Air New Zealand Air Points - BMI Status-match ''refugees''

I was browsing the BMI forum and noticed that NZ seems to be offering BMI members a status match. Some will take it whilst sliding sideways into their BA status reciprocity. TK and A3 are other Star Alliance targets.

I don't want to sound snippy - I can't moan as I took advantage of NZ status-matching when I moved from the UK to NZ two years ago. However, UK-residing NZ, former BMI members will certainly add to the pressure and demand for redemption, especially on the LAX-LHR and HKG runs.

Given the one-up initiative, NZ will have a job sifting through the priorities for upgrades.

This is probably where the stinginess of the Airpoints program helps-a lot of them probably won't bother trying to maintain their status on partner earning rates, seeing better value elsewhere.

Very true, but if NZ is matching gold for gold, and BA is sliding BMI gold to gold, there will be a bit of a spike this year of comp-ed gold memberships. If I were in the UK I would accept the two offers.

Yes, I can expect BMI Gold cardholders status matching to NZ really only gain a *A Gold status for a year, and the comp upgrades which only matter if they fly to LAX/HKG or to NZ/Aus.

Of course before doing that they ought to do the status match with BAEC to Gold status - which is OneWorld Emerald status, IMHO worth a lot more to anyone flying out of the UK than Star Gold.

Given that you don't surrender Diamond Club doing this, it is possible, for now, for BMI Gold card holders to status match into a *A programme and into BAEC getting best of both alliances.

Although frankly, I can't understand why anyone would prefer to status match with NZ over another *A scheme, unless there is serious regular travel on NZ routes in premium fares (and even then!). NZ is very poor for Y class long haul earn, and extortionate for earn/burn ratio on *A carriers.

I saw the writing on the wall and started crediting all of my BMI flights to my NZ Airpoints account late last year. This was before I stumbled upon FT and learnt about status matches - that would've been much much easier!


Although frankly, I can't understand why anyone would prefer to status match with NZ over another *A scheme, unless there is serious regular travel on NZ routes in premium fares (and even then!). NZ is very poor for Y class long haul earn, and extortionate for earn/burn ratio on *A carriers.

And yeah, I'm one of those schmucks who went with patriotism rather than earn/burn rates. Again, I should've found FT earlier!

And yeah, I'm one of those schmucks who went with patriotism rather than earn/burn rates. Again, I should've found FT earlier!

Oh I've only used BMI DC for credit card rewards, because the MBNA scheme was so generous, I got a C Class return LHR-AKL reward in under 12 months. I always credited flights to Airpoints because I do enough to NZ, HKG and West Coast USA to maintain it and use for upgrades. OneUp is changing that, so whilst I've done enough to keep Gold for another year (and I credit NZ C Class flights to NZ), I've been using DC to gain status to swap to BAEC.

I presume you'd accept the BA offer to swap DC Gold with BAEC Gold, given it offers First Class lounge access.

Using the Qantas F lounge is a great bonus on BA gold/QF platinum. Availed of this last week in SYD - a very civilised way to recover from the Perth red-eye.

I presume you'd accept the BA offer to swap DC Gold with BAEC Gold, given it offers First Class lounge access.

Yeah I'll definitely take the BAEC Gold - that was a nice surprise, most people expected BMI Gold = BAEC Silver. I just wish they'd hurry up and add BMI to OW so I can start getting some recognition for my flights out of Sierra Leone.

Yeah I'll definitely take the BAEC Gold - that was a nice surprise, most people expected BMI Gold = BAEC Silver. I just wish they'd hurry up and add BMI to OW so I can start getting some recognition for my flights out of Sierra Leone.

ummmmm I could be wrong on this, but I doubt that this would ever happen.
The info I have read so far is that BD will never be brought into OW, instead, its planes will be re-painted to BA livery, slots/routes will be integrated with BA and therefore I am not sure if any of your BD flights will be recognised in the same way???? all *A benefit cease after 31 May 2012 though...