And to help you save even more, Cathay Pacific has extended its Europe Earlybird fares, offering fantastic value for money.

You’ll enjoy the convenience of over 70 flights per week to Hong Kong from Australia, with one-stop connections to their European destinations of London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Amsterdam, Milan and Rome.

Be quick to snap up these ‘Earlybird’ fares that are now on sale until 31 March 2012 for travel between 1 April and 31 October 2012.

Flying in Cathay Pacific’s Economy Class is certainly a superior travel experience. The innovative fixed-back Economy Class shell seat ensures that no one in front of you will ever intrude into your personal space again, whether you’re sitting upright or sleeping. When it’s time to eat, you can choose from a menu of three main courses offering exceptional European and Asian cuisine. Settle back and watch the latest movies and TV shows on your personal 9″ television screen, as well as a wide range of music and games. And throughout your journey, you’ll enjoy Cathay Pacific’s renowned inflight service.

Here are some examples of these great fares:

*Moscow low season 1 April–30 June 2012; 1 September-31 October 2012

**Moscow shoulder season 16-31 August 2012

Minimum stay two nights, maximum stay three months; other terms and conditions apply.  Fares include all taxes and surcharges. Taxes and surcharges are correct at 25 January 2011 but subject to currency fluctuation. Please visit website www.cathaypacific.com.au.

The new service will enhance Hamilton Island’s world-class offering as a regular host to high-profile celebrities and special events, which include the Great Barrier Feast culinary weekends, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week and the Australian Ballet’s ‘Pas de Deux in Paradise’ performance under the stars at luxury qualia (www.qualia.com.au).

“We applaud Virgin Australia’s new business class offering to Hamilton Island. The service complements our recent significant investment in luxury tourism and will be well received by our guests staying at qualia and the Hamilton Island Yacht Club Villas,” said Hamilton Island’s chief executive Glenn Bourke.

Features of Virgin Australia’s new business class service include luxury leather seating, Luke Mangan designed gourmet menus, international-style organic cosmetic amenity kits, priority check-in/boarding and complimentary access to Virgin Australia’s lounges. Business class guests travelling from Sydney with carry-on bags only can also take advantage of the Premium Entry and optional valet car parking at Domestic Terminal 2, direct curb side access and direct entry to the lounge via a dedicated security screening point and check-in desk.

Once on Hamilton Island, visitors can choose from five accommodation options including the award-winning qualia resort, the luxury Yacht Club Villas, plentiful dining experiences and over 60 activities.  Hamilton Island is easily accessible from major East Coast cities in Australia in less than three hours.

To celebrate the new business class service, qualia and Virgin Australia are offering a luxury package from $1868* per person Ex Brisbane or from $2468* per person Ex Sydney. This package is only available for purchase in February and valid for travel between 1 February – 15 August.

It includes:

- Two nights’ accommodation in a private pavilion at qualia with a la carte breakfast daily
- Return business class flights from either Sydney or Brisbane
- Sunset cruise on the ‘Atomic’ – qualia’s luxury power boat
- VIP return Hamilton Island airport/marina to hotel transfers
- Personal two-seater electric golf buggy

To book, visit www.qualia.com.au or please contact the Luxury Specialist team on 137 333 or email: luxuryspecialist@hamiltonisland.com.au

Prices are based on twin share. The ‘from price’ above is for a Leeward pavilion. The qualia and Virgin Australia luxury package is available for purchase from 1 – 29 February 2012 and is valid for travel from 1 February – 15 August 2012.

The global loyalty programme BIG will be giving away a pair of tickets each to five lucky winners to watch the QPR’s home match

against Liverpool at the Loftus Road Stadium in London on 17 March. All expenses including return flights and accommodation in London will be fully sponsored.

The contest is open to all existing and newly signed-up BIG Shots (members). All they need to do is collect at least 50 BIG Points in a single transaction by shopping with any of the BIG partners and merchants worldwide including AirAsia and Tune Group of companies. This includes online purchases at ShopBIG, the new and exclusive online mall by BIG.

Fifty BIG Points is equivalent to a RM100 spending or even less where merchants reward higher BIG Points.

The contest runs on BIG’s website at www.tune2big.com as well as social media platforms from 20 January and ends on 24 February 2012.

“The more you use the card and earn BIG Points, the higher your chances of winning. This is the first time BIG is organising such a global-scale contest. We want to reward our card members to watch the game live and this is an experience that money can’t buy,” said Johan Aris Ibrahim, the CEO of BIG.

BIG had earlier in December sent Malaysian Nor Fairolzukry Ahmad Rasdi off to Loftus Road for a QPR versus Manchester United game, after he won a Twitter contest by BIG.

BIG is an innovative global loyalty programme that allows members (BIG Shots) to earn points when travelling and shopping, and redeem the accumulated points for exciting rewards including flight seats on AirAsia. Membership is open to anyone aged 2 years and above anywhere in the world.

In Malaysia, the BIG card doubles up as a BIG Visa Prepaid card, which cardholders can reload at all major banks or online at BIG’s website www.tune2big.com. Cardholders can shop at millions of merchants worldwide where Visa is accepted, both online and over the counter. BIG Visa Prepaid is eligible for those aged 18 and above.

“Generally 1 BIG Point will be rewarded for each RM2 purchase both for the global BIG loyalty and BIG Visa Prepaid card in Malaysia, with selected merchants giving double the points. This means you can earn even more BIG Points at a faster rate. Also, take advantage of the various BIG promotions to get a FREE flight on AirAsia faster,” explained Johan.

He also noted that new BIG Shots do not have to wait for the physical card to arrive as they can start using the BIG Visa Prepaid card for online transactions as soon as the application is approved.

For more information about the contest or to sign up as a BIG Shot, log on to www.tune2big.com or join BIG’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/myBIGShots.

PINPOINT$ REWARDS NOW DOUBLE THE VALUE: NEW Earn a $100 Universal Gift Card for every $5000 of nett deposited LAND bookings. Earn a $25 Universal Gift Card for every $5000 of nett deposited AIRFARE bookings. For full details please see Pinpoint$ link below.

1. Hong Kong & China from $185pp
2. Bali from $479pp
3. Daydream Island from $569pp
4. Malaysia from $1029pp
5. Paris from $1999pp

1. California from $1259pp
2.Koh Samui from $1259pp
3. Hawaii from $1979pp
4.Rocky Mountaineer from $2729pp
5. Canada from $3919pp

HONG KONG & CHINA

Hong Kong & China land only on SALE. FREE nights, FREE upgrade, FREE late check out. SAVE up to $199 per couple. On sale to 29FEB12.

From $185 per person

BALI

Bali on sale. FREE nights, FREE upgrade. SAVE up to $1184 per couple. On sale to 30MAR12.

From $479 per room

DAYDREAM ISLAND

Daydream Island on SALE. FREE night, Kids Stay & Eat FREE, SAVE up to $430 per room. On sale to 31MAR12.

From $569 per person

MALAYSIA

Malaysia on SALE, Kuala Lumpa and Penang. FREE nights, SAVE up to $730 per couple, on sale to 29FEB12.

From $1029 per person

PARIS

Romantic Paris on SALE. FREE tour. SAVE up to $232 per couple. On sale to 29FEB12.

From $1999 per person

In more good news for the region, Tiger is resuming services to Cairns with new daily daytime flights (one flight each way every day of the week) to cater for consumer demand on the popular route. (previously Tiger flew to and from Cairns arriving late at night/departing very early in the morning).

Commencing from 25 April 2012, Tiger Airways will operate a daily return service, departing Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) at 8:50am, arriving Cairns Airport at 12:15pm, returning from Cairns at 12:45pm to arrive back in Melbourne at around 4:10pm.

Tiger Airways Head of Marketing and Communications, Vanessa Regan, said that Cairns was last year voted the “fastest growing” domestic route in Australia (with 29% passenger growth year on year from April 2010 to April 2011 according to Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics or BITRE statistics 2011) and that the airline is confident Tiger’s new daytime flights will be well received.

“We’re an airline that is highly responsive to customer demand and we’re confident that our new daytime services will prove to be convenient and extremely popular, especially since they are available for travel just in time for the tropical north’s peak winter season when many Melbournians are looking for a warm winter escape from the cold,” said Ms Regan.

The new daily daytime services between Melbourne and Cairns will be a welcome boost for tourism in Victoria and the tropical far north of Queensland, providing over 2,500 additional visitor seats weekly through Cairns Airport and Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine).

Tiger Airways continues to resume domestic services gradually, focusing on flying popular routes which enable the airline to fly affordably and with enhanced reliability.

The airline is keen to reinstate flights to a number of other destinations around Australia, which the airline will announce in due course.

Note: flights are subject to regulatory approval at this time.

TIGER AIRWAYS AUSTRALIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO FLYING SAFELY, AFFORDABLY AND RELIABILY WITH FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.

There is only a few days left to book and save to visit this uniquely different paradise so close to home. With the Australian Dollar at an all time high, a trip to New Caledonia will cost less than you think!

From 7 March 2012, the airline will introduce daily flights to London using dedicated Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured to seat just 116 passengers in two Business Class cabins – Club Premier and Club Classic.

Using connecting flights from Australia with Qantas, Hong Kong Airlines is offering travel agencies mixed-class pricing of AU$3385 return from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth to London.  This includes Qantas Economy Class flights to Hong Kong and Club Classic from Hong Kong to London Gatwick.

Full business class fares start at AU$8465 return for Qantas Business Class to Hong Kong and Club Premier from Hong Kong to London Gatwick.

Between Hong Kong and London Gatwick, Club Premier passengers will enjoy 34 suites with fully flat 6’1” beds; a fine dining service with individual table settings, superior wines and champagne; turndown service with duvets, pyjamas and slippers and luxury amenity kits.

Club Classic passengers will enjoy two cabins featuring 82 cradle seats configured 2-2-2, with a spacious 51” seat pitch with 22” width and superior dining.

All cabins come complete with AVOD, digital magazines and high definition widescreens; 15.4” in Club Premier and 10.6” in Club Classic. Passengers also have the option of two sky bars, lounge access in HKG/LGW and limousine transfers for Club Premier passengers.

Fares are available for sale from now until 29 February 2012 and are valid for departures between 7 March and 30 June 2012. Net IT Fares are available for sale now. Please contact Hong Kong Airlines to access fare circular or refer to your preferred consolidator.

Mixed-class fares include taxes of approximately AU$820 and Business Class fares include taxes of approximately AU$960.  Taxes are subject to fluctuations and can change without notice.

For further information on the new flights, please visit www.hongkongairlines.com/club

Hong Kong Airlines is represented in Australia by World Aviation Systems. For more information, or to make a booking, contact Hong Kong Airlines in Australia on 1300 889 190 or hongkong.sydney@worldaviation.com.au.

Mr. Graham said return airfare prices from Sydney to London had hardly changed in the past 30 years in spite of average wages more than quadrupling. Now, the recent exchange rate movements had taken the Aussie dollar to a 27-year high against the British pound.

“In terms of affordability, there has probably never been a better time to travel to the UK or Europe,” he said. “Airfares are now significantly more affordable for the average worker and the strong dollar is putting more pounds into Australian travellers’ pockets than it has since the early 80s.”

“At last week’s exchange rates, a traveller converting $AUD5000 into British pounds would have received about GBP3350. Just five years ago, that traveller would have only received about GBP2000. The extra GBP1350 today’s traveller receives is effectively the cost of a return airfare,” Mr. Graham elaborates.

According to Mr. Graham travellers were capitalizing on the strong dollar by exchanging currency now, rather than on the eve of their departure. “Our foreign exchange business, Flight Centre Travel Money, is experiencing stronger than usual demand for pounds and Euros, with many travellers looking to cash in now rather than taking the chance and waiting until closer to their holidays. If you believe the dollar is going to decrease in value against the pound or Euro, this is a sensible approach.”

Flight Centre’s research into airfare prices between Australia and the UK shows that flights to the UK are becoming significantly more affordable with each passing decade. A typical return airfare to London now represents less than one-and-a-half weeks’ earnings for the average fulltime worker compared to more than one-and-a-half years when commercial flights first took off.

Passengers aboard the first Qantas Lockheed Constellation that took off to London in December 1947 paid the equivalent of $1170 about 85 weeks’ pay for the average worker at the time for the four-day each-way flight.

Based on average adult full-time earnings in Australia during the August 2011 quarter ($1376.30), the 1947 fare cost the equivalent of $117,000 in today’s dollars.

Twenty years ago, Qantas sparked a price war when it reduced Kangaroo Route flights to $1800. In 1991, an $1800 fare represented three weeks’ pay or $4129 in today’s terms.

The cheapest return fare Flight Centre is currently advertising costs $1562 from Sydney. “While cheap fares like this $1562 offer are available from time to time, travellers taking off to London can expect to pay about the same price as travellers paid 20 or 30 years ago.

“Flights have effectively been immune to the impacts of inflation, which has delivered greater value to travellers. While we don’t see major changes in airfare prices on the horizon, oil is the obvious wildcard. Significant increases in oil prices will inevitably be passed on to travellers.”

Written by: Kanchana Ganglani

Welcome to this week’s edition of Pinmail; Check out the great Freestyle Collection LUXURY domestic deals to Hayman Island, Lizard Island & qualia. We also have some great international deals to Singapore, Koh Samui, Malaysia, Hawaii, Canada & a fantastic SALE on Virgin Australia flights to California!

PINPOINT$ REWARDS NOW DOUBLE THE VALUE: NEW Earn a $100 Universal Gift Card for every $5000 of nett deposited LAND bookings. Earn a $25 Universal Gift Card for every $5000 of nett deposited AIRFARE bookings. For full details please see Pinpoint$ link below.

1. Singapore from $375pp
2. Malaysia from $1229pp
3. California from $1259pp
4. Koh Samui from $1259pp
5. Queensland Luxury from $1659pp
6. Hawaii from $1979pp
7. Rocky Mountaineer from $2729pp
8. Canada from $3919pp

1. Bangkok from $1049pp

SINGAPORE

Singapore land only on SALE. FREE nights, SAVE up to $235 per couple.

From $375 per person

MALAYSIA

Malaysia on sale. FREE nights, FREE upgrade. SAVE up to $690 per couple. On sale to 29FEB12.

From $1229 per room

CALIFORNIA

California on SALE. Five exciting locations, six fantastic deals. On sale to 10FEB12.

From $1259 per person

KOH SAMUI

Koh Samui on SALE, FREE nights, SAVE up to $504 per couple, on sale to 15FEB12.

From $1259 per person

QUEENSLAND LUXURY

Queensland Luxury on SALE. 3 luxurious locations, Hayman Island, Lizard Island and qualia.

From $1659 per person

HAWAII

Hawaii on SALE. FREE nights, Reduced Rates, SAVE up to $735 per couple, on sale to 21FEB12.

From $1979 per person

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

Rocky Mountaineer on SALE. Book before 15APR12 and we’ll enhance your vacation with a FREE additional hotel night in Vancouver plus a FREE dinner or a sightseeing tour.

From $2729 per person

CANADA

Canada on SALE. Choose from 4 nights in a beautiful city or Canada Touring. SAVE up to $367 per couple. On sale to 30MAR12.

From $3919 per person

Czech Airlines launched its Valentine’s marketing campaign on 24 January 2012 on 24 markets, including the domestic one. Ticket prices in the Valentine’s offer start at a pleasant CZK 2,500.  They will be available for sale at the special rate until at least 7 February 2012, for travel to Europe’s metropolises before the end of May. The destinations offered include Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Milan, and Amsterdam.

A mildly racy Czech Airlines campaign

The Valentine’s campaign, “Make Love in Unusual Places,” is accompanied by slightly risqué thematically related visuals. From Tuesday 24 January, they will be encountered by the readers of printed periodicals and Internet portals as well as by the listeners of radio stations in Prague and Central Bohemia. Posters will be featured in the streets of Prague in the so-called city light panels. At the end of the campaign, and on St. Valentine’s Day itself, Czech Airlines will also have a small surprise for its passengers, in the form of a sweet finish. Passengers in all classes, i.e., both Economy and Business, will receive a heart-shaped box of chocolates as a gift.