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

We hope to see you there!

PeterReader:

 

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

 

Yes, did you read the first post? You act like a robot...

So, with a $5 transaction fee, you're better off buying airpoints, then using airpoints to buy a fare - to avoid the $4 per leg credit card fee per leg. (more so for multi-leg itineraries)

Also, I've noticed that Airpoints Advance doesn't seem to count towards Flexipay - that is, you need a positive airpoints balance to contribute towards your 20% minimum of airpoints

@sbiddle not clear in the article:

 

If you have an Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card (and this feature is only available with the Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card which is issued by Kiwibank - it is not available with Airpoints cards issued by ANZ, Westpac or American Express) you can "purchase" Airpoints Dollars from Air New Zealand by logging into your Airpoints account and selecting the option to purchase Airpoints Dollars. A $5 fee applies per transaction, and while Air New Zealand reserve the right to charge a commission on every transaction, this fee is currently being waived.

 

The ability to purchase Airpoints Dollars is available on all Air New Zealand Airpoints credit cards, including the Air New Zealand Airpoints Low Fee Mastercard. The low fee card only charges a $25 yearly card fee, so if you're looking to top up your points balance, this card represents great value for money.

 

So is it only available with Kiwibank cards (as per first paragraph) onr with all Air New Zealand cards (as per second paragraph)?

Paying for flights with Air Dollars is on an equal footing to cash, which I think is something unique to AirNZ's loyalty program and really powerful.

Annoyingly though, you can only book AirNZ flights online and pay with your airpoints if the flight legs are all on AirNZ metal. I have a flight to Florida and can book it all the way through on AirNZ with AirNZ flight numbers as direct to Houston then on United metal to FLL but that means I cannot pay with Air Dollars. This is annoying - so if I want to use up some A$ need to book one flight on AirNZ to IAH then book separately with UA to FLL, which means getting my bags and checking in for the second flight and also being subject to domestic baggage rules and charges. 

The second flight can be paid for with Air Dollars but subject to availability for partner reward flights, which is minimal. And it turns out you can get very good fares on discounted flights so better to use those A$ elsewhere.

freitasm:

 

@sbiddle not clear in the article:

 

 

If you have an Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card (and this feature is only available with the Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card which is issued by Kiwibank - it is not available with Airpoints cards issued by ANZ, Westpac or American Express) you can "purchase" Airpoints Dollars from Air New Zealand by logging into your Airpoints account and selecting the option to purchase Airpoints Dollars. A $5 fee applies per transaction, and while Air New Zealand reserve the right to charge a commission on every transaction, this fee is currently being waived.

 

The ability to purchase Airpoints Dollars is available on all Air New Zealand Airpoints credit cards, including the Air New Zealand Airpoints Low Fee Mastercard. The low fee card only charges a $25 yearly card fee, so if you're looking to top up your points balance, this card represents great value for money.

 

 

So is it only available with Kiwibank cards (as per first paragraph) onr with all Air New Zealand cards (as per second paragraph)?

 

There is only one "official" Air New Zealand Airpoints Credit Card - these are cards issued by Kiwibank on behalf of Air NZ.

All other bank cards are merely regular ANZ, Westpac or Amex credit cards earning Airpoints - they are not Air New Zealand Airpoints credit cards.

I might try and reword this a little better if you think it's confusing.

freitasm:

PeterReader:

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

Yes, did you read the first post? You act like a robot...

freitasm:

 

PeterReader:

 

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

 

 

Yes, did you read the first post? You act like a robot...

 

hmmm, here we go

nickb800:

 

So, with a $5 transaction fee, you're better off buying airpoints, then using airpoints to buy a fare - to avoid the $4 per leg credit card fee per leg. (more so for multi-leg itineraries)

 

 

 

Except you don't earn any Airpoints Dollars or Status Points on a reward booking paid for with Airpoints Dollars.

If you don't want to pay CC fees just load $ on your OneSmart card and use that for payments.

kryptonjohn:

 

Paying for flights with Air Dollars is on an equal footing to cash, which I think is something unique to AirNZ's loyalty program and really powerful.

 

Annoyingly though, you can only book AirNZ flights online and pay with your airpoints if the flight legs are all on AirNZ metal. I have a flight to Florida and can book it all the way through on AirNZ with AirNZ flight numbers as direct to Houston then on United metal to FLL but that means I cannot pay with Air Dollars. This is annoying - so if I want to use up some A$ need to book one flight on AirNZ to IAH then book separately with UA to FLL, which means getting my bags and checking in for the second flight and also being subject to domestic baggage rules and charges. 

 

The concept has it's pros and cons. The reality is Airpoints is considered an incredibly poor value FPP by a lot of frequent flyers who are used to booking lots of reward flights that can be earned very cheaply.

You can also book reward flights on non NZ metal flights I mentioned (VA at present along with UA to SFO and CX to HKG) and you can interline bags with different PNRs - both NZ and UA will also interline to each others bookings even if they're not on the same PNR.

While I'm always paranoid about booking standalone flights on the same day as a longhaul I've done this several times with UA in the US and had bags interlined and fully tagged right through to WLG. You simply need to get the UA bag ref # and inform NZ at check-in in the US of the UA bag ref # and it'll be linked to your booking and the bags loaded onto your plane. As *G I get a free bag so it doesn't cost anything on UA either.

sbiddle:

 

kryptonjohn:

 

Paying for flights with Air Dollars is on an equal footing to cash, which I think is something unique to AirNZ's loyalty program and really powerful.

 

Annoyingly though, you can only book AirNZ flights online and pay with your airpoints if the flight legs are all on AirNZ metal. I have a flight to Florida and can book it all the way through on AirNZ with AirNZ flight numbers as direct to Houston then on United metal to FLL but that means I cannot pay with Air Dollars. This is annoying - so if I want to use up some A$ need to book one flight on AirNZ to IAH then book separately with UA to FLL, which means getting my bags and checking in for the second flight and also being subject to domestic baggage rules and charges. 

 

 

The concept has it's pros and cons. The reality is Airpoints is considered an incredibly poor value FPP by a lot of frequent flyers who are used to booking lots of reward flights that can be earned very cheaply.

 

You can also book reward flights on non NZ metal flights I mentioned (VA at present along with UA to SFO and CX to HKG) and you can interline bags with different PNRs - both NZ and UA will also interline to each others bookings even if they're not on the same PNR.

 

While I'm always paranoid about booking standalone flights on the same day as a longhaul I've done this several times with UA in the US and had bags interlined and fully tagged right through to WLG. You simply need to get the UA bag ref # and inform NZ at check-in in the US of the UA bag ref # and it'll be linked to your booking and the bags loaded onto your plane. As *G I get a free bag so it doesn't cost anything on UA either.

 

OK, good to know that it's possible to do that!

Airlines can typically all interline bags with other major airlines. What they chose to do is another story entirely.

Air NZ for example won't interline bags to an international flight on Air NZ if you have a domestic flight that's not on the same PNR, nor will they interline them to other onward flights on a different PNR. They may do this for Elite customers if you ask nicely, but it's not policy to do this.

Slightly different angle - if you have same day standalone flights on UA can bags be checked through at the first checkin? 

kryptonjohn:

 

Slightly different angle - if you have same day standalone flights on UA can bags be checked through at the first checkin? 

 

 

 

From NZ to UA or NZ to UA?

To interline from a UA domestic flight to a NZ international flight from the US on different PNRs you just need to do what I listed above - ask the UA check-in staff to interline them with the NZ flight and get the UA bag tag # and add that to your NZ booking at NZ check-in. Just be aware unless you are *G that UA ground staff may not want to do this for you as you'll typically find it's only the Premier Access check-in staff who will do this.

For NZ international to UA domestic on different PNRs you'll need to be a NZ Elite and ask very nicely for them to interline the bags to United. You may or may not get lucky depending as it's not policy to do this. Obviously you still need to collect your bag to clear customs when you enter the US, but at LAX as an example it means you can drop your bag at the baggage transfer area so you don't need to carry your bag all the way around to T7.

sbiddle:

 

kryptonjohn:

 

Slightly different angle - if you have same day standalone flights on UA can bags be checked through at the first checkin? 

 

 

 

 

From NZ to UA or NZ to UA?

 

To interline from a UA domestic flight to a NZ international flight from the US on different PNRs you just need to do what I listed above - ask the UA check-in staff to interline them with the NZ flight and get the UA bag tag # and add that to your NZ booking at NZ check-in. Just be aware unless you are *G that UA ground staff may not want to do this for you as you'll typically find it's only the Premier Access check-in staff who will do this.

 

For NZ international to UA domestic on different PNRs you'll need to be a NZ Elite and ask very nicely for them to interline the bags to United. You may or may not get lucky depending as it's not policy to do this. Obviously you still need to collect your bag to clear customs when you enter the US, but at LAX as an example it means you can drop your bag at the baggage transfer area so you don't need to carry your bag all the way around to T7.

 

Both, but I wasn't clear - this is two separate UA flights, not a UA and NZ flight... I'm wondering if at check-in time the bags can be checked through at the first UA check-in?