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Generally the more expensive tickets have the least change fees. Price has a direct relationship to flexibility. But not all airlines are equal as post 8 above. This is where a good travel agent can add value

Ticket conditions can vary depending on where they are bought/originate. If you are flying Aust-UK-Aust a lot its usually a lot cheaper to buy UK-Aust-UK returns. And starting in DUB or AMS or another Eu city can be cheaper again. Australia tends to be an expensive origin for long haul tickets.

If flying the Kangaroo route 3-4 times a year freq flyer mile earning can be an influence. If you change flight numbers mid trip (DXB, DOH, HKG, etc) you can get more miles. QF & MH are poor ffp’s. For OneWorld long haul flights is hard to get a better earn/burn than AA ffp. Look the AA Plat challenge for quick AA status. With Malaysian you can at times buy enrich miles and get a cheaper ticket on some routes/class than paying retail price for the same flight. There is more on AFF in this.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html