How I travelled the world in Business Class using Qantas Points | Podcast

In our inaugural episode of the new Point Hacks podcast I chat with Brandon Loo, fresh from his epic two-week trip around the globe in Business Class – all booked with Qantas Points. Learn first-hand how he visited four continents, multiple world-class cities, and top airline lounges for just 318,000 points + $1347 fees and taxes (as of 5 August this redemption is now 365,800 points).

We cover:

• How to book a oneworld Classic Flight Reward and maximise the 35,000-mile cap
• The essential rules & tricks to maximise value
• Tips for finding rare Business Class award seats
• Brandon’s full itinerary including Tokyo, Chicago, New York, Barcelona, London, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Singapore & more
• The best food, lounges, and airlines from his trip
• Smart ways to earn points faster for your own round-the-world adventure

Personally, I found this discussion fascinating as I’ve been eyeing off the redemption for years. I’ll definitely be referring to this video when I finally get a chance to begin booking my own “round-the-world” itinerary.

Wait, another Point Hacks Podcast?

Yes another Point Hacks Podcast! Long time readers of the site may be familiar with our previous podcasting projects – Points of View (2020 and 2022) and Travel Pointers (2024). Travel Pointers started life as a collaboration between Point Hacks and Australian Frequent Flyer, however it now primarily serves the avgeeks and advanced point collectors over at AFF. Travel Pointers is still regularly releasing and I’d highly encourage you to have a listen if you’re an experienced point hacker.
This new show is more a spiritual successor to the discontinued Points of View: Official Point Hacks Podcast. Each episode features casual discussions with some of the best frequent flyer experts in the business. The main differences are a change of host, more focus on point hacking essentials, and the addition of video.

So what are we calling this new podcast?

While I would never stick my nose up at a solid pun, we felt the best title is simply “Point Hacks”.
Each episode encapsulates the same thoughtful, expert advice you can expect from our website, free of jargon and full of tangible tips. If you have a friend or family member who are new to points, our hope is this show will inspire them to begin their point collecting journey.
Basically, if you send this to your points-avoiding parents I’m doing my job right!

Tobias Venus: Podcast host, producer, editor, occasional model.

A sneak peek of episode 2 with Chris Chamberlin.

Brandon Loo in his natural environment.

A first for Point Hacks podcasts – live mixed video!

Key takeaways:

While the whole discussion is fascinating the key takeaway from our chat is the immense value you can expect to find from a oneworld “round-the-world” redemption.

For the same number of points you could jet around the whole globe instead of just flying to Europe and back.
As long as you meet all the requirements, you won’t pay more than 365,800 Qantas Points to fly up to 35,000 miles around the world in Business Class.

When asked how he would improve his trip, Brandon provided a great tip for Australians:

Well first off I’d bring my wife but also I’d take a lot longer to explore the world. The whole point of this trip is you can explore for up to a year so I’d love to take at least several months off and make each stopover count.
I might also consider starting this trip outside of Australia as you get better (reward flight) availability, generally, out of Asia for example. So I could find a cheap flight over to Bali or Singapore and start from there. And then, because you’re starting from overseas, you can come back and make Australia one of your stopovers, say hi to everyone, and continue your trip.

Further reading and helpful links:

Kickstart your planning with our weekly newsletter. You’ll receive up-to-date reward seat alerts and holiday inspiration direct to your inbox each week.

Read more about Brandon’s journey including more helpful hints and a first hand look at some of the flights you could experience.

If you’re ready to begin planning your own journey, our comprehensive guide (also written by Brandon) is the perfect place to start.

Itching to start collecting towards the 365,800 Qantas Point goal? Read our guide to collecting Qantas points in 2025.

Credit card sign-up bonuses and point earning credit cards are often one of the most effective tools to boost you points balance. Take a look at the card below or peruse our list of Qantas Point earning credit cards to find a card that suits your needs.

Qantas American Express Ultimate

Find Out More & Apply

Read the guide

Sign-up Bonus:

Up to 90,000 bonus Qantas Points¹

Rewards Earn Rate:

1.25 Qantas Points earned per $1 on eligible everyday purchases. 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on selected Qantas products and services in Australia. 0.5 Qantas Point per $1 at government bodies in Australia. After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent.

Annual Fee:

$450 p.a.

Offer expires

13 January 2026

Earn 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus an additional 20,000 Qantas Points when you spend a minimum of $1 on your Card within 90 days of paying your second year annual Card Fee¹. (Offer ends 13 January 2026. New Amex Card Members only. T&Cs apply.) This card includes an annual $450 Qantas Travel Credit, two Qantas lounge passes, complimentary international travel insurance, and Qantas Wine Premium Membership (valued at $99). Earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 on everyday spend, 2.25 on Qantas purchases, and 0.5 on government payments. The annual fee is $450.

Where to watch and listen

For the full experience, including additional tips and footage from our adventures, you can watch Point Hacks on our YouTube or Facebook pages. We also publish our key takeaways on Instagram and TikTok.

Prefer to listen? Point Hacks is now available in your favourite podcasting app including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, iHeartRadio, and good old fashion RSS. Just note, if you were already following the Points of View Podcast you’ll likely already find us in your feed.

Video and podcast produced by Tobias Venus. Additional photography by Sean Pereira (Freddiepits studio).
Brandon Loo travelled at Point Hacks’ expense.