Air NZ Travel but Not Member of Air NZ FF Scheme - Options ?

[therudies86]

Hi all,

I'm QFF and VA Platinum due to a fair amount of prior domestic and international travel. I usually have a good amount of choice when it comes to carrier, but may need to tie my travel over the next 12 months to one or the other. QFF end of year is end Feb (and I'll re-credit Platinum), VA expires start Apr (and I'll re-credit Platinum).

I see Air NZ has some excellent deals to US which make sense for me to book two return J trips in late Feb and May.

I can't see how I can book on Air NZ and have FF points credited to either QF or VA - is my assumption correct ?

If that's the case, I'd appreciate thoughts on the best scheme to assign to these two trips - should I join AirNZ Airpoints ? Is there another option such as United ?

Thanks in advance,

 

[justinbrett]

Singapore KrisFlyer (Star Alliance along with Air NZ). Points can be transferred to Velocity.

 

[therudies86]

Singapore KrisFlyer (Star Alliance along with Air NZ). Points can be transferred to Velocity.

Legend, thank you @justinbrett !

 

[SYD]

Those miles might actually be more useful staying in SQ. If you redeem for VA, SQ, AC or UA travel you can use VA status benefits.

Just be aware that SQ miles have a hard 3 yr expiry - which can be a PITA for the occasional flyer. But, as mentioned earlier, you can always transfer to VFF - but with a conversion penalty.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

AirNZ's own Airpoint$ has a 4 year life span.
2 return J might get you AirNZ Gold.
If you already have a KF account then put to there.
If no, maybe start an Airpoint $ account.
I think its 2% off for future bookings, I believe 1Airpoint $ collected is $0.02 off next booking.
---
439 * 2 = 878, 22 short still... to elite gold.
But after 2nd J booking if in same year, will be elite gold.
===
Yeap, can fly AirNZ but cant credit these to eithet QFF or VFF for the (NZ to US sectors).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

A bit off topic/thread from my reply above:
The below is more so onboard experience and AKL airport waffly, and not AirNZ the airline's FF program.
Having taken several J with Air NZ, all their J seats face to the aisle, and you don't have any privacy, while asleep.
Your feet are on that ottoman thing.
This is true for their J on their 777s and 787s.
Their lounges are very good, both in SYD where its been newly refur about 2018/2019, and also AKL.
AKL airport has a lot of works being done to it, esp the int terminal.
The int terminal at AKL airport is quite smallish, so its not easy to get lost.
If you pick the right dep time from SYD/MEL, you could just use the int - int transfer point, without having to enter NZ. but if you do want to spend some time in NZ, you could do that too.
AKL airport is like SYD and MEL, where the int arr and int dep are on separate tiers/storeys, not like SIN Changi.
If you really want QF, you could go with them SYD direct to the US, bypassing AKL to save time.
All depends on your priorities and timings.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I see Air NZ has some excellent deals to US which make sense for me to book two return J trips in late Feb and May.

I can't see how I can book on Air NZ and have FF points credited to either QF or VA - is my assumption correct ?

You can't. VA and NZ were partners, but ended some years ago.
Air NZ is in Star Alliance. The Air NZ ffp is *very* poor.
But VA is a ffp partner of Star airlines UA & SQ.
UA ff miles, do not expire
SQ have 3 year hard expiry. (use then or lose them)

Where to Credit | Where to Credit Air New Zealand Flights

Find the best frequent flyer program for Air New Zealand flights. Where to Credit shows you the number of miles you earn on any frequent flyer program!

www.wheretocredit.com

(has a text error in ff partners at the bottom)

If a need to transit is far better to do at AKL instead of SYD

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Also depends on where you live in Aust.
Eg ADL - AKL only has the narrow body with no J, neither has OOL.
PER/MEL and SYD are good as it has wide body planes on AirNZ with a J cabin.