Airpoints booking query
Jan 15, 2017, 5:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints - Gold Elite, Velocity - Platinum, Qantas - Gold
Posts: 180
Airpoints booking query
I'm an NZ based Elite, trying to purchase flights using my Airpoints for someone on my gifting register. The flights are ex-Brisbane and when I try to do it online through the Aussie Air NZ website, it keeps sending me back to the NZ website when I enter my Airpoints details.
I used to be able to do this no problem, but has something changed recently as I can't figure out how to do it now.
Any advice?
I used to be able to do this no problem, but has something changed recently as I can't figure out how to do it now.
Any advice?
Jan 15, 2017, 5:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite Partner/Silver (in own right), PR Classic, QF Bronze, UA Member, VA Red
Posts: 1,551
I would be interested to know too. I just tried a booking, in attempting to go to the Australian site two options were offered; it seems to access your airpoints account you need to select the option to go the NZ site. In accessing the NZ site my airpoints details were not available nor people on my gifting register.
Very odd - and will be annoying if cant purchase using airpoints for flights ex-Australia.
Very odd - and will be annoying if cant purchase using airpoints for flights ex-Australia.
Jan 15, 2017, 5:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite Partner/Silver (in own right), PR Classic, QF Bronze, UA Member, VA Red
Posts: 1,551
In the past I used to book a flight back from AUS on the Australian site as sometimes better priced and I don't think you used to be able to book ex-AUS one way to NZ on the NZ site - now it seems you can?
(I haven't booked one of these for a year or so)
(I haven't booked one of these for a year or so)
Jan 15, 2017, 5:38 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,116
You've been able to book flights ex AU on the NZ site for at least the last 2-3years.
When Air NZ were charging extra for return fares over 2x single OW fares on the NZ site for flights to AU from mid 2014 to mid 2015ish I used to book flights as 2 x OW fares on the NZ site to save being ripped off.
When Air NZ were charging extra for return fares over 2x single OW fares on the NZ site for flights to AU from mid 2014 to mid 2015ish I used to book flights as 2 x OW fares on the NZ site to save being ripped off.
Jan 15, 2017, 5:48 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
If you are NZ based, you cannot buy fares ex AU using your Airpoints. It will send you back to the NZ site and it could be more expensive. The only way around this is temporarily change your profile address to AU and change it back once you have bought your ticket. Of course, you can't do this too many times as they may charge you a fee for changing your country of residence more than once a year, or something like that.
Jan 15, 2017, 6:07 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints - Gold Elite, Velocity - Platinum, Qantas - Gold
Posts: 180
If you are NZ based, you cannot buy fares ex AU using your Airpoints. It will send you back to the NZ site and it could be more expensive. The only way around this is temporarily change your profile address to AU and change it back once you have bought your ticket. Of course, you can't do this too many times as they may charge you a fee for changing your country of residence more than once a year, or something like that.
Jan 15, 2017, 6:18 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,116
Jan 15, 2017, 6:42 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
Jan 16, 2017, 3:45 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 21
The AU site is usually cheaper and they also have more frequent sales compared to the NZ version. In the last 6 months I've seen flights between BNE - ZQN go on sale 3 times on the NZ site but we've had 7 good sales on the AU site including business fairs that rarely go on sale on the NZ site.
Jan 16, 2017, 1:41 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,116
There are however restrictions on what site you can use if you want to buy fares or gift using APD as your account is tied to the country you give as your home address and tied to that country's site.
Jan 16, 2017, 1:44 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,116
The AU site is usually cheaper and they also have more frequent sales compared to the NZ version. In the last 6 months I've seen flights between BNE - ZQN go on sale 3 times on the NZ site but we've had 7 good sales on the AU site including business fairs that rarely go on sale on the NZ site.
Observations from friends in Australia last year in both Melbourne and Sydney was that there was not a lot of discounting from AU, and they were often buying fares on the NZ site.