LaneW

I need to book a trip to NZ for my wife... but have never booked international on another carrier using Alaska miles... how do I do it?

jerry a. laska

Check the box "use miles" on the booking engine on alaskaair.com, then choose your cities from the drop down lists.
See also:
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...rd-travel.aspx

Mwenenzi

May be easier to get an award to Australia and then a cash ticket to NZ.
Which city in NZ?
What class of travel?

Airlines that fly Australia (CNS BNE OOL SYD MEL ADL PER) to/from New Zealand (AKL WLG CHC ZQN) are
- Air New Zealand (codeshares with VA) [Star Alliance]
- Virgin Australia (codeshares with Air NZ) (Delta partner)
- Jetstar (a low cost low quality carrier with low-medium-high priced fares owned by QF)
- Qantas (codeshares with EK) [OneWorld Alliance]
- Emirates (codeshares with QF)
- LAN (SYD AKL) [OneWorld Alliance]
- China Airlines (BNE/SYD - AKL and SYD - CHC) [Skyteam Alliance]

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia (most from LAX) are
- United (LAX SFO – SYD MEL & GUM-CNS) [Star Alliance]
- AA (LAX SYD) from Dec 2015 [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Qantas (LAX JFK DFW HNL – SYD BNE MEL; SFO from Dec 2015) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Jetstar (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Delta (VA & AS partner) (LAX – SYD) [Skyteam Alliance]
- Virgin Australia (DL partner) (LAX – SYD BNE)
- Hawaiian, via Hawaii (AA & VA partner) (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Air NZ, via AKL [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui (last segments on codeshares) (AA & DL partner)
- Air Canada [Star Alliance]
And others via Asia & Middle East

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand are
- Qantas via SYD BNE & MEL [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Virgin Australia via BNE MEL & SYD (DL partner)
- Hawaiian (AA & VA partner)
- Air NZ [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui via Tahiti (AKL) (AA & DL partner)
And others via Asia & Middle East

3Cforme

Mwenenzi's answer is, umm, thorough, but use requires a lot of information that the OP may lack and exposes the OP to risks (schedule changes, flight disruptions, multiple baggage rules and fees) from separate tickets.

If the OP can't find single ticket awards on Qantas on alaskaair.com, and agents can't help him, I would recommend he use an award ticket broker.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e-reviews.html

PV_Premier

an option that is available with AS miles, but you have to call, is Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong.

Madone59

A good option, but good luck finding premium cabin availability.

LaneW

Thanks for the posts. What I am trying to do is book her in first or business class, in February.

Thanks again.

Mwenenzi

That is a very tough ask. Is very very hard to get premium award seats USA to Australia/NZ across the Pacific.

No airlines fly direct or non stop with first USA to NZ. And few USA to Australia. More options with business class.
For AS partners First via Australia is limited to EK (all the way). Or QF with first to Aust and business class (B737) across the Tasman.
As above Cathay is a good option (no first class). They fly into Auckland. Probably the best option after QF. QF will have low availability.
Also have a look at EK. Many flights DXB to several Au city's then on to several NZ city's.

From the AA forum (similar partners)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...es-2012-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html

greybeardy

This probably won't help the OP, but it's reported on Traveling Better by a super reliable person that AA will be announcing either a LAX or DFW flight, probably the former, to AKL. No indication when it will be announced or when the flight would start. Something to keep in mind though.

United757

Alaska doesn't sell/allow awards on Emirates to Australia. That's not going to be an option.

Alaska can only book awards on partners for which they publish an award chart.

Mwenenzi

So this is going to be very hard.
To Australia and then cash Aust NZ may be the way, especially if Auckland is not the NZ destination.
And it will not be in first.

Jma12

Hi Lane, besides CX you can also use Fiji Airways to get to New Zealand. But they only stops at AKL, and mostly in Y class.

dajazz

You can get to NZ via Fiji Airways, and if you book using Alaska miles you can do a stopover in Fiji for a few days. They do have seats in J for award bookings, but you have to snag them far in advance. From Nadi, FJ flies to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, most are on 737s, but at least once a week there is a A330 flight from Nadi to Auckland.

nwflyboy

Short answer: With great difficulty.

All kidding aside (actually, I'm being quite serious), you are asking for something that is all-but-impossible. Things to remember...

Award redemption from the US to New Zealand is among the most difficult awards to get, ever. Only a handful of airlines that work, high demand, chasing relatively few award seats available.
Getting that award seat in the southern hemisphere summer (their high season) in still more difficult.
Getting that award seat in a premium cabin is much more difficult.
Getting that award seat just a few months out is even more difficult (your best chance was probably about 7 months ago).

So, with no experience booking foreign award trips, how lucky do you feel?

Now, all that said, technically it's not impossible, it is possible in theory. But unless you are some combination of very flexible, very resourceful, and very lucky, it's probably very unlikely.

ou81two

Air New Zealand are technically a partner but I think reward tickets on Air New Zealand is to New Zealand what leprechauns are to Ireland.