Air New Zealand Air Points - renew nz gold for $825 USD net

Since NZ gives out airpoints as "currency" for NZ flites, I look at the cost of
gold on NZ as the difference between the cost of the flights to get gold and
the residual value of the airpoints earned.

AmericaWest which hopefully will be an *A carrier soon with its merger with
USAirways has QUAUP fares that book into F class. From ATL-DEN the price is approximately $685 RT.

It appears that you can easily book a 3 segment flight going ATL-PHX-
LAS-DEN and reverse. Each one way would accumulate 210 airpoints. (one of
the legs is over 2000Km.). Two round trips equal 840 airpoints.

Initial cost approximately $1370USD. Less the 840NZ$ airpoints (convert to
approximately $550 USD depending on exchange rate) = $825 USD.

There are probably other routings and city pairs to do it even better.
Can also do it on USAirways which books into A class.

Any other MR suggestions?

perhaps the MR forum might be better. cheers.

I believe this is the best place for it, Id look here rather than the MR forum for such information even though I get your drift.

Its nice to know it can be done for so little:) yah might have to do it as soon as its available!

Thanks a million for posting it:)

Absolutely - thanks for posting that here.

I reckon its fine to post these kind of things in the NZ forum, particularly given the 'unique' way we earn and burn.. any NZ-specific ideas, routings and the like would probably be drowned out in the MR forum by UA'ers whinging about HQMs, PQMs and rubbish like that.

That's not bad ^ - especially for those of use who can extract more than NZ$1 per airbuck.

However, a word of caution. QFFers have long used the same trick (but with AA's QUP and YUP fares) and it is widely believed that at some point QFF will properly code the computers to only give credit for economy (actually discount economy for QUP and full economy for YUP). The FFP rules provide for credit to be based on paid class, which is economy. The way it works on QFF is a quirk of how AA records the fare details in the info it provides QFF (ie it looks like an F fare).

That's not bad ^ - especially for those of use who can extract more than NZ$1 per airbuck.

However, a word of caution. QFFers have long used the same trick (but with AA's QUP and YUP fares) and it is widely believed that at some point QFF will properly code the computers to only give credit for economy (actually discount economy for QUP and full economy for YUP). The FFP rules provide for credit to be based on paid class, which is economy. The way it works on QFF is a quirk of how AA records the fare details in the info it provides QFF (ie it looks like an F fare).


Since NZ specifically allows "A" fares to get the first class segment points doesn't it therefore recognize "restricted" first class?

Since NZ specifically allows "A" fares to get the first class segment points doesn't it therefore recognize "restricted" first class?

It depends on how the airline transmits the fare information to Air NZ/Airpoints. The fare class here is actually Q, which is an economy fare - but one that comes with an "automatic" upgrade to an F seat. So is the Airpoints credit based on the booking/fare class, or the seat you actually sit in? I would have thought the former.

How it seems to work (currently) with AA is fare class is indeed Q (or Y for YUP), but subject to availability it automatically books into class A, and it is class A that is being transmitted to FFPs (thus credits as first).

Based on the rules however, the FFP is within its rights to only credit based on Q fare class since that is the fare class.

very interesting....any more like these?

How it seems to work (currently) with AA is fare class is indeed Q (or Y for YUP), but subject to availability it automatically books into class A, and it is class A that is being transmitted to FFPs (thus credits as first).

Based on the rules however, the FFP is within its rights to only credit based on Q fare class since that is the fare class.

Just to clarify - QF FF rules/terms and conditions are based on 'eligible booking class' (which in the case of YUPs is A or P - ie First Class) rather than 'fare class' or 'fare basis'. If you book a YUP it is eligible to book into First and that is how it credits. When you select 'first class with restrictions' on the AA website, the only flights that display are those that have first class available for immediate booking. No options are shown for flights that don't have first available at the time of booking, unless you choose sectors that are operated by a single class aircraft (eg LAX-LAS).

Not sure if the same applies to America West fares - would be interesting to see.

Regards

L/M/E FF

The relevant part of QFF T&Cs (http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump9) (Airpoints and other FFPs has similar section).

9.5.1 A Cabin Class Bonus may apply for travel in Business or First class, or in the case of British Airways in World Traveller Plus. Any applicable Cabin Class Bonus will be credited according to the fare paid, not the cabin flown. Cabin Class Bonuses will not be credited for unpaid travel in, or unpaid upgrades to a higher class. Members should check the Airline Earning Table for details.

Talks about fare paid. In the case of YUP or QUP the fare is economy - it just happens that one of the benefits of that fare is space available upgrade to first on within US flights.

The relevant part of QFF T&Cs (http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump9) (Airpoints and other FFPs has similar section).



Talks about fare paid. In the case of YUP or QUP the fare is economy - it just happens that one of the benefits of that fare is space available upgrade to first on within US flights.

Thanks for the update Kiwi - that is an interesting point that hasn't come up in the discussions on the QF board - my understanding is this fairly much refers to upgrades. In any event - as you posted, it says to refer to the airline points earning table - which shows 'eligible booking class'.

Note as well that on Biz class RTWs, F class travel is permitted if no Biz cabin is available, and these fares credit with F cabin bonus. Conversely, if you are on a First class RTW and travel in Europe, you must fly in Biz Class - you don't get First class cabin bonuses, even though that is the 'fare paid'.

This leads me more to think that te clause you have quoted only refers to operaitonal or FF point upgrades, rather than a fare which is purchased outright?

Regards

L/M/E FF (edited to apologise that once again, have forgotten I am using a shared computer and have replied under my friend's log-in...)