Air New Zealand Air Points - Which loyalty program to use? ANZ, VA or UA?

Hi,

I'm flying Air New Zealand LHR -> Hong Kong -> Auckland -> Christchurch -> Auckland -> Shanghia and then Virgin Atlantic for the final leg of Shanghai -> LHR with an S class ticket.

Can anyone enlighten me what I'm likely to get from either ANZ, Virgin or UA frequent flyer schemes so I can maximise my points? I'm already a member of UA Mileage+ but not the others.

Many thanks!
Allthe2s.

Hi,

I'm flying Air New Zealand LHR -> Hong Kong -> Auckland -> Christchurch -> Auckland -> Shanghia and then Virgin Atlantic for the final leg of Shanghai -> LHR with an S class ticket.

Can anyone enlighten me what I'm likely to get from either ANZ, Virgin or UA frequent flyer schemes so I can maximise my points? I'm already a member of UA Mileage+ but not the others.

Many thanks!
Allthe2s.


Air New Zealand fligths in S class doesn't earn any points in Mileage Plus.
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,1181,00.html

Discount economy Air NZ flights earn 70% of miles flown according to Virgin's Flying Club web page: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us/frequentflyer/fcpartners/airlines/airnewzealand.jsp?bfSubmit1.x=29&bfSubmit1.y=15, but Air NZ's web page claims that no partner program miles are earned in S class, so I would be yhink you wouldn't get any miles for NZ flights if using Virgin's program (but you should earn Virgin miles for the Virgin flight)

NZ Airpoints earning shown in this page: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpoints/earning_airpoints_dollars/airnz_earn_accrual.htm
(Note that Airpoints members cannot earn Airpoints Dollars in conjunction with Domestic, Tasman and Pacific Island Smart Saver fares booked in L,G,S, K & P booking classes)
Also note that travel that is not solely on Air New Zealand ticketed and operated flights (i.e. you use your NZ FF program for earning miles on the Virgin PVG-LHR flight as well as all NZ operated flights) will be counted as mixed travel, and Airpoints Dollars earned will be calculated using the Airline Partner Earn Chart: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpoints/earning_airpoints_dollars/star_earn_accrual.htm

Thanks

But don't Air NZ now allow you to earn NZ rates for NZ segments on mixed itinerary's?

I was under the impression that if an itinerary contained NZ and partner segments then all segments were credited as according to the partner airline chart. But lot's of people complained to NZ changed the rules so that NZ segments credited at NZ rates and partner segments at partner rates.

But don't Air NZ now allow you to earn NZ rates for NZ segments on mixed itinerary's?

I was under the impression that if an itinerary contained NZ and partner segments then all segments were credited as according to the partner airline chart. But lot's of people complained to NZ changed the rules so that NZ segments credited at NZ rates and partner segments at partner rates.

There are still differences between earning $ on NZ-only itineraries and earning $ on NZ flights included in a mixed NZ/partner itinerary.
Example: HKG-LHR in C earns $160 on NZ flights according to the partner earn chart, while you earn $330 according to the NZ-only earn chart.

Hi,

I'm flying Air New Zealand LHR -> Hong Kong -> Auckland -> Christchurch -> Auckland -> Shanghia and then Virgin Atlantic for the final leg of Shanghai -> LHR with an S class ticket.

Can anyone enlighten me what I'm likely to get from either ANZ, Virgin or UA frequent flyer schemes so I can maximise my points? I'm already a member of UA Mileage+ but not the others.

Many thanks!
Allthe2s.

I would take a look at BMI as well, you can credit :-:A and VS to Diamond Club.

tht