As 2025 draws to a close, here’s a look back at the Point Hacks stories that mattered most to you, our readers. It’s fair to say this year was defined by devaluations. Across multiple programs, points no longer stretch quite as far as before. There’s still value in the points game, but we have to continuously rethink how to earn and burn points.
We hope these popular guides will help inspire your travel goals. Thank you for reading, engaging and travelling with us throughout 2025. Here’s to a happy, healthier and points-rich year ahead!
Our top three airline/points guides of the year
Unsurprisingly, our top three airline guides for 2025 are all about Qantas Points. While I’m a big fan of diversifying points – I regularly use a mix of Velocity, Qantas and other flexible points, and actively encourage others to do the same – the general Australian audience seems to favour collecting and using Qantas Points.
1. How to fly around the world in Business Class with Qantas Points
- One of our classic guides that remains popular year after year. I also booked and flew on my first-ever Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward points booking in June 2025. Read more about that whirlwind trip.
2. How to join Qantas Frequent Flyer for free
- Qantas Frequent Flyer technically charges an AU$99.50 to join the program in Australia. But there are so many ways to get a membership for free. This classic guide consistently ranks highly every year.
3. How I unlocked every Qantas tier in one trip (using points)
- In this unique experiment, Toby set out to see how easy it would be to unlock Qantas Gold status solely with Classic Flight rewards booked with Qantas Points during a double Status Credits offer. Was it worth it?
Our top three news articles of the year
No one likes a devaluation (except perhaps, the loyalty program bean counters). It should come as no shock that our most-read news pieces of the year mainly centred around impending reward program changes.
1. Sweeping changes are coming to American Express Membership Rewards
- One of the most significant points program changes of 2025 was American Express devaluing Membership Rewards. The program slashed the conversion rate from 2:1 to 3:1 for a slew of partners, including Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways.
2. CBA guts credit card Awards program transfer partners
- In a similar vein, CommBank’s axing of every international transfer partner from its Awards program made headlines for the wrong reasons.
3. Emirates President: “I’m the one that’s stopping” points bookings in Premium Economy
- Emirates’ President, Sir Tim Clark, candidly explains why he decided to delay the availability of points bookings in Premium Economy with Skywards miles.
Our top three flight reviews of the year
It was a busy year for flight reviews, spanning airlines such as Fiji Airways, Finnair, Virgin Australia/Qatar Airways, SriLankan and Qantas. But interestingly, some of the articles that resonated most with readers in 2025 were based on flights taken the year before.
We’ve found there’s always strong interest in what today’s Business and Premium Economy cabins are really like, and whether long-haul Economy is still tolerable when you’re spending more than a day in the air.
1. British Airways Boeing 777 Club World Suites Business Class (Singapore – Sydney)
- British Airways’ Club Suites remain one of the more talked-about Business Class products, particularly as the airline continues rolling them out across long-haul routes.
2. American Airlines Boeing 777 Premium Economy (Sydney – Los Angeles)
- Premium Economy sits in that sweet spot between comfort and cost, and many travellers are still weighing up whether it’s worth the upgrade, especially on a route that many Australians still travel on.
3. Qantas Airbus A380 Economy (Sydney – London)
- While premium cabins will always attract attention, most travellers are still flying Economy. Ultra-long flights in Economy aren’t glamorous, but it’s still good to know what to expect.
Our top three Instagram reels of the year
Social media is a fickle beast. Audience spans are shortening, and sometimes the most straightforward content does best compared to longer flight reviews that require much more effort. Thankfully, our top three Instagram reels were all proper aeroplane walk-throughs or flight reviews, rather than something ‘silly’!
1. Virgin Australia/Qatar Airways long-haul flights to Doha
- Curiosity was high on the launch of Virgin Australia’s new flights to Doha using wet-lease Boeing 777s from Qatar Airways. (A wet lease means that Qatar Airways crew members also operate the service).
2. American Airlines Boeing 787-P Flagship walkthrough in Brisbane
- Another unexpected entry by American Airlines! This time, for a fun walkthrough of the new Boeing 787-P with next-gen Flagship Suites in Business Class, plus refreshed Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
3. Emirates Airbus A380 Premium Economy tour in Brisbane
- Once again, anything ‘Emirates’ and ‘Premium Economy’ tends to do quite well. Combine them in a video, and you get this third-place contender of the year.
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