Qantas double status credits OR double points offer [book 23-28 March 2023]

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Good evening everyone!

I have decided to do the status run to AKL over a weekend (eight flights in 48 hours from PER, reliving my youth by status running like the old days! :cool: ) and had a question regarding overnight stay...

I will arrive in AKL from MEL at 12:30 am, but then return flight from AKL to MEL departs a few hours later at 6:10 am.

I can’t see any advantage in booking a hotel room for just 2-3 hours so was going to stay airside in AKL airport. I won’t have any checked baggage.

Will this be okay or do I need to exit through immigration/ customs / security. Does anyone have any experience with this in Auckland?

Regards,

DB
 
Good evening everyone!

I have decided to do the status run to AKL over a weekend (eight flights in 48 hours from PER, reliving my youth by status running like the old days! :cool: ) and had a question regarding overnight stay...

I will arrive in AKL from MEL at 12:30 am, but then return flight from AKL to MEL departs a few hours later at 6:10 am.

I can’t see any advantage in booking a hotel room for just 2-3 hours so was going to stay airside in AKL airport. I won’t have any checked baggage.

Will this be okay or do I need to exit through immigration/ customs / security. Does anyone have any experience with this in Auckland?

Regards,

DB

Not sure 12:30am to 6:10am. Transit won't be open till 5am so you'll be stuck on the arrival level until transit opens up. Then you'll need to run to your gate.

Might be a bit less troublesome to go landside. Perhaps someone can chime in.
 
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I can’t see any advantage in booking a hotel room for just 2-3 hours so was going to stay airside in AKL airport. I won’t have any checked baggage.
Brutal!

Personally I’d exit landside because as noted by richh1833 you’re going to be stuck in the arrivals corridor until transit security opens.

Either a 4 minute Uber or a 30 minute walk is JKs Golf open 24/7 so if you fancy a driving range at 3am then perhaps this is how you could kill the time.

Will this be okay or do I need to exit through immigration/ customs / security. Does anyone have any experience with this in Auckland?
All the above stuff aside it’s perfectly acceptable on the basis you can online check in for the flight leaving Auckland. If you can’t then you’ll have to go landside.
 
Good evening everyone!

I have decided to do the status run to AKL over a weekend (eight flights in 48 hours from PER, reliving my youth by status running like the old days! :cool: ) and had a question regarding overnight stay...

I will arrive in AKL from MEL at 12:30 am, but then return flight from AKL to MEL departs a few hours later at 6:10 am.

I can’t see any advantage in booking a hotel room for just 2-3 hours so was going to stay airside in AKL airport. I won’t have any checked baggage.

Will this be okay or do I need to exit through immigration/ customs / security. Does anyone have any experience with this in Auckland?

Regards,

DB

To be honest, I don’t think they’ll let you sit there and wait for transit security to open. I recall at one stage there was some kind of phone or button situation that summonsed security to let you through - but I suspect that died during rona.
 
Just one data point: when I did this last year, I could check in but ABF prohibited QF to issue my return boarding pass the following morning. QF staff called the ABF at check-in but did not rely to me what the ABF said to them (you can search for the old thread here). I was obviously stressed af, but the minute I landed in AKL, the return boarding pass showed up in my QF app.

Until today, I have no idea what the issue was. Travel was with a CHE passport with AUS PR.
 
It's understandable that Border Force or equivalent on the NZ side would flag such an itinerary- it's what drug smugglers and other suspicious persons do. There's nothing to get stressed about as long as you aren't actually a drug mule - just be polite to everyone and they'll sort out what they need to sort out. It's not illegal or improper to fly on such an itinerary, but I hope you understand why it can be suspicious.
 
Just one data point: when I did this last year, I could check in but ABF prohibited QF to issue my return boarding pass the following morning. QF staff called the ABF at check-in but did not rely to me what the ABF said to them (you can search for the old thread here). I was obviously stressed af, but the minute I landed in AKL, the return boarding pass showed up in my QF app.

Until today, I have no idea what the issue was. Travel was with a CHE passport with AUS PR.

Even on an Aus passport, they won't issue BP for next day of travel even if you arrive after midnight. QF said internal policy when I tired last time.

I've done B2B plenty of times at in NZ and I just tell them the truth and they're ok with it. I also agree with Muppet that you most likely won't be allowed to stay in the arrival corridor. If anything, that will probably be more suspicious than exiting.
 
Not sure 12:30am to 6:10am. Transit won't be open till 5am so you'll be stuck on the arrival level until transit opens up. Then you'll need to run to your gate.

Might be a bit less troublesome to go landside. Perhaps someone can chime in.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
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Brutal!

Personally I’d exit landside because as noted by richh1833 you’re going to be stuck in the arrivals corridor until transit security opens.

Either a 4 minute Uber or a 30 minute walk is JKs Golf open 24/7 so if you fancy a driving range at 3am then perhaps this is how you could kill the time.


All the above stuff aside it’s perfectly acceptable on the basis you can online check in for the flight leaving Auckland. If you can’t then you’ll have to go landside.

For me this is the shortest turnaround time on the ground for any status run, so first time not getting a cheap hotel (or being in the air during the flight).

I might just do the golf... I'm a terrible golfer so can kill time, get my steps in, and improve my driving. :D
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To be honest, I don’t think they’ll let you sit there and wait for transit security to open. I recall at one stage there was some kind of phone or button situation that summonsed security to let you through - but I suspect that died during rona.

Thanks - Based on everyone's feedback here I think I will exist the airport.
Post automatically merged:

Just one data point: when I did this last year, I could check in but ABF prohibited QF to issue my return boarding pass the following morning. QF staff called the ABF at check-in but did not rely to me what the ABF said to them (you can search for the old thread here). I was obviously stressed af, but the minute I landed in AKL, the return boarding pass showed up in my QF app.

Until today, I have no idea what the issue was. Travel was with a CHE passport with AUS PR.

Thank you - I read the old thread, looks like some fellow AFFs have done the quick turn around in AKL with no issue.
 
Even on an Aus passport, they won't issue BP for next day of travel even if you arrive after midnight. QF said internal policy when I tired last time.

I've done B2B plenty of times at in NZ and I just tell them the truth and they're ok with it. I also agree with Muppet that you most likely won't be allowed to stay in the arrival corridor. If anything, that will probably be more suspicious than exiting.

Yes I'm always honest no issues there... In the past I have received some good hearted laughter from immigration officials in places like BKK and BKI with the old MH status runs.
 
Good evening everyone!

I have decided to do the status run to AKL over a weekend (eight flights in 48 hours from PER, reliving my youth by status running like the old days! :cool: ) and had a question regarding overnight stay...

I will arrive in AKL from MEL at 12:30 am, but then return flight from AKL to MEL departs a few hours later at 6:10 am.

I can’t see any advantage in booking a hotel room for just 2-3 hours so was going to stay airside in AKL airport. I won’t have any checked baggage.

Will this be okay or do I need to exit through immigration/ customs / security. Does anyone have any experience with this in Auckland?

Regards,

DB
Thanks for posting this and also to all those who replied with their thoughts/experience. I’m doing the same run. Twice (in the space of 5 days). Was very interested to understand how folks handled it in practice.

I might just do the golf... I'm a terrible golfer so can kill time, get my steps in, and improve my driving. :D
Sounds like I may be following this plan too 😜
 
QF flights flown on 3rd April still not showng any additional double SC as of today (original SC posted correctly on 3rd April). Has anyone else seen any eligible Double SC get credited correctly yet for April flights?
 
@Durin's Bane - re: AKL - I usually do this trip each year and I always clear immigration, exit the airport and sit on one of the benches in the departures area and watch Netflix until the QF check in opens next morning.

From memory this is how it used to go - deplane, clear immigration, go thru the arrivals doorway and either - go up again the escalators, which were the international security is, take a bench hostage and settle down OR stay downstairs, walk to the end of the terminal (this is where QF check in is) and there will be some empty benches around that area and settle down for the night, wait until QF check in opens next AM. They usually open around the 0430 mark and the lounge opens around 0500 mark? Take a shower, meal and back on the next service back into AU

I won't be surprised if you find some fellow *travelers* who are also doing the status runs, scanning for empty benches :D

I found at least 2 AFF'ers who were on their Status Runs to AKL seated next to me in J in 2020, just before borders were shut
 
QF flights flown on 3rd April still not showng any additional double SC as of today (original SC posted correctly on 3rd April). Has anyone else seen any eligible Double SC get credited correctly yet for April flights?
You can be absolutely sure there will be a slew of posts as soon as they start showing up.

Patience Grasshopper.
 
either - go up again the escalators, which were the international security is, take a bench hostage and settle down OR stay downstairs, walk to the end of the terminal (this is where QF check in is) and there will be some empty benches around that area and settle down for the night, wait until QF check in opens next AM.
Been many years since I visited AKL airport. Is this a case of you have to make a choice and live with it because there's no turning back? Or you can chop and change if you so choose?

They usually open around the 0430 mark and the lounge opens around 0500 mark?
Just double-checked the Qantas site and can confirm it's 0330 for check-in and the lounge opens from 0430. More info here.
 
For such transits back in the days before COVID, I would simply stay airside and head down to gates 1/3 or 2/4 and get a couple of hours sleep on a bench.

Later I'd check back in at the Qantas lounge.
 
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