World360 Rewards appoints Chris Brandon to lead travel partnerships. 04/06/2026 1 min. read Flight Centre Travel Group's travel loyalty program, World360 Rewards, has appointed former Luxury Escapes executive Chris Brandon as Head of Travel Partnerships as the business looks to expand its partner network and strengthen its position in the loyalty market. Brandon rejoins Flight Centre Travel Group after nearly 18 years with the company, bringing more than two decades of experience across travel, product and distribution roles. Most recently, he served as Senior Manager Retail Distribution at Luxury Escapes. The appointment comes as World360 Rewards continues to grow its ecosystem of airline, hotel, cruise, tourism and travel partners, offering members more ways to earn and redeem points through travel and everyday spending. Returning to Flight Centre. Brandon said the opportunity to return to Flight Centre Travel Group was an easy decision. "When I got the opportunity to come back to Flight Centre during what I think is the company's most exciting chapter yet, it was an easy 'yes'," he said. "The team has built something incredible with World360 Rewards, and I feel very lucky to be playing a role in helping Aussies travel more." Brandon said he was looking forward to working with existing partners while expanding relationships with airlines, tour operators, tourism bodies, hoteliers and cruise lines. Focus on partnership growth. World360 Rewards Executive General Manager Clinton Hearne said Brandon's experience across both travel retail and loyalty would support the program's next phase of growth. "Chris has a deep understanding of both the travel industry and what our customers want from a loyalty program," Hearne said. "Having someone of his calibre leading our travel partnerships puts us in a great position as we scale World360 Rewards." Expanding the loyalty ecosystem. Launched by Flight Centre Travel Group, World360 Rewards enables members to earn points through travel bookings and everyday purchases across participating brands, including Flight Centre, Travel Associates and Cruiseabout. The company said Brandon's appointment reflects its ongoing investment in building new commercial partnerships and enhancing member value as competition in the travel loyalty sector intensifies.

First direct Maldives flight takes-off from Australia - but there's a catch. Return flights to Male cost just $100, but is it worth it? Maldivian Airlines takes off. Picture James D Morgan/supplied May 19, 2026 Imagine a holiday so exclusive that travellers don't just book a resort, they fly direct with fellow holidaymakers. Maldivian Airlines has partnered with online travel agency Luxury Escapes to start Australia's first-ever non-stop route from Melbourne to Male, shaving up to 10 hours off the normal travel time. And the kicker? Return flights from Melbourne to Male cost just $100. It sounds like the ultimate budget travel experience, but before packing your designer swimwear, it's worth reading the terms and conditions. What's the catch? The $100 outlay for flights is just the beginning. To secure a ticket on the exclusive direct service, a traveller must also book a resort accommodation package through Luxury Escapes. These five-day packages start at $2399 per person. And plane tickets will sell out fast: there are only 100 up-for-grabs as part of the promotion. The sale started at 7pm on May 18, and will continue until 11.59pm on May 25, or until sold out. Speed is essential here, but flexibility is the real prerequisite. The bargain airfares are bound to limited departure dates between June and September 2026. The fine print reveals that the cheap seats are heavily front-loaded into the winter months, with 60 of the available tickets allocated across three weeks in June. This leaves just eight tickets per week available for any departures in August or September. Maldives direct flights and travel packages available on: * June 8-14 2026 (20 seats) * June 15-21 2026 (20 seats) * June 22-28 2026 (20 seats) * August 3-9 2026 (8 seats) * August 10-16 2026 (8 seats) * August 17-23 2026 (8 seats) * August 24-30 2026 (8 seats) * August 31 to September 6 2026 (8 seats) Departing Melbourne Airport at 11.20pm on Mondays, passengers on the 264-seat Airbus A330-200 sleep through the night and wake up to a sunrise arrival in Malé at 5.55am the next morning. The direct route slices layover time out of the journey, bypassing transit hubs such as Singapore or the Middle East. Whopping cancellation fee applies. The biggest catch in the Maldives escape package is what happens if you need to cancel. The $100 flight ticket is entirely non-refundable under any circumstance. While a traveller can cancel the hotel portion of their trip up to 21 days before check-in, doing so triggers a massive flexible cancellation fee of $995 per adult and $795 per child. Altering the departure date attracts a $200 penalty per passenger, in addition to any fare difference between the original and new bookings. WATCH: airport security just got much easier, as $2 billion upgrades are rolled out across Australia Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the direct flights are an "attractive option" for travellers looking for a mid-winter getaway. "For the first time ever in Australia you'll be able to jump on a flight in the evening and wake up in the Maldives the next morning," she said. "Travel to South Asia is booming with capacity out of Melbourne up 53 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, so I'm sure this service will be in demand." New routes. Melbourne Airport is experiencing a boom, with a number of new routes added to the flight schedule. From October, Finnair will make Melbourne its Australian gateway with daily flights to Europe via Bangkok on its Airbus A350. Jetstar also started flying direct to Bali from Avalon Airport, and British Airways is preparing a return to Victorian runways in 2027. Anna Houlahan is a journalist for Explore and the Senior. Reach out with news or updates to [email protected]