The reason I abandoned Airpoints was the shift to Airpoint Dollars and the subsequent decline in reward seats. I collect points specifically for the spectacular value on J and F redemptions. Airpoint Dollars just don't appear to offer the same redemption value.
This doesn't mean I've given up flying on NZ; for me, Velocity is the answer (apart from domestic NZ flights, grrrrrr).
The availability of family pooling with Velocity is compelling when combined with the points earn and conversion to SQ, allowing redemption for F suites with relative ease.
Family pooling means that I get the benefit from all the seats I buy, not just the ones I sit in. This Xmas, taking the family to Dunedin for a cycle along the Otago Rail Trail will earn me between 200 and 400 SCs (because I'm booking late, it looks like the latter, with flexi rather than saver fares). So the one holiday would allow an SG to retain Gold (or in my case, to regain Gold using some other flights). My wife doesn't need PG as she doesn't fly by herself, but if she did, we'd just pool to her.
When compared to QF (which I believe is OT for this thread), you dismiss the A380s of EK - why? They're a fabulous product, particularly in J and F. With J often on sale for circa NZD600 and F for around NZD1000, not even desperately expensive, and the 80 and 120SCs respectively help make short work of requalifying. In all classes, you can book on the QF code and earn SCs for the same price as the 737s.
You also don't rate the QF lounges, despite mentioning you eat in the lounge. Having had one too many hotdogs in the Koru lounge in SYD, I can assure you, the food in the QF MEL and SYD F lounges is restaurant standard. The EK lounge food is also excellent, with both food and wine a step above the Koru lounges I've visited.
Nonetheless, if I was still NZ based, I'd have to look at Airpoints as my previous regular flights TRG<->AKL would be wasted in any other scheme, and credit card earn is so much easier for APD in NZ.
Of course, here in Oz, there's a current promotion with Amex with a 110000 points sign-on bonus for VFF - the joys of competition
. My next F trip beckons....
This doesn't mean I've given up flying on NZ; for me, Velocity is the answer (apart from domestic NZ flights, grrrrrr).
The availability of family pooling with Velocity is compelling when combined with the points earn and conversion to SQ, allowing redemption for F suites with relative ease.
Family pooling means that I get the benefit from all the seats I buy, not just the ones I sit in. This Xmas, taking the family to Dunedin for a cycle along the Otago Rail Trail will earn me between 200 and 400 SCs (because I'm booking late, it looks like the latter, with flexi rather than saver fares). So the one holiday would allow an SG to retain Gold (or in my case, to regain Gold using some other flights). My wife doesn't need PG as she doesn't fly by herself, but if she did, we'd just pool to her.
When compared to QF (which I believe is OT for this thread), you dismiss the A380s of EK - why? They're a fabulous product, particularly in J and F. With J often on sale for circa NZD600 and F for around NZD1000, not even desperately expensive, and the 80 and 120SCs respectively help make short work of requalifying. In all classes, you can book on the QF code and earn SCs for the same price as the 737s.
You also don't rate the QF lounges, despite mentioning you eat in the lounge. Having had one too many hotdogs in the Koru lounge in SYD, I can assure you, the food in the QF MEL and SYD F lounges is restaurant standard. The EK lounge food is also excellent, with both food and wine a step above the Koru lounges I've visited.
Nonetheless, if I was still NZ based, I'd have to look at Airpoints as my previous regular flights TRG<->AKL would be wasted in any other scheme, and credit card earn is so much easier for APD in NZ.
Of course, here in Oz, there's a current promotion with Amex with a 110000 points sign-on bonus for VFF - the joys of competition
. My next F trip beckons....
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