SYD to CHC or ZQN post Xmas 2013 options

[Warks]

The four of us (2 adults, 2 teens) flew SYD-AKL return on points with QF in September last year. We planned on coming back to 'do' the South Island but in summer.

I was watching and waiting for the FF seats to be released at 12 months and when I first looked it was going to be 144 000 points (IIRC) plus about $800 (!) in surcharges, taxes etc etc. I was a bit put off by this and waited hoping the fuel surcharges might go down. I also looked at VA around the same time (I have points there too) but there were never any seats at all. I kept looking now and again and no seats have ever been available anywhere around the dates I've looked at.

Basically looking at departing 27 December and returning 17 January with a bit of flexibility either side (not Xmas day). Avoiding early morning flights (before 9am). Avoiding JQ (like the plague). Unfortunately the prices have gone up, availability of award flights seems limited to JQ, even the return leg is limited to JQ it seems most days.

I looked at ASA seats and there's plenty there at 28K points one way but that's a big slug.

Anyone have any ideas? Returns for four adults (SYD-CHC-SYD) amount to $2200-$2400 with Emirates, Virgin, Air NZ and Qantas (in that order). I haven't looked much at ZQN (Queenstown) options but there aren't as many flights.
Thanks.

 

[Mak404matt]

The four of us (2 adults, 2 teens) flew SYD-AKL return on points with QF in September last year. We planned on coming back to 'do' the South Island but in summer.

I was watching and waiting for the FF seats to be released at 12 months and when I first looked it was going to be 144 000 points (IIRC) plus about $800 (!) in surcharges, taxes etc etc. I was a bit put off by this and waited hoping the fuel surcharges might go down. I also looked at VA around the same time (I have points there too) but there were never any seats at all. I kept looking now and again and no seats have ever been available anywhere around the dates I've looked at.

Basically looking at departing 27 December and returning 17 January with a bit of flexibility either side (not Xmas day). Avoiding early morning flights (before 9am). Avoiding JQ (like the plague). Unfortunately the prices have gone up, availability of award flights seems limited to JQ, even the return leg is limited to JQ it seems most days.

I looked at ASA seats and there's plenty there at 28K points one way but that's a big slug.

Anyone have any ideas? Returns for four adults (SYD-CHC-SYD) amount to $2200-$2400 with Emirates, Virgin, Air NZ and Qantas (in that order). I haven't looked much at ZQN (Queenstown) options but there aren't as many flights.
Thanks.

The VA/NZ flight out of OOL is usually pretty reasonably priced, you could head up there to connect?

 

[Mwenenzi]

With QF very limited choices for CHC ZQN. QF have effectively given JQ the CHC route from Australia apart from QF45/QF46. Many flights (JQ VA NZ) depart from CHC early morning so to have the return from Australia on the same day with the same aircraft & the same low cost NZ crew.

However also look at WLG with an Air NZ domestic flight.

As a frequent MEL-CHC-MEL passenger I now go with VA / NZ.

 

[Warks]

Thanks for the replies. Not sure why this was moved to this forum as it was a general question about travel to NZ. VA is equally appropriate.

In any case they've made it too hard and we will postpone this for a year. Poor flight options and too many points plus too much pay means we'll wait.

Thinking of South Australia instead but in Sept-Oct. Easy to get seats!