Frequent flyer points ?

[gran42]

I am flying VA Auckland-Brisbane-Los Angeles return PE class.

Travel Agent has said i can claim Air NZ points? can I do this for flying with Virgin Australia?

Virgin Australia have a Velocity rewards system, would I be better to join that? Can my Air NZ points all go onto the Velocity card?

Sorry for sounding so dumb, but not sure how to get best deal.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[serfty]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

Where do you live?

Where do you normally travel?

Who do you normally travel with?

If all answers are "NZ" then Airpoints would be like the only way to go (unfortunately).

If any answer is NOT "NZ" then seriously consider Velocity.

 

[grubbidok]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

Are you in Oz or NZ. If you're in Oz Airpoints are next to useless. They're only slightly more useful if you live in NZ. Airpoints also costs $50 to join.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

Where do you live?
Where do you normally travel?
Who do you normally travel with?
If all answers are "NZ" then Airpoints would be like the only way to go (unfortunately).
If any answer is NOT "NZ" then seriously consider Velocity.

From the other forum understand gran42 lives in Kiwiland and does some long haul flights and/or looking at long haul
But Airpoints must be close to the worst FFP in the universe. Look closely at Velocity.
Do non trans Tasman VA long haul flight get Airpoints ? If they do will not be much

 

[gran42]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

I live in New Zealand
Travel to Australia mostly for holidays, occasionally Fiji or USA
Travel with family and all in the same situation, we have air New Zeakand airpoints (not many)
and would prefer to accumulate the Virgin Australia onto the Airpoints card - can this be done?

OR
should I join Velocity and transfer my air New Zealand points to it?

 

[drewbles]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

I live in New Zealand
Travel to Australia mostly for holidays, occasionally Fiji or USA
Travel with family and all in the same situation, we have air New Zeakand airpoints (not many)
and would prefer to accumulate the Virgin Australia onto the Airpoints card - can this be done?

OR
should I join Velocity and transfer my air New Zealand points to it?

Once the points are in Velocity, they stay there. You can't transfer them to NZ.

What class do you typically fly? That will affect your earn rate on Velocity.

serfty is our resident NZ FF program expert. If you're travelling in non-discount economy, Velocity is more likely to be of use to you.

You can earn Airpoints when flying Virgin Australia but not if you're in discount economy (Saver/Saver Light). See the chart here:

Virgin Australia Earn Chart - Earning Airpoints Dollars - Airpoints - Air New Zealand - Australia Site

If you fly Business, Premium Economy, or Flexi, then you can earn NZ Airpoints. Otherwise, i'd suggest joining Velocity, and ditching NZ where possible. You can earn Velocity points flying NZ if you fly them to the USA, but the earn rate is not very good for discount economy See Points Earn with Airline Partners | Velocity Frequent Flyer for the earning chart.

So, it's not flash either way i'm afraid.

 

[WLG]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

I have booked a PE flight AKL-BNE-LAX return flight on Virgin Australia and need some advice on which mileage card I can use.

My travel agent has said I can credit the Virgin Australia flight to my AirNZ airpoints? Or should I get a Velocity card?

Sorry, I don't travel a lot and not sure about what I should do.

Any advice would be appreciated.

thanks

Your decision might also depend on your focus when you earn points. By that I mean whether you wish to attain status, earn points, or both. I've always felt that it is harder to earn status points on Air NZ; collecting airpoint dollars less so. You mentioned that you are based in NZ - if your focus is on earning airpoint dollars to then spend at a subsequent date, you could accelerate that by taking advantage of a credit card that earns them. Amex, Globalplus, ANZ and Kiwibank all offer various products (I don't think I can link; just do a search on the Air NZ New Zealand website for the details).

I've personally found it easier to both attain status and points on VA. Although I'm based in Australia, my travel in recent times has included longhaul travel on Air NZ and crediting the points back to VA. I also don't know if you have the ability to earn Velocity points from a New Zealand credit card - someone else on here might have a better idea or you could check out the credit cards section. The other thing worth mentioning that serfy alluded to is that you can pool Velocity points and status credits with family members - if you are travelling with family in PE, you might be able to pick up points and status much quicker.

 

[gran42]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

Thank you all for all your advice and help.

All I really want to do is see if I can accumulate enough points for a free trip to Australia.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

...All I really want to do is see if I can accumulate enough points for a free trip to Australia.

Freq flyer awards flights are a long way from "free". Taxes and airline fees/surcharges that need to be paid with cash soon add up. Can make an paid trans Tasman economy fare look good.

As a frequent trans Tasman passenger (MEL-CHC mostly on Air NZ flights) all my points go to Velocity.

 

[drewbles]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

The closest you can get to 'free' flights is to use American Airlines AAdvantage program, but you'd then need to fly QF and also be in an eligible fare class. The taxes on AA are very very low, and you can do business class for around 35000 miles and probably $35!

 

[Formal Hall]

You choose one or the other. Pick one, give the travel agent the number and double check that they have your number at check-in.

If you are Australian based, you are better off with Velocity as you can also earn with credit cards etc.

Even if you are in New Zealand you may be better with Velocity. ANZ has a rather different earning system (called airdollars) and has cut back on perks for its frequent flyers.

Are you travelling alone or with a family member? Velocity has something called family pooling which you set up on the website so all the points go to one person, which makes it easier to save up for awards or earn a higher frequent flyer status.

 

[drewbles]

You choose one or the other. Pick one, give the travel agent the number and double check that they have your number at check-in.

If you are Australian based, you are better off with Velocity as you can also earn with credit cards etc.

Even if you are in New Zealand you may be better with Velocity. ANZ has a rather different earning system (called airdollars) and has cut back on perks for its frequent flyers.

Are you travelling alone or with a family member? Velocity has something called family pooling which you set up on the website so all the points go to one person, which makes it easier to save up for awards or earn a higher frequent flyer status.

You do have to keep in mind though that not all fares earn points on the other airline (and NZ don't give any points to some members for their own fares).

NZ-AU is a tricky one unforutnately.

 

[burmans]

Re: Velocity or Air NZ

Airpoints also costs $50 to join.

There are frequently ways around this part!

 

[burmans]

You do have to keep in mind though that not all fares earn points on the other airline (and NZ don't give any points to some members for their own fares).

NZ-AU is a tricky one unforutnately.

Ironically some Air NZ flights do not earn on Air NZ but do on VA, usually the super cheapies. For this reason and the fact it is easier to get status I credit to VA (oh, and I live in OZ though I still have family in NZ).

 

[Elbobbo]

I woud recommend VA over ANZ. I was a airpoints member for long enough to watch the FF program be gutted to the dismay of many status holders in NZ. Should you reach gold/plat on VA (which should be easier to achieve than with ANZ) the recognition from ANZ is excellent - but be very aware of reciprocal baggage limits for trans tasman services; its a bit of a dogs breakfast sadly.