Airpoints partner reward booking pages don't work

[Mattg]

I just thought I'd have a look at Star Alliance partner airline award availability on a particular route using Air NZ Airpoints Dollars. (Just out of interest to see if it might be worth transferring some points to Airpoints for a Star Alliance partner airline reward.)

Anyway, looks like the partner airline reward chart page and Airpoints booking page on the Air NZ website are both broken. Am I missing something or is their website as terrible as the frequent flyer program itself?

See this page:

Spend Airpoints on flights with Air New Zealand or our partners

Use your Airpoints on Air New Zealand or partner airline flights. Pay for flights, seats, extra bags, or upgrades with Airpoints or with a combination of Airpoints and cash.

www.airnewzealand.com.au

If you try clicking on the links to the partner airline reward charts or "Book now" you get an error.

https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/airline-partner-reward-chart

https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/online-booking

 

[aaa99]

I have only had success when using a NZ-based Airpoints accounts.

Just tried my AU-based account and didnt work. But when trying from my partner's NZ based account, I can access it using this link: Partner Airline reward flights

A test booking attached per below.



Let me know if you had a specific one and I can look it up for you.

 

[Mattg]

Ah, so the NZ version of the website works but not the Australian version. Another reason for Australians not to bother with the Airpoints program, I guess!

I was able to do a search using a Kiwi relative's account, and found that the website doesn't show any availability on Thai Airways (even when seats are in fact available) which is what I was originally looking for.

Having a look at the airline partner reward chart on the NZ version of the Air New Zealand website though, I can see the price for a SYD-BKK-FRA award in J would theoretically be 5,200 Airpoints dollars + taxes round-trip. You could just about buy a ticket for less than that!

 

[aaa99]

The partner rewards booking page was added only a couple of years ago even for NZ based accounts. Prior to that, you had to call them up which you still have to do for AU based accounts. They hit you with a call center fee though when you do this

Yes, Airpoints is terrible value for redemptions. The intra Asia business class is probably the only slight sweet spot I can think of.

 

[aaa99]

I just checked this one again. It is still unavailable for AU based accounts. When I called up, sure enough, they wanted to charge 100APD per person per sector.

Anyway, I converted my AU account to a NZ account and made the booking online.
Not the best value for Airpoints on Intra-Europe economy, but I cant see any other way I am going to use it up.