Retaining Air NZ Status Points

Forums › Off topic › Retaining Air NZ Status Points

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

5695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1630
Inactive user

#1212195 12-Jan-2015 08:02

gmball:
rayonline: 500sp for silver. Half that 250, $250 each .... Needs quite a bit. I wonder though if a family has multiple family members on one credit card to max up the SP only the primary card holder get status right?

450 status points for silver or 900 status points for gold. At least 50% of the status points to achieve either tier status need to be earned on Air NZ flights.

We use a Kiwibank Platinum Mastercard, $200 per status point, 1 airpoints dollar per $75 spent, and 2x Koru lounge entry passes once we have accumulated $20K spent on the card and for every $20K after that.

It obviously does depend on what you use your credit card for, but quite easy for anyone running a business to quickly clock up 30-40K spent per month, $30K would be 150 status points in one month.

We regularly have status points far in excess of what we can put towards status as only 50% can be used for silver/gold or 40% for elite.

We don't fly Air NZ regularly enough to actually achieve their tier status, but it would certainly make achieving status fairly straight forward, 1x return business class trip to LAX for Gold status, 2x business class return trips to LAX for elite (once status points from flights are combined with those from credit card).
With a return AKL/LAX business class trip costing around $7K, it basically means elite status is achievable by spending $14K with Air NZ and combining those status points earned on flights with those from your credit card.

$14K seems a small price to pay to achieve Air NZ's top tier, perhaps a little too easy to achieve.

there's a catch with the Kiwibank AirNZ platinum card, where if you're using the card to buy flights, the earn rate drops from 1:1 to 0.65 in the $

gmball

578 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 302

#1212199 12-Jan-2015 08:09

nathan:
gmball:
rayonline: 500sp for silver. Half that 250, $250 each .... Needs quite a bit. I wonder though if a family has multiple family members on one credit card to max up the SP only the primary card holder get status right?

450 status points for silver or 900 status points for gold. At least 50% of the status points to achieve either tier status need to be earned on Air NZ flights.

We use a Kiwibank Platinum Mastercard, $200 per status point, 1 airpoints dollar per $75 spent, and 2x Koru lounge entry passes once we have accumulated $20K spent on the card and for every $20K after that.

It obviously does depend on what you use your credit card for, but quite easy for anyone running a business to quickly clock up 30-40K spent per month, $30K would be 150 status points in one month.

We regularly have status points far in excess of what we can put towards status as only 50% can be used for silver/gold or 40% for elite.

We don't fly Air NZ regularly enough to actually achieve their tier status, but it would certainly make achieving status fairly straight forward, 1x return business class trip to LAX for Gold status, 2x business class return trips to LAX for elite (once status points from flights are combined with those from credit card).
With a return AKL/LAX business class trip costing around $7K, it basically means elite status is achievable by spending $14K with Air NZ and combining those status points earned on flights with those from your credit card.

$14K seems a small price to pay to achieve Air NZ's top tier, perhaps a little too easy to achieve.

there's a catch with the Kiwibank AirNZ platinum card, where if you're using the card to buy flights, the earn rate drops from 1:1 to 0.65 in the $

Its not a catch, its a benefit. When you use your Kiwibank Platinum card to purchase flights, you earn 1x airpoints dollar for every $65 spent, vs 1x airpoints dollar for every $75 spent elsewhere.

You earn more not less.

Batman

Mad Scientist
30014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1212201 12-Jan-2015 08:11

LOL I think I need to switch CC companies ... !

gmball

578 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 302

#1212208 12-Jan-2015 08:18

joker97: LOL I think I need to switch CC companies ... !

They advertise their Kiwibank AirNZ Platinum card as the highest earn rate in the industry, definitely the best card to go with to earn airpoints dollars and status points.

I actually forgot about the extra points when purchasing flights.

If I go back to my previous example of a business class AKL/LAX return, their standard price is $7173 return provided you book around 1-2 months prior.
That return ticket would also net you $670 airpoints dollars ($280 airpoints each way and $110 airpoints for using your credit card to pay) and 562 status points.

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 133

#1212209 12-Jan-2015 08:21

Award flights (flights booked with airpoints) don't accrue status points. Again not discussing the fairness of this - if you are redeeming Airpoints for business class travel you are missing a whole lot of status points which was original intention of the post to retain status tiers

Batman

Mad Scientist
30014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1212211 12-Jan-2015 08:21

can kiwibank offer card fees rebate? would you have all your money in another bank and have a CC with another bank?

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 133

#1212213 12-Jan-2015 08:26

I know ANZ won't do that - given the amount i put into the card is considerable they didn't even think twice when I said I wanted the fee negotiated or else cut the card. (Any ANZ employees, please take note of this)

gmball

578 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 302

#1212214 12-Jan-2015 08:27

khull: Award flights (flights booked with airpoints) don't accrue status points. Again not discussing the fairness of this - if you are redeeming Airpoints for business class travel you are missing a whole lot of status points which was original intention of the post to retain status tiers

Yes, and as I have pointed out, its very easy to achieve and retain tier status if you add your credit card status points to those you earn flying on Air NZ.
Of course your flights on Air NZ would need to be paid for with cash and not airpoints dollars.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1212236 12-Jan-2015 08:41

khull: I know ANZ won't do that - given the amount i put into the card is considerable they didn't even think twice when I said I wanted the fee negotiated or else cut the card. (Any ANZ employees, please take note of this)

I had my ANZ credit card fees waived for a year after telling them their earning rates were rubbish.

I only ever book reward flights with APD once I know I'll have enough SP to requalify. I much prefer to spend APD on upgrades, which is something that many people do.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1630
Inactive user

#1212238 12-Jan-2015 08:43

gmball:
nathan:
gmball:
rayonline: 500sp for silver. Half that 250, $250 each .... Needs quite a bit. I wonder though if a family has multiple family members on one credit card to max up the SP only the primary card holder get status right?

450 status points for silver or 900 status points for gold. At least 50% of the status points to achieve either tier status need to be earned on Air NZ flights.

We use a Kiwibank Platinum Mastercard, $200 per status point, 1 airpoints dollar per $75 spent, and 2x Koru lounge entry passes once we have accumulated $20K spent on the card and for every $20K after that.

It obviously does depend on what you use your credit card for, but quite easy for anyone running a business to quickly clock up 30-40K spent per month, $30K would be 150 status points in one month.

We regularly have status points far in excess of what we can put towards status as only 50% can be used for silver/gold or 40% for elite.

We don't fly Air NZ regularly enough to actually achieve their tier status, but it would certainly make achieving status fairly straight forward, 1x return business class trip to LAX for Gold status, 2x business class return trips to LAX for elite (once status points from flights are combined with those from credit card).
With a return AKL/LAX business class trip costing around $7K, it basically means elite status is achievable by spending $14K with Air NZ and combining those status points earned on flights with those from your credit card.

$14K seems a small price to pay to achieve Air NZ's top tier, perhaps a little too easy to achieve.

there's a catch with the Kiwibank AirNZ platinum card, where if you're using the card to buy flights, the earn rate drops from 1:1 to 0.65 in the $

Its not a catch, its a benefit. When you use your Kiwibank Platinum card to purchase flights, you earn 1x airpoints dollar for every $65 spent, vs 1x airpoints dollar for every $75 spent elsewhere.

You earn more not less.

oh woops, sorry for brain fart, you're dead right

I need to change my card from BNZ over to Kiwibank immediately!

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 133

#1212242 12-Jan-2015 08:54

sbiddle:
khull: I know ANZ won't do that - given the amount i put into the card is considerable they didn't even think twice when I said I wanted the fee negotiated or else cut the card. (Any ANZ employees, please take note of this)

I had my ANZ credit card fees waived for a year after telling them their earning rates were rubbish.

I only ever book reward flights with APD once I know I'll have enough SP to requalify. I much prefer to spend APD on upgrades, which is something that many people do.

For me the opposite. My own flights I always pay by card including upgrades.

Airpoints are useless to me so I end up booking free flights for family members etc. I don't even entertain the Airpoints store because they can be had for cheaper :)

As for 14k for Gold via AKL -> LA business class route, it you could have it for cheaper by just sitting on a plane every weekend on the cheapest seat flight (say $150 return which works or spend approx $8500-9500 on domestic flights)

HP

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

Batman

Mad Scientist
30014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1212259 12-Jan-2015 09:06

"time is money" ;p

rayonline

1736 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 51

#1212264 12-Jan-2015 09:12

gmball:
nathan:
gmball:
rayonline: 500sp for silver. Half that 250, $250 each .... Needs quite a bit. I wonder though if a family has multiple family members on one credit card to max up the SP only the primary card holder get status right?

450 status points for silver or 900 status points for gold. At least 50% of the status points to achieve either tier status need to be earned on Air NZ flights.

We use a Kiwibank Platinum Mastercard, $200 per status point, 1 airpoints dollar per $75 spent, and 2x Koru lounge entry passes once we have accumulated $20K spent on the card and for every $20K after that.

It obviously does depend on what you use your credit card for, but quite easy for anyone running a business to quickly clock up 30-40K spent per month, $30K would be 150 status points in one month.

We regularly have status points far in excess of what we can put towards status as only 50% can be used for silver/gold or 40% for elite.

We don't fly Air NZ regularly enough to actually achieve their tier status, but it would certainly make achieving status fairly straight forward, 1x return business class trip to LAX for Gold status, 2x business class return trips to LAX for elite (once status points from flights are combined with those from credit card).
With a return AKL/LAX business class trip costing around $7K, it basically means elite status is achievable by spending $14K with Air NZ and combining those status points earned on flights with those from your credit card.

$14K seems a small price to pay to achieve Air NZ's top tier, perhaps a little too easy to achieve.

there's a catch with the Kiwibank AirNZ platinum card, where if you're using the card to buy flights, the earn rate drops from 1:1 to 0.65 in the $

Its not a catch, its a benefit. When you use your Kiwibank Platinum card to purchase flights, you earn 1x airpoints dollar for every $65 spent, vs 1x airpoints dollar for every $75 spent elsewhere.

You earn more not less.

GlobalPlus Amex Gold is $65 for everything doesn't need to be specifically AirNZ. But there is no SP earning. A lesser annual fee too.

But as you say .. these things things are not for ordinary NZders.

Batman

Mad Scientist
30014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1212265 12-Jan-2015 09:15

so it's true they say, if you wanna get rich, start a business. or be part of a big business!

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#1212279 12-Jan-2015 09:43

i use the kiwibank card, fly several (20'ish) low-status-point-earning flights between AKL/WLG/CHC, and 1-2 international trips per year. that seems enough to squeak me on to gold.

kiwibank SP earn rate is still best AFAIK, and the bonus APD rate is good too.

kiwibank card also gives you free lounge vouchers for every $20k you spend. useful when you don't have gold, but they just accrue otherwise :P

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7