on the way. Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports so we’re very pleased to be working with them to secure a great space in the terminal for an additional lounge,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.

Hong Long International Lounge

Qantas is reopening the Hong Kong International Lounge that closed down during the pandemic. The space is getting a makeover, and it’s set to open in April 2023.

Oh, and the yum cha trolley is making a comeback!

Melbourne International Business Lounge

One of the most underwhelming lounges in Qantas’ network will get a full makeover, with the first stage set to open in mid-2024.

It’ll also be expanded to handle more passengers in the future.

Sydney International Business Lounge

Qantas is planning a total redesign and rebuild of this space, which will increase capacity by 40% to more than 600 seats. They’ll also be introducing a new signature food and beverage concept. Work is expected to start in early 2024 and be completed by early 2025.

Hobart Qantas Club 

Qantas is moving their existing lounge to a new Hobart Qantas Club that’ll have 50% more capacity, going from 96 to about 150 seats. The timeline for this is still up in the air.

Broome Regional Lounge

Qantas is building a brand new Regional Lounge in Broome that’ll open in 2024, doubling the capacity of the existing space to around 100 seats. This is thanks to strong demand from premium leisure travelers.

Previously announced upgrades

This news follows a number of other lounge-related announcements recently, including:

• a new Auckland International Lounge set to open progressively from 2023
• a new Business Lounge at Adelaide Domestic Airport (set to open in stages from 2024) as well as an upgraded Qantas Club (2023) and Chairmans Lounge (2025) at the airport
• the redevelopment of the Regional Lounge at Port Hedland Airport (2024)
• a new Regional Lounge at Rockhampton Airport (recently completed).

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