A dad had detailed how one trip earned him enough points to book a dream Queensland holiday for “free”.
Brisbane father-of-two Glynn Pugh is gearing up to head to the Gold Coast with his family after earning enough points through Flight Centre’s World360 Rewards system.
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The 44-year-old, who works in corporate procurement, went on a single trip to Singapore earlier in the year and “triple dipped” – a major “game-changing” hack that means he could earn even more points than usual.
Mr Pugh explained that he paid with his rewards credit card, booked Singapore Airlines flights to earn Velocity points and then earned World360 Rewards points on top.
Flight Centre’s World360 Rewards, launched in November 2025, allows members to earn points on flights, hotels, cruises, and tours across over 500 airlines and over 900,000 hotels.
“I signed up late last year, when World360 Rewards first launched and have managed to rack up about 30,000 points since then,” Mr Pugh told news.com.au.
“It climbed pretty fast once I started using the program regularly.
“My ‘free trip’ actually came off the back of extending a work trip to Singapore into a family holiday for the four of us.
“Being able to triple dip was the real game changer here, as I paid with my rewards credit card, booked Singapore Airlines flights to earn Velocity points as a partner airline, and then earned World360 Rewards points on top of all of that.
“Plus, we managed to catch a bonus Singapore Tourism points promo, which gave us even more points!”
The dad is planning to take his family to the Queensland’s iconic Gold Coast next with the points he has earnt from his clever travel hacking.
He hopes the points will be able to cover a full weekend stay at a hotel and maybe even a cheeky upgrade.
“I haven’t actually spent any of the points yet, but I’ve just been letting them build up,” he explained.
“We’re looking at doing a family trip down to the Gold Coast next, and I’m always looking in the app to see how we might be able to redeem these points for that trip.
“We haven’t locked in the dates just yet, but that’s the main goal at the moment.
“Because we’re doing a shorter trip, the plan for those 30,000 points is to cover a full weekend hotel stay, or at least treat us to a nice room upgrade for the whole family.”
Mr Pugh has managed to earn points in different ways and encourages anyone who is keen on travelling to look into the program.
“Honestly, I am earning them just through everyday stuff,” he said.
“I’m always looking for easy wins. Filling up the car with petrol at Caltex, or jumping on the app to buy sports equipment for my daughters through Rebel.
“Things I’d be paying for anyway, but now I’m getting points for them on the side.”
He encourages everyone to “always look for opportunities” to double and triple dip their points earning.
“Don’t leave money on the table, make sure every time you spend on gas, sports gear, or flights, you’re earning on your credit card and your loyalty programs at the same time,” he said.
“You’d be silly not to, because those points add up way faster than you think.
“After the Gold Coast, hopefully we can save up enough for another big overseas trip with the kids.
“It is surprisingly easy to build up points quickly once you get into the habit.
“The key to earning more points is just being a bit smarter with how you pay for your regular routine.
“I can’t believe I wasn’t doing this sooner”
Brandon Loo, Editor-in-Chief at Point Hacks, said that points hacking was a great opportunity for Australians to score some travel with their everyday purchases.
“The biggest opportunity for most Australians is to stop thinking about points as something that comes from just one transaction,” Mr Loo said.
“With the right combination of cards, shopping portals and loyalty programs, the same purchase can potentially earn rewards in two or three different places.”
He explained that this could be as simple as your regular supermarket shop, as you can “potentially earn points from your credit card and points through the retailer’s loyalty program at a minimum.”
“The same goes for travel,” he added.
“For example, you’re usually able to earn both credit card points and frequent flyer loyalty points on a booking.
“But you could also triple-dip by booking through an agent that offers points or cashback – which you might need to do for complex itineraries anyway.
“Before you buy anything, take five seconds to ask yourself, ‘can I earn points from this purchase in more than one place?’
“That little habit can add up to thousands of extra points over a year without costing you anything extra.”
Clinton Hearne, Executive General Manager at World360 Rewards, warned that the upcoming RBA surcharge ban on October 1 could be a “clear turning point” for Australians.
“As card rules and reward setups change across the market, consumers need to assess the real value they’re getting from traditional points programs,” Mr Hearne said.
“This shift is creating an ideal landscape for challenger loyalty programs to step up and complement traditional setups.
“Rather than replacing existing programs, the real opportunity is giving Australians the freedom, choice and flexibility to boost their earning power across multiple programs.
“Consumers should be able to earn more points faster without being restricted by changing rules or complex thresholds.
“Earning rewards shouldn’t mean locking up points balances or navigating complex fine print just to understand the value of what you’re getting back.
“As the loyalty market shifts this October, it’s a good moment for Australians to shop around and to expect rewards that build simply from everyday spending, while giving them the freedom to redeem rewards and use their points as they see fit.”
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