Family members with expiring airpoints ... what to do?

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Family members with expiring airpoints ... what to do?

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#232237 6-Apr-2018 08:11

So the kids and wife has accumulated tens of Air NZ airpoints here and there.

Not enough to purchase any gifts nor flights.

Not planning to fly anywhere either.

What do people do with such dollars that are expiring?

PeterReader

6028 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 461

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1989190 6-Apr-2018 08:11

Allow me to introduce you folks to our new travel community: TravelTalk NZ.

We hope to see you there!

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1989195 6-Apr-2018 08:14

Set up a shairpoints account so you can pool them all together and buy something? Or share them with somebody else using shairpoints?

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989215 6-Apr-2018 08:46

forgot to mention I have shairpoint account ... but it spends the oldest points first. and because I have points that never expire, there are a gazillion old points that i need to use before touching theirs. maybe i set up a shairpoint without my account and buy something you reckon?

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989217 6-Apr-2018 08:47

PS can one top up a few dollars with real money if airpoints is not enough to buy something?

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1989270 6-Apr-2018 10:11

Batman:

PS can one top up a few dollars with real money if airpoints is not enough to buy something?

Yes if you have an Air NZ Airpoints credit card. You can no longer do this with OneSmart (like you could previously) due to so many people exploiting it.

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989278 6-Apr-2018 10:21

Hmm that's going to be interesting as missus is only a joint Airpoints card holder

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

timmmay

20858 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989279 6-Apr-2018 10:21

I got a gift card recently with points that were expiring.

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989435 6-Apr-2018 12:38

ah gift card ok that's like cash ... thanks will look into it

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#1989456 6-Apr-2018 13:12

Like cash, but then again, nothing like cash, as cash doesn’t expire. If getting gift cards, I would suggest getting ones that have a long expiry date, as a lot of gift cards never get used before they expire, so it is like giving companies free money.

Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1989466 6-Apr-2018 13:29

I'm hoping for things like grocery...

kryptonjohn

2523 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 953

Lifetime subscriber

#2001443 24-Apr-2018 10:45

sbiddle:

Batman:

PS can one top up a few dollars with real money if airpoints is not enough to buy something?

Yes if you have an Air NZ Airpoints credit card. You can no longer do this with OneSmart (like you could previously) due to so many people exploiting it.

Yeah, but IIRC they do whack on a decent percentage fee for top-ups. OTOH Airpoints don't seem to expire anymore. Or does that only apply to Airpoints accrued through credit card spend?

I just got a 5 pax One-Up HNL-AKL upgrade for the minimum allowable "very poor" 200 points bid per seat. Couldn't work out how that actually happened but figure they may have done a short notice swap from 787-9 to 777-200ER and suddenly found themselves with about 20 less economy and 36 more PE/BP seats!

HP

Shop now for HP laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

floydbloke

3646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4554

ID Verified

#2001688 24-Apr-2018 14:51

sbiddle:

... You can no longer do this with OneSmart (like you could previously) due to so many people exploiting it.

Was this exploit simply the ability to use airpoints as part payment for a fare that exceeds one's balance (like I did once)?

Or did I miss out on something else?

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#2001696 24-Apr-2018 15:02

kryptonjohn:

sbiddle:

Batman:

PS can one top up a few dollars with real money if airpoints is not enough to buy something?

Yes if you have an Air NZ Airpoints credit card. You can no longer do this with OneSmart (like you could previously) due to so many people exploiting it.

Yeah, but IIRC they do whack on a decent percentage fee for top-ups. OTOH Airpoints don't seem to expire anymore. Or does that only apply to Airpoints accrued through credit card spend?

I just got a 5 pax One-Up HNL-AKL upgrade for the minimum allowable "very poor" 200 points bid per seat. Couldn't work out how that actually happened but figure they may have done a short notice swap from 787-9 to 777-200ER and suddenly found themselves with about 20 less economy and 36 more PE/BP seats!

The only fee for topping up an Airpoints balance is a $5 fee

You obviously just got lucky with the aircraft swap and the extra seats. Upgrades on the route can be very difficult to get as the $180 to go from economy to PE is a no brainer for Elite pax or anybody who knows an Elite.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#2001698 24-Apr-2018 15:03

floydbloke:

sbiddle:

... You can no longer do this with OneSmart (like you could previously) due to so many people exploiting it.

Was this exploit simply the ability to use airpoints as part payment for a fare that exceeds one's balance (like I did once)?

Or did I miss out on something else?

No.. And you don't even need to top up your balance now as part payments are possible.

Elite APD upgrades let an Elite lodge an APD upgrade for anybody, so being able to buy APD is effectively an unlimited upgrade fund.

kryptonjohn

2523 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 953

Lifetime subscriber

#2002897 26-Apr-2018 16:09

sbiddle:

You obviously just got lucky with the aircraft swap and the extra seats. Upgrades on the route can be very difficult to get as the $180 to go from economy to PE is a no brainer for Elite pax or anybody who knows an Elite.

Hi @sbiddle.

Turns out my bestest and oldest mate not only is GE has been flying so much he's also got 3 elite banked years as well. So if he adds me/wife as a giftees, there's effectively no downside to him to gift these upgrades (unoffically to be compensated back)?

Looks like he can only have four non-household giftees at a time though.

From what I can see though, these upgrades are ranked and allocated on the giftee status (I am personally at peasant status) rather than the gifter's status, so may find they don't get awarded?

Cheers