Nicknamed the “Points Whisperer,” Steve Hui has built a lifestyle—and a business—around mastering frequent flyer points. The Australian entrepreneur and seasoned traveller has visited 33 countries and 162 cities, all thanks to his points-savvy strategies. In 2012, he founded I Fly Flat, a company that helps clients redeem their points for luxury travel, particularly business class flights.
Hui’s passion began nearly 15 years ago during a work trip to Singapore while employed as an accountant at Macquarie Bank. Experiencing business class for the first time sparked a fascination that would later shape his career. His first points redemption took him in style: business class to Seoul, then first class to Los Angeles on the way to Las Vegas — all for about 150,000 points.
Today, Hui holds an impressive 4 million frequent flyer points, enough for around 10 business class trips at no cost. He considers Singapore Airlines’ first-class suite his top experience, noting that 97,000 points can get you from Sydney to Singapore in style. “It’s better than going to Disneyland,” he joked.
Cathay Pacific ranks among his favourite airlines for business class, while his time at Macquarie helped him rack up points through extensive work travel. After taking a voluntary redundancy, Hui turned his hobby into a business opportunity, using his accounting background to build a niche company that helps others unlock premium travel with their points—often saving clients $5,000 to $10,000 per ticket.
One of Hui’s most rewarding experiences is seeing clients, especially business owners, fly business class for the first time. “They’re stunned it’s even possible,” he said.
For the best points-earning potential, Hui recommends the American Express Platinum card. Though it comes with a hefty annual fee—$1,450 for personal use or $1,750 for business—he believes the travel savings far outweigh the cost.
His top advice: put all expenses—personal and business—on a points-earning credit card. “You can earn points paying payroll, the ATO, virtually every dollar you spend,” he explained.
However, Hui warns against using a mix of money and points to pay for flights. “It’s a terrible deal,” he said, explaining that airlines often devalue points in these transactions. For example, 318,000 Qantas points can cover a return business class ticket from Sydney to Milan. But if used in a part-money, part-points deal, those same points might only save you $4,700—nowhere near the full ticket value of $12,000.
Since launching I Fly Flat, Hui and his team have helped clients redeem over a billion points. “After more than a decade, it’s still exciting to see someone experience luxury travel for the first time,” he said. “That ‘I can’t believe this is happening’ moment—that’s why I do what I do.”
