Koru Club benefits - still worth it for occasional international travel only?

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#851106 8-Jul-2013 18:26

chiefie:
Talkiet: I think I'll let it lapse and if I need it before my next trip I'll just get this...

https://www.americanexpress.com/nz/content/airnz-credit-card/

$200 airpoints, a free national return flight, Koru joining fee waived and a $145 discount on Koru membership is a better deal than continuing my current corporate membership.

Cheers - N

I would thought the AMEX CC application be hard to get? Or the barrier to apply is lowered.

The eligibility requirements for that card are listed on the page... I comfortably satisfy all of them so I can't imagine it would be a problem.

Cheers- N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

openmedia

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#851109 8-Jul-2013 18:28

I'm using KiwiBank Go Fly Platinum. You get free lounge passes for every $15K spend plus status points to help hit Silver or Gold Status.

Overall the airpoints dollars I get well exceed the card charges and the lounge passes are handy for my family trips.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

khull

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#851126 8-Jul-2013 18:50

i got the AMEX CC but then switched to ANZ - better value in my opinion considering the frustration I had with NZ retailers who will not take the card

allan

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#851189 8-Jul-2013 19:58

Airpoints Credit Card Comparison Table

steve2222

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#851357 9-Jul-2013 09:32

ajobbins:
Talkiet:I think I'm talking myself out of it. I'll live with the allocated horrible seats for national and save my few hundred dollars a year to make my international travel more bearable with on demand lounge passes...

The other benefit is that you are then free to choose whichever airline has the best deal at the time. If another airline has a special, you can go with them instead. Most airlines give you the ability to buy a pass for their lounge in some form or another.

In the case of Qantas, they don't sell passes directly, but you can buy guest passes on eBay for about $25-30 a visit. I don't travel enough to justify a membership - any I often choose the airline that has the best deal, so ad-hoc passes works out cheaper for me - and it's more flexible.

With Air NZ, if you are on a flight that offers Works Deluxe, that is also an option that gives you basically the ground benefits of Business Class (Premium check in, lounge access, extra checked bag, priority boarding etc) as well as a premium economy seat, but closer to the economy price than the business price.

Another lounge option at Auckland International

http://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/ShopandEat/Premium-Lounge.aspx

rayonline

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#851361 9-Jul-2013 09:51

myfullflavour: Wouldn't bother with a Koru membership....

It's too easy to get Air NZ gold status as it is and that includes global lounge access including NZ Koru.

Depends how you get gold. AirNZ Gold is really hard compared to other Star Alliance programmes. If it's juts personal travel travelling a few times a year to see family / friends on discounted travel and then maybe once or twice a year overseas again on Christmas economy you won't even get silver.

Easiest Star Alliance - is Asiana. Get a typical economay fare (not huge discount) 1.5x overseas or 1x (per year) if you head to the USA or further (return) and you get Gold. Asiana assesses your entitlement every 2yr so you can do 2x to the USA in that 24month window - like none this year but 2x next year.

B/c AirNZ for the consumer is difficult I haven't really looked into the AMEX card they AMEX card also has a higher annual fee which you have to offset yourself. I've just kept the GlobalPlus card b/c I had that for years even thou it might not be the best card out there now, I have the AMEX GP, no paper work required to switchover. Some shops don't accept AMEX. The Gold GP does cost a bit more in annual fees than a Gold normal CC but at least I obtain $10 in Airpoints which offsets that for the annual fee. And good for the travel insurance. Haven't looked into the Platinum at all. You do get discounted Koru Club but I still have to pay fa few hundred for that, call me a cheap but for an annual trip a year and maybe a domestic or two trips (on discounted economy) to see the family/friends isn't worth it for me as a Average Joe.

You can also buy memberships too I think. I think one can buy Air Canada membership which gives you even Star Alliance Gold I think incl luggage etc. There is also just the lounge access per year or what ... I know there is one lounge in WGTN Airport (as well as lounges around the world under that brand), forget the name. This other programme won't get into Star Alliance lounges though.

The real AMEX AirNZ card isn't that like $300 PA? The GP Platinum is $200 PA I think. There is also the AMEX Plat Charge card for like $3,000 PA right? LOL. My GP AMEX issued by the BNZ is fine at $105 or so ... other times I just use my Kiwibank Mastercard Zero without an annual fee where it's not supported.

rayonline

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#851365 9-Jul-2013 09:57

Does AKL now offer free WiFi is that in the lounges? Every time I go overseas, WGTN is free in the public area, AKL has never been, have always used my 3G.

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Talkiet

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#851367 9-Jul-2013 10:05

rayonline: [snip]

You can also buy memberships too I think. I think one can buy Air Canada membership which gives you even Star Alliance Gold I think incl luggage etc. [snip]

_THIS_ interests me. Koru is a poor cousin to real gold or gold elite - there are a few VERY notable exclusions with 'just' Koru membership. The biggest one for me as someone that travels with a LOT of expensive camera gear is that Gold/Gold Elite get TWO carryon bags while Koru do NOT get this extra allowance. I'd happily pay a lot more than Koru to get real Gold status. Any further details?

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

rayonline

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#851373 9-Jul-2013 10:28

I might had overlooked the luggage part, you do get First Class counter checkin if you fly with AC.

Link

Another lounge access:
http://www.prioritypass.com/

khull

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#851433 9-Jul-2013 11:30

how much is a Star Alliance Gold membership?

Talkiet

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#851445 9-Jul-2013 11:33

khull: how much is a Star Alliance Gold membership?

Can't be bought - must be earned through flights and spend on qualifying CCs...

With airNZ probably tens of thousands of dollars worth of travel

Cheers -N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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#851470 9-Jul-2013 12:00

Talkiet:
khull: how much is a Star Alliance Gold membership?

Can't be bought - must be earned through flights and spend on qualifying CCs...

With airNZ probably tens of thousands of dollars worth of travel

Cheers -N

I'll get Gold this year with probably ~$8k worth of travel and some status points from my credit card.

rayonline

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#851474 9-Jul-2013 12:12

With Asiana club. You can fly AirNZ to Honolulu for eg .. $1600 (?) return 1x per year on average and get Star Gold.

With AirNZ - I am stuck in Jade I just don't travel enof for personal use. At least I get some Airpoint Dollars. More than offsets the $105 GP CC fee over the standard CCs $95 - $10 diff.

muppet

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#851478 9-Jul-2013 12:21

If I need to feel loved and important, I just ring my Mum.

graemeh

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#851500 9-Jul-2013 12:54

Talkiet:
khull: how much is a Star Alliance Gold membership?

Can't be bought - must be earned through flights and spend on qualifying CCs...

With airNZ probably tens of thousands of dollars worth of travel

Cheers -N

Not quite, you can get it on about $3800 of travel. Less if you have a credit card that gives you status points.

You need 900 status points, a flight from Auckland to Wellington will get you 12 points. My average cost this year for this flight is $50 (about $100 return).

You could do it for less if you only took the $29 Night Rider flight.

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