Air New Zealand extends Qantas, Virgin status match to June 2022
Successful applicants for AirNZ's Touch of Gold status match now have even longer to lock in Gold for a full year.
By David Flynn, November 29 2021
Remember Air New Zealand's Touch of Gold status match launched in April 2021 to lure Qantas and Virgin Australia frequent flyers over to the Kiwi carrier's Airpoints rewards program?
Successful applicants to the Airpoints Gold status match have been repeated frustrated by the inability to earn the necessary 100 Status Points flying with Air New Zealand over the four-month qualification period to pocket Gold for a full year, due to ongoing closures of the Australia-New Zealand travel bubble.
Air New Zealand first extended that period to December 8 2021, but with the country's international borders now largely closed until at least May 2022, the Touch of Gold status match will now stretch through to June 30, 2022 – over a year since the offer itself was launched.
"Since the start of the Touch of Gold promotion there have been a number of travel interruptions caused by Covid-19," the airline said today in an email updating Touch of Gold applicants.
"We recognise that this may have prevented you from earning the required Status Points to move to full Airpoints Gold. and with the recent New Zealand travel announcements we're providing a further extension to the Touch of Gold trial period."
"You will now have until 30 June 2022 to continue to enjoy your Gold benefits and earn towards the required 100 Status Points through Air New Zealand travel."
With practical perks such as lounge access, complimentary seat selection, additional carry-on and checked luggage allowances plus priority check-in, boarding and baggage, Gold is generally considered the sweet spot in most airline loyalty programs.
And if there's any glimmer of good news here, it's that pocketing Airpoints Gold by June 2022 will mean you also have Star Alliance Gold through to June 2023.
As previously reported, those 100 Status Points can be won on a return flight between Australia and New Zealand in a higher-paid flexible economy or premium economy fare, and they're guaranteed if you're in business class.
PREVIOUS [April 2021] | Air New Zealand hopes to lure across Qantas and Virgin Australia frequent flyers with an instant status match – no flying required.
The Kiwi carrier's offer comes ahead of the April 19 restart of trans-Tasman flying, and follows Qantas' own 'fast-track' status deal.
And like that Qantas promotion, Air New Zealand is putting its own Airpoints Gold status up for grabs as what it calls Touch of Gold.
With practical perks such as lounge access, complimentary seat selection, additional carry-on and checked luggage allowances plus priority check-in, boarding and baggage, Gold is generally considered the sweet spot in most airline loyalty programs.
"We can’t wait to fly customers across the Tasman, so we’re encouraging Gold status or higher customers of qualifying airlines to try Air New Zealand with our Touch of Gold offer," says Air New Zealand General Manager Loyalty Kate O’Brien.
"We know there is pent up demand for trans-Tasman travel. and it’s the perfect time for customers to get a taste of our world-class customer experience and reap the benefits of our Airpoints programme."
AirNZ's Gold status match is nominally open to the following high flyers in both Australia and New Zealand
- Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold, Platinum and Platinum One
- Velocity Frequent Flyer Gold and Platinum
However, the airline's Touch of Gold terms and conditions page expands upon that, saying only that applicants "must hold current Gold or higher status (or equivalent) with another airline. Star Alliance airline or Cathay Pacific members are ineligible for the promotion."
A spokesperson for Air New Zealand confirmed to Executive Traveller that its Gold status match will indeed be offered to the middle- and top-tier frequent flyers of any airline, bar its Star Alliance siblings and Hong Kong partner Cathay Pacific.
Applications must be made by May 7, 2021 – and once your application is approved, Airpoints Gold status will be yours for four months.
If you earn 100 Status Points on Air New Zealand travel within that time, your Gold status will stay fresh for the following eight months, giving you a full year of Gold benefits.
This will also include two free 'recognition upgrades', such as from economy to premium economy, or premium economy to business.
It's also worth noting that Airpoints Gold is recognised as Star Alliance Gold, which could come in very handy for the likes of Singapore Airlines once travel resumes between Australia and Singapore.
Status Points, like Airpoints Dollars (the Kiwi carrier's points currency), are calculated based on how much you pay for your ticket – as a quick guideline, here are the earning rates for a one-way flight between Sydney and Auckland:
- Economy Smart Saver, 7-46 Status Points
- Economy Flexi, 33-104 Status Points
- Premium Economy, 33-77 Status Points
- Business, 60-107 Status Points
As you can see, it's quite do-able to pocket 100 Status Points and a year at the Airpoints Gold tier with a return flight on a flexible economy or premium economy fare, and it's guaranteed if you're in business class.
For more details and to apply, visit airnewzealand.com.au/touchofgold-benefits
Also read: Qantas 'fast track' status match returns, now includes NZ flyers
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
16 Apr 2013
Total posts 48
Great to see the competition heating up!
18 Mar 2021
Total posts 68
I'm assuming Air New Zealand will also want a slice of the Virgin pie once Bain list the company for sale, but I really don't know if it's worth having another shiny card in the electronic wallet.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 351
Considering NZ got a loan from their government to survive COVID that has to be repaid eventually, NZ buying any VA stake will be unlikely for the foreseeable future.
Not to mention, after NZ's two fails (AN and VA), current and future management of NZ would want to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors.
The same applies for the current and future SQ management after the 3 'epic' failures of their predecessors (NZ including AN, Tiger Airways Australia and Virgin).
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 580
Who said they were selling?
Have a look at the companies they own, they actually keep a lot of what they buy rather than strip company and run.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 351
Boost Juice/Betty Burgers are examples of companies Bain has actually kept past the 5 year mark.
Saying that, Virgin has little to no encumbered assets to 'strip', and there's not much assets (if any) that Bain could borrow against. Velocity would basically be the only 'asset' of any value to Bain.
As reported in the media the the entire fleet was either leased, and almost all of their owned aircraft (737s/777s) was 'mortgaged' by SQ/EY/Borghetti/Scurrah et al over the years. The only non-mortgaged fleet was most of VARA's Fokkers and the legacy Skywest A320.
Not surprisingly Bain didn't want to touch the already 'asset-stripped' aircraft (777s and the older 737s) so they just stopped paying the mortgage on them and informed the Banks to possess those aircraft.
The only mortgaged aircraft Bain kept during the administration period were the younger 737s.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Nov 2012
Total posts 127
Ansett. Virgin Mark 1. Maybe they’ve learnt their lesson?
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1224
With most int'l borders staying closed for the next 10 months or so, I can't say this is too exciting unless you are someone who regularly goes across the Tasman.
16 Apr 2021
Total posts 1
It's pretty exciting for me. I've just returned to NZ to live, and have Enrich Platinum/Oneworld Emerald. I plan to be taking a lot of domestic flights around NZ in the next few months, so just the lounge access is an awesome benefit. Couldn't have timed it better. Thanks Air NZ!
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 422
Obviously it's first and foremost for AU-NZ flyers but i would expect to see a travel bubble with Singapore sooner rather than later, almost certainly before broader international travel resumes, so having Star Alliance Gold would be useful for that if you travel with SQ, you could use the SQ or NZ lounges at SYD for example and then you'd have access to the new and much better KrisFlyer Gold lounge at SIN T3 when it opens end of this year.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 422
I'm definitely going to sign up for this, will be making some trips to NZ anyway and it won't for me to have Gold before I go just through the instant status match component and then fly with Air New Zealand to get my 100 status credits and be Gold until around the middle of 2022. Always handy to have in your pocket.
11 Sep 2015
Total posts 228
Yes, nicely played Air NZ, I'm going to apply this weekend! Useful for a bit of extra variety if I need to fly to NZ with them instead of Qantas, now that Virgin has given up on NZ for the time being, and will be useful for SQ trips to Singapore too.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 580
I applied on Friday and got the nod yesterday. Interestingly it is showing a review date of May 2022 and 900 credits by May 2022 to retain.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Nov 2019
Total posts 88
Yes Same here. Mine also showing a year expiry. Let's hope it stays that way.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 May 2017
Total posts 13
I did the status match earlier in the year and achieved the 100 points by May. I received an email today stating that as I had already achieved it I was now extended not just for the extra 8 months (on top of the 4 month qualifying period) but for 12 months so up until 31 August 2022.
For those of you commenting about it showing a May 2022 expiry, that is (or was) the expiry date should you have achieved the 100 points within the qualifying period (being 4 or so months for the qualifying period + the additional 8 months or so), if you didn't achieve the 100 points within the 4 months your status would be removed. On the email you receive when the Gold status is applied to your account there are comments on it along the lines of "the points to extend status or the expiry date showing for your status may not be accurate"
05 Sep 2017
Total posts 11
Hope I'm wrong, but I can't see the Trans Tasman bubble opening from Sydney by the extended December date.
NZ
13 Aug 2016
Total posts 64
Same here got an email today saying that I had already meeting the 100SP, and would now get an extend 12months as full gold!
Now we just need NZ to introduce domestic PE on some routes, so we can earn higher SP’s….
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
I think NZ will need to extend this another 3 months in 2022 at least considering the borders have remained shut to date.
09 Feb 2012
Total posts 23
Does anyone know if the 100SP have to be earned on NZ ticketed flights or NZ metal? Wondering if you can get the 100 flying another *A airline now our borders are open.
Qantas
22 Oct 2012
Total posts 318
Given that the NZ border has been closed since about July(??) and the border not re-opening for Australians till the end of April 2022, a 2-month extension on the benefit is a pretty poor offer.
11 Sep 2015
Total posts 228
Well there's talk that the AU-NZ borders will open up sooner than April 2022 but yes, a few extra months is not much time at all, Air New Zealand would be better off just giving people until the end of 2022, make it nice and easy.
08 May 2020
Total posts 90
Why bother with New Zealand It will be another 4 - 5 months before they open the Border with Oz and even then it most likely will have a series of strict Covid rules. I have usually up to 6 Business trips pa and there had been 3 of them planned before March 22 and that is again all stuffed. So I believe that I will give NZ the boot for good now and have no need for Air New Zealand anymore.
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
With boarders yet again shut, in typical Adern administration hysteria, in fairness this will again need to be extended until at least end September 2022.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Air New Zealand extends Qantas, Virgin status match to June 2022