Air New Zealand launches new 'Airpoints for Business' frequent flyer scheme

By Chris C., September 16 2015

New Zealand-based small and medium-sized businesses can now earn Airpoints Dollars of their very own through Air New Zealand’s new Airpoints for Business program, which can in turn can be used to book free flights and save on the company’s travel expenditure.

Similar in nature to the familiar Qantas Aquire scheme, Airpoints for Business allows a company’s individual travellers to continue accruing Airpoints Dollars and Status Points at the full and usual rates, while at the same time rewarding the business with its own pool of Airpoints Dollars.

Airpoints for Business: earning on flights

Businesses will earn Airpoints Dollars at the rate of 20% of the personal Airpoints accrual rates on Air New Zealand flights – so if a business traveller would ordinarily earn 10 Airpoints Dollars, the business will also earn itself two Airpoints Dollars.

Fly economy, premium economy or business, earn Airpoints for Business Dollars...

Airpoints Dollars via the Airpoints for Business program can also be earned on Virgin Australia domestic flights within Australia and across the Tasman when the itinerary was booked in New Zealand on an Air New Zealand ticket and with an NZ flight number.

Members can also earn Airpoints Dollars for their business on Cathay Pacific flights between Auckland and Hong Kong under the same rules, and with other partners on the ground including Westpac New Zealand, Z, Mitre 10, Umbrellar, Avis and Budget.

(Airpoints for Business members can’t earn Airpoints Dollars for the company when Virgin Australia flights are booked in Australia, carry a VA flight number or were ticketed by Virgin Australia.)

Airpoints for Business: new opportunities

To celebrate the launch of the program, the business earning rate on eligible flights is boosted to 60% through the year’s end, serving up six Airpoints Dollars for the business for every 10 Airpoints Dollars earned by its travellers.

Businesses that sign up before October 16 2015 will also automatically enter the draw to win a mentorship with some of New Zealand’s top business leaders including Julie Christie, Trelise Cooper, Philip Poole or Sir George Fistonich.

“With more than 1.9 million Airpoints members and over 750,000 flights enjoyed last year by members paid for with their Airpoints Dollars, the extension of a business rewards programme is a natural progression for engaging with one of our most valued market segments,” said Mark Street, Air New Zealand’s Head of Customer Loyalty.

“Airpoints for Business provides a platform for us to work more closely with business owners, many of whom are either travelling themselves or have employees travelling for work,” he added.

Airpoints for Business: eligibility

The program is open only to New Zealand registered businesses with an NZBN or IRD number, so if you’re headquartered in Australia with an ABN, the Qantas Aquire scheme continues to remain available.

Businesses that are eligible to join Airpoints for Business can link up to 20 New Zealand-based travellers to their account, enabling both the traveller and the business to earn Airpoints Dollars when a flight is declared as being business-related.

On personal travel, Airpoints members will continue to earn Airpoints Dollars of their own – as they will on business trips – but that business itself won’t accrue Airpoints Dollars in these circumstances.

Excluded from Airpoints for Business are entities that already have corporate travel agreements with Air New Zealand; travel sellers such as travel agents, travel wholesalers and travel consolidators; and members of NZ’s existing Above & Beyond program for larger companies, which continues to remain available.

For more information watch this three-minute video, or head straight to the Air New Zealand website to join Airpoints for Business for free.