which FF scheme should i join?

[oc7]

Hi guys,

In a few weeks i will be flying syd-akl-sfo-akl-syd all in premium economy on Air Newzealand.
Has anyone been in premium eco on Air newzealand, how is it, what should i be expecting??

I am currently joined up with TG royal orchid plus. Im not sure, but i dont think that Air newzealand flights would got towards my ROP membership..

What is the best programme for me to join. I am probably looking for one that would get me status the quickest, and has good benefits.

thanks
oc7

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

As NZ is a Star Alliance (*A) member, you can credit to TG ROP. However, the only program which gives extra credit for premium economy flying NZ, is NZ airpoints. All other partner FFPs give full economy earning instead (ie about 15,700 miles in most programs).

NZ Airpoints costs money to join (AU$50), however there is currently a free sign up if you have booked longhaul travel with the booking made between 15 October and 15 December for departure after 1 February 2007. There is also an annual fee if you don't fly NZ once a year.

On the plus side, NZ airpoints very convenient to use (if not necessarily the cheapest) with NZ metal flights allowing any seat to be purchased with airbucks. Assuming you are not stopping over in AKL on the way there or back (ie only transitting) then you will earn 260 airbucks, good for a fare of AU$260 or an upgrade to business class trans-tasman excl PER (one-way cost 200 airbucks). This is not enough for *Silver status which requires 400 airbucks.

 

[Altair]

I currently have both NZ and TG.
For my domestic NZ trips to credit to NZ AP as TG ROP will only credit the actual miles with no minimum guarantee. This can mean that NZ $ are more valuable. The major benefit fo NZ is that all seats on NZ flights are available for purchase but other partner airlines' flights have the same availability restrictions as say QF/AA. Also note that NZ have devalued the value of flights for non-NZ travel and if you travel on different flights on the same day you will only be credited for the one sector, even if you have different flight numbers etc.:evil:
The thing to note is do you wish the have status or better redemption rates that can swing you to one *A programme or another. I think Kiwi Flyer is the better guru at answering that question.

 

[oc7]

thanks so much guys, that has been very helpful.

i find that odd that other star alliance carriers dont give extra miles for flying in premium.
So it seems like air newzealand would be the best to join. Unfortunately im flying out on Dec 30, so it looks like ill have to pay the joining fee, but it seems after what you guys have just said that that could be alright.

Im still a little confused about airpoint and airbucks, what the difference??
I am transiting in AKL two times (syd-akl-sfo) (sfo-akl-syd) but i am not stopping over. Kiwiflyer; what is the airbuck offer for that??
I noticed that if i get to silver i get lounge access, is there anyway i can get there??

Thanks so much.
oc7

 

[Altair]

thanks so much guys, that has been very helpful.

i find that odd that other star alliance carriers dont give extra miles for flying in premium.
So it seems like air newzealand would be the best to join. Unfortunately im flying out on Dec 30, so it looks like ill have to pay the joining fee, but it seems after what you guys have just said that that could be alright.

Im still a little confused about airpoint and airbucks, what the difference??
I am transiting in AKL two times (syd-akl-sfo) (sfo-akl-syd) but i am not stopping over. Kiwiflyer; what is the airbuck offer for that??
I noticed that if i get to silver i get lounge access, is there anyway i can get there??

Thanks so much.
oc7

I will let Kiwi Flyer answer the airpoints earning question, airpoints is the name of the programme and the old name of the points. Airdollars (airbucks) is the currency essentially 1A$ = $1 of the airfare to redeem on.
For Koru silver you only get 1 pass to the lounge, like QF PS, not membership to the KC (Airpoints Gold *G, QFSG).

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

For me it would depend on what other travelling on *A (and especially on NZ) you expect to do. If not much after this trip, then I wouldn't pay A$50 to join (it will be hard to find a flight from australia that has low enough fare to redeem your airbucks). Instead I would put the miles to another program, preferably one with low award costs no fees and easy expiry policies (eg UA Mileage Plus). The miles earned from this trip is a good portion of the way to a trans-tasman redemption (which can be from PER and to as far as PPT!).

OTOH, if you can put credit card miles to a program then NZ would be best placed for someone living in Australia, and it doesn't take too much more to get a worthwhile award. Need a bit more flying to get any status, and as noted, *Silver doesn't provide a lot (much like QF Silver).

Sorry for confusing about the names. Airpoints is the name of the program and airpoints dollars are the currency (not miles, points or kilometers). I call airpoints dollars airbucks as a shorthand. Airbucks come in 2 flavours - aussie airbucks and regular. For Australia (+ Norfolk Island) based airpoints members everything is expressed in aussie airbucks. For everyone else it is just airbucks. Aussie airbucks are set based on A$:NZ$ exchange rate from time to time.

PS in altair's post A$ refers to airbucks I think rather than Australian dollars.