Air New Zealand Air Points - Earning UA Miles on Air NZ Economy ticket

Hi all

I'm trying to book an economy ticket LHR-HKG on Air NZ (via airnewzealand.co.uk) and for each economy fare quoted (incidentally, fares are very competetive!) I am told that i am not allowed to accrue mileage on any airline partner other than Air NZ.

Now I know that certain economy booking classes do accrue UA miles on Air NZ (according to Mileage Plus these are YBHEMNOQTUVW), so the question is how do I reserve in these booking classes? I'm assuming it can't be done online (unless I'm missing something really obvious?)

If you book online on the NZ website you need to avoid global saver max fare category. These are the non-earning fares. The next fare categories earn miles/points.

Oops scrub that. Seems the UK website doesn't display fare categories.

I guess you need to call the airline or use a TA to be sure of getting mile-earning fare. Now I think of it, this has come up before (tht?).

I have a similar and related question. I booked a trip on the NZ website this afternoon SFO-AKL-NPE and then returning BHE-AKL-SFO. The online booking options made clear that this was not the cheapest fare bucket - -it was listed as a "Value" fare and "may" earn FF points on other programs. I felt pretty confident that for $1600 r/t, this would have to qualify for mileague accrual under UA MP.

Well, I was only half correct. The return portion booked into W class -- fine -- but the outbound portion SFO-AKL-NPE booked into L class. The price differential was only about $40-50 compared to the homeward legs.

Q: Is there any way NZ would accept payment of an additional amount to "upgrade" this to a different fare basis so that I can earn UA MP miles on the outbound portion? If so, will I have to pay a service fee to do this since I am not changing the flights on the reservation at all, just upgrading the fare basis? Any advice on my options would be much appreciated.

Yes and yes you will be charged a service fee since no way to do it online. You could ask to have it waived given you tried getting the mileage-earning fare online - they might or might not waive it (better chance the sooner you call Air NZ I think since then it is clearly not a case of changing your mind but rather you didn't get what you wanted).

Yes and yes you will be charged a service fee since no way to do it online. You could ask to have it waived given you tried getting the mileage-earning fare online - they might or might not waive it (better chance the sooner you call Air NZ I think since then it is clearly not a case of changing your mind but rather you didn't get what you wanted).

Thanks -- I did just that. I upfared to a slightly higher "T" UA-mileage earning fare and the agent was very nice and didn't charge me a service fee. ^ A welcome difference than talking with most UA agents.

If you book online on the NZ website you need to avoid global saver max fare category. These are the non-earning fares. The next fare categories earn miles/points.

Oops scrub that. Seems the UK website doesn't display fare categories.

I guess you need to call the airline or use a TA to be sure of getting mile-earning fare. Now I think of it, this has come up before (tht?).

My fix when booking from the UK is to book on SQ, they seem to be cheaper and advise if you earn miles on fares.

I want to book online, and I want to earn 100%+ miles.

I wish NZ could let me do that, until they do they are losing my $$$.

tht