Air New Zealand Air Points - AKL to LHR- PVG and LAX

Hey guys

Im flying to London later this year and just assessing my options in terms of upgrades and transit airports. I'm Jade with Koru membership.

My current thinking is to go via LAX on the way over there, and use airpoints to get confirmed upgrades to PE- although you have to buy a full economy fare this ends up cheaper than buying a full PE fare for me by around $300-$400 just for the outbound half.

On the way back I'd quite like to go via PVG, and go for a standby economy to BP upgrade (long shot, but the loading on those flights looking on expert flyer seems fairly light).

The other option is to repeat the outbound journey and buy some airpoints for confirmed upgrades to PE- I don't like my chances of a standby upgrade on the LAX route being only Jade and also with this OneUp crap starting.

My question with this is for Koru members, what lounge is available in shanghai? The Air NZ website says the Shanghai Airlines lounge is available, is this still true with them leaving / left Star Alliance?

Thoughts on the above plan are welcome too :)

Cheers

Confirmed upgrades will cease to exist in a couple of months (I think in June)-unless you get promoted to silver before then and earn a recognition upgrade, the only way you'll be able to upgrade without paying the full fare will be by the Oneup process. And you'll only be able to move up a maximum of one class, so that chucks your economy to BP plan out the window as well.

Confirmed upgrades will cease to exist in a couple of months (I think in June)-unless you get promoted to silver before then and earn a recognition upgrade, the only way you'll be able to upgrade without paying the full fare will be by the Oneup process. And you'll only be able to move up a maximum of one class, so that chucks your economy to BP plan out the window as well.

I plan to book and submit the upgrade requests well before the 30 May cut off so I don't get caught up in the Oneup bidding.

Ah, in that case your confirmed upgrade should be fine, although if you pay that extra $300 for PE, you'll not only get more APD and status points, but you'll also get a chance at bidding in OneUp for BP (although maybe you'd be bid in OneUp from a confirmed upgrade, not sure).

Although there's still a lot left unsaid about how the OneUp bids will affect things, I'd presume that your odds would be low for a standby upgrade since Gold Elites, those with recognition upgrades and OneUp bidders would have priority.

That's a good point, that if I pay for the PE ticket outright I get the chance to Oneup bid to BP. Will have a think about that!

Does anyone know about the Koru lounge status in Shanghai?

That's a good point, that if I pay for the PE ticket outright I get the chance to Oneup bid to BP. Will have a think about that!

Does anyone know about the Koru lounge status in Shanghai?

You still get the Shanghai Airlines Lounge at PVG. Don't forget to ask for an invitation at check in. The lounge staff would have no idea what Koru was.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/partner-lounge-directory

Thanks for the info re the lounge.

Decided in the end to upgrade to PE for one leg of AKL to LHR and BP for the other. Any thoughts on which of the legs would be better for BP?

Both are night flights however AKL-LAX is closer to 12 hours, LAX-LHR i've done in 10 hours.

Your chance of the upgrade clearing to Business on AKL-LAX is a lot greater than LAX-LHR.

Your chance of the upgrade clearing to Business on AKL-LAX is a lot greater than LAX-LHR.

Interesting.

I travel this regularly paid in business and upgrade my partner, and I find the reverse to be true. If she is travelling with me, she is always automatically upgraded. However, when not travelling with me, as she is only gold, she is not automatically upgraded. From memory she has a 100% success rate between LA and London and maybe a 70% success rate between Auckland and LA, or vice versa.

Although the LAX-LHR does go out full. Was talking to a couple of PAX in the LAX lounge the other day who were flying VS as they could not purchase a ticket on NZ in J as it was fully sold.....

Your chance of the upgrade clearing to Business on AKL-LAX is a lot greater than LAX-LHR.

Based on my experience, you have this backwards! Either that or Air NZ's recent ramp-up in marketing the LHR-LAX flights has been quite successful.

So I've locked in PE for AKL- LAX and BP for LAX to LHR. Can't wait to get on holiday now.

Economy on the way back via HK, I think I'll play the Oneup roulette for that!

I've been booked into and E ticket class for the PE leg and Z for the BP leg- will I get airpoints on my original ticket or are those airpoints eligible classes?

Per the actual fare booked.

You still get the Shanghai Airlines Lounge at PVG. Don't forget to ask for an invitation at check in. The lounge staff would have no idea what Koru was.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/partner-lounge-directory

Perhaps, but PVG FM lounge do recognised business class boarding pass - ie do not need a lounge invite card to enter.

Perhaps, but PVG FM lounge do recognised business class boarding pass - ie do not need a lounge invite card to enter.

What are the chances of LAX Koru club when flying PE then BP for second leg?

What are the chances of LAX Koru club when flying PE then BP for second leg?

If you have boarding pass for BP for the second leg when you arrive at LAX, fine.

If not, no chance. You can only clear US immigration and customs to use the LAX lounge on NZ2/1 if you hold a Business Premier boarding pass. The real issue is the gamble of the immigration queue, which you should ask a flight attendant to inquire about before landing. NZ, VS and AF flights can all arrive within a short time of each other, especially if any arrive early, if you have VS or AF ahead of NZ, forget it, as it can take an hour to get through immigration, another 15 minutes to clear customs and then security again, by then you'll have not a lot of time in the lounge before you board.

Good to know, cheers- I will do that. And similarly, what about the chances of Koru in Auckland under the same scenario?

Given you have Koru Club membership, you're entitled to use the NZ lounges at both international and domestic regardless of class of travel.

If you didn't have it, and have only got Jade membership, you could only access the NZ lounge at AKL international if you have a Business Class boarding pass. You couldn't get in if you are still waitlisted for an upgrade.

The real issue is the gamble of the immigration queue, which you should ask a flight attendant to inquire about before landing. NZ, VS and AF flights can all arrive within a short time of each other, especially if any arrive early, if you have VS or AF ahead of NZ, forget it, as it can take an hour to get through immigration, another 15 minutes to clear customs and then security again, by then you'll have not a lot of time in the lounge before you board.

The gate agent usually advises if immigration is chocka and that one should not try and proceed through to the lounge, and directs you through to the holding pen.