Ok - This is a question for people far better at this than I.
I fly to the US and will be flying to EU in 2018 always business class.
Have been a Virgin Plat since inception after moving from Qantas
Generally, fly Air NZ to LAX due to good value business class
Hate Delta in the USA as a partner for Virgin
Air NZ now no longer gives me Virgin status or FF points for NZ-USA
Questions
Should I try and either status match request to Air NZ .... unlikely to get a positive response
Switch all my points activity to Air NZ as I have platinum with Virgin until end of year
Is qualifying for Air NZ as easy as Virgin - I know I will not get family pooling but this is not a major
My View
Once I become a Gold with Air NZ I will still get most of the benefits when flying in Aus with Virgin? - Lounge and seat X
I will become a Star Alliance Gold and have access to airlines that I want to fly with internationally and have access to a proper lounge network - Thai/Singapore/United/Air Canada and of course Air NZ
Due to the amount of flights my family and I have done in J asked NZ if they would status match and they did. Of note is that I used NZ to book our itineraries direct so our assigned Sales Consultant spoke to Airpoints on my behalf.
So I am going to maintain NZ Gold and VA Plat due to flights with SQ, NZ and VA. I am going to be flying, like you, to Europe and US, as well as domestically with VA exclusively. You will maintain/acheive *Gold with around two return US trips with NZ and you can maintain Plat with VA with SQ flights to Europe and then go for NZ Elite if you have further flights to take. I find for my use this is quite an effective way.
I don't think you get Economy X as NZ*G however the rest of the benefits are there.
I find Kris flyer doesn't reward you as much as Airpoints does for "home" carrier flights as NZ does e.g NZ flights with Airpoints.
If you fly NZ a lot, then Airpoints is OK. You don't earn much, but with the sort of flying you do on NZ, in J to the US, you'll get Gold status easily enough. The main benefits of Airpoints are in priority seating on the Tasman and main trunk domestic NZ flights, and recognition upgrades (which are only usable on NZ, and obviously only if you don't always fly J).
overflying
overflying
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 04 Jun 2013
Total posts 5
Ok - This is a question for people far better at this than I.
Please wait...
jhor
jhor
Member since 18 Nov 2013
Total posts 61
Air NZ dollars aren't great rewards points. Have you considered Singapore's Kris Flyer program? Which airline will you be flying to Europe?
StuParr
StuParr
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 01 Mar 2012
Total posts 203
Due to the amount of flights my family and I have done in J asked NZ if they would status match and they did. Of note is that I used NZ to book our itineraries direct so our assigned Sales Consultant spoke to Airpoints on my behalf.
So I am going to maintain NZ Gold and VA Plat due to flights with SQ, NZ and VA. I am going to be flying, like you, to Europe and US, as well as domestically with VA exclusively. You will maintain/acheive *Gold with around two return US trips with NZ and you can maintain Plat with VA with SQ flights to Europe and then go for NZ Elite if you have further flights to take. I find for my use this is quite an effective way.
I don't think you get Economy X as NZ*G however the rest of the benefits are there.
I find Kris flyer doesn't reward you as much as Airpoints does for "home" carrier flights as NZ does e.g NZ flights with Airpoints.
I hope that this helps.
Libertyscott
Libertyscott
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Aug 2011
Total posts 19
If you fly NZ a lot, then Airpoints is OK. You don't earn much, but with the sort of flying you do on NZ, in J to the US, you'll get Gold status easily enough. The main benefits of Airpoints are in priority seating on the Tasman and main trunk domestic NZ flights, and recognition upgrades (which are only usable on NZ, and obviously only if you don't always fly J).
overflying
overflying
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 04 Jun 2013
Total posts 5
Thanks for the replys ... Will look at the options