YVR to AKL with Starpoints?
Jul 10, 2015, 8:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Kelowna, BC
Programs: Starwood Gold
Posts: 22
YVR to AKL with Starpoints?
I have been researching this for a while and find Air Points confusing so I thought I would just ask the community here. Is it realistic/possible to transfer points from SPG Starpoints to Air Points and fly return from YVR to AKL preferably in business class? We are flexible with our dates preferably January to March.
Jul 10, 2015, 8:15 am
#2
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
Well it's 65 Starpoints to 1 Airpoints Dollar. 1 APD is worth $1NZD. So you need to have the equivalent amount of Airpoints Dollars as the fare you want. So for example, taking random dates in April 2016, 2x J return YVR-AKL is CAD$13,400 which would mean you'd need $13,400 airpoints dollars which equates to 871,000 Starpoints (this amount will differ based on the exchange rate as I haven't taken that into account). And you can only transfer a maximum of 34,975 Starpoints to Air NZ in one transaction (not sure if you can do multiple transactions or not).
So if you can transfer that many Starpoints then it's certainly possible and realistic if you have that many....whether that is worth it...
So if you can transfer that many Starpoints then it's certainly possible and realistic if you have that many....whether that is worth it...
Jul 10, 2015, 8:31 am
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
If you really had 871,000 Starpoints you could turn them into more than a million Aeroplan points or half a million UA miles.
Half a million UA miles means you can travel from North America to Australia in Business roughly 8 times one-way.
Closer to home, 871,000 Starpoints can also be converted to more than 1 million VA Velocity points. That's enough to fly VA in Business from Australia to LAX more than 10 times one way.
You see why Airpoints is such a joke?
Half a million UA miles means you can travel from North America to Australia in Business roughly 8 times one-way.
Closer to home, 871,000 Starpoints can also be converted to more than 1 million VA Velocity points. That's enough to fly VA in Business from Australia to LAX more than 10 times one way.
You see why Airpoints is such a joke?
Last edited by Xiaotung; Jul 10, 2015 at 8:41 am
Jul 10, 2015, 6:33 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
You're in a real catch 22, unfortunately, if you really want to fly YVR-AKL nonstop.
There are many Star Alliance frequent flyer programs which provide good value redemption opportunities across the alliance, but AirNZ just doesn't release *any* business class award seats on its North American routes anymore to its Star Alliance partners (and yes, that's a crappy way to behave).
NZ Airpoints is the worst value frequent flyer program in the world, but it does allow you to buy revenue seats at a huge cost.
I'd suggest you either:
1) transfer points to another FFP like UA Mileage Plus, and use that to redeem flights on another, one-stop routing
2) pay for flights with cash, and save your pile of Starpoints for another occasion.
There are many Star Alliance frequent flyer programs which provide good value redemption opportunities across the alliance, but AirNZ just doesn't release *any* business class award seats on its North American routes anymore to its Star Alliance partners (and yes, that's a crappy way to behave).
NZ Airpoints is the worst value frequent flyer program in the world, but it does allow you to buy revenue seats at a huge cost.
I'd suggest you either:
1) transfer points to another FFP like UA Mileage Plus, and use that to redeem flights on another, one-stop routing
2) pay for flights with cash, and save your pile of Starpoints for another occasion.
Jul 11, 2015, 3:09 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
Jul 12, 2015, 6:25 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: san antonio, texas
Programs: 3.2MM AA, 1.4MM UA,StwdLftPlt
Posts: 1,586
If you really had 871,000 Starpoints you could turn them into more than a million Aeroplan points or half a million UA miles.
Half a million UA miles means you can travel from North America to Australia in Business roughly 8 times one-way.
Closer to home, 871,000 Starpoints can also be converted to more than 1 million VA Velocity points. That's enough to fly VA in Business from Australia to LAX more than 10 times one way.
You see why Airpoints is such a joke?
Half a million UA miles means you can travel from North America to Australia in Business roughly 8 times one-way.
Closer to home, 871,000 Starpoints can also be converted to more than 1 million VA Velocity points. That's enough to fly VA in Business from Australia to LAX more than 10 times one way.
You see why Airpoints is such a joke?
Jul 15, 2015, 8:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 748
And if there's an option to convert to AS's programme, it's even fewer miles. Just burned some AS miles to fly to NY on Cathay in business class via HKG. AKL HKG is very nice on the A340; HKG JFK (or YVR) is bloody marvellous!
Jul 20, 2015, 2:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: san antonio, texas
Programs: 3.2MM AA, 1.4MM UA,StwdLftPlt
Posts: 1,586
UA is 2:1 exchange rate per Starpoint.
With the amount of Starpoints you have accumulated, you could establish an account and fund it with a big start. I dont know what their attitude is towards accounts that are created and without other activity, suddenly receive an influx of points/miles. I haven't heard any complaints about restrictions on the source of miles initially.