Air New Zealand Air Points - Airpoints Booking Class Earning Rates - 2009 edition

An update to the old earning thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-new-zealand-air-points/340321-airpoints-booking-class-credits.html) is long overdue.

Here is a link to official Air NZ airbucks earning chart (http://www.airnz.co.nz/airpoints/earning_airpoints_dollars/star_earn_accrual.htm), but sadly doesnt give all details of relevant booking classes. More info is found buried in the Air NZ airbucks t&c (http://www.airnz.co.nz/airpoints_tc.htm#earning).

Airbucks are based on routing, distance and class. Only airbucks earned on Air NZ and *A count toward status. (See here (http://www.airnz.co.nz/airpoints/frequent_flyer_benefits/default.htm) for more details.) There is not a simple ratio between earning for disc economy, economy, business and first.

No points on award classes, and upgrades only earn airbucks on the paid class.

Earning on NZ flights is higher than on other flights on the same route. With the exception of Air NZ flights, earning rates for status (where applicable eg not codeshares on non-partner airlines) and airbucks are the same.

In many cases discounted business class is non-earning (usually class Z see below).


Air New Zealand
NZ earning chart (http://www.airnz.co.nz/airpoints/earning_airpoints_dollars/airnz_earn_accrual.htm)

Non-earning: NR (travel industry), IX (awards), any fare paid with airbucks, awards using other FFPs, competition fares & infant fares (on domestic, Tasman & South Pacific routes).

Status points only*: on domestic, Tasman & South Pacific routes - LGSKP (smart saver & sale fares), F (grabaseat)
* these also count towards waiver of annual membership fee

Discount economy: LGSKPF (longhaul only), QVWT (flexi saver)
Economy: YBMH (fully flexi)
Premium Economy: UEOA
Business: CDJZ

Adria Airways

Non-earning: AEFIJLNOPRTUX

Air Canada

Non-earning: DFEGKNPTW

Air China

Non-earning: INORTX

ANA

Non-earning: EINOPQRUVX

Discount economy: includes domestic business class

Asiana Airways

Non-earning: GILNOPRTXZ

Austrian Airlines

Non-earning: AEFIKLNOPRTUXZ

Croatia Airlines

Non-earning: AEFGIJKLNOPRTUXZ

bmi

Non-earning: FINRTXZ, EGW (within Europe)

EgyptAir

Non-earning: VLEGSWTUOIXRN

LOT

Non-earning: AEFIJKLNOPRTUX

Lufthansa

Non-earning: EILNORTX

Mexicana

No status points are earned on any fares.

Non-earning: EFGIJNOPRTUXZ

Economy: includes D (discounted business class)

SAS and blue1

Non-earning: FGIKLNOPRTUWX, all domestic flights in Norway, some domestic flights in Sweden

Shanghai Airlines

Non-earning: GIKNOPQRVWXZ

Singapore Airlines

Non-earning: GINOQVTX

Discount economy: includes all mileage-eligible economy booking classes

South African Airways

Non-earning: AEFINOPRUX

Spanair

Non-earning: INPRX

Swiss

Non-earning: INOPX

TAP

Non-earning: NPX

Thai Airways

Non-earning: EILNORX, GVW (outside Thailand)

Turkish Airlines

Non-earning: IROXNPVUWG

United Airlines

Non-earning: GINOX

Economy: includes Z (discounted business)

US Airways

Non-earning: IX

Economy: includes OJ (discounted first & business)

Virgin Atlantic

No status points are earned on any fares. VS codeshares on Malaysia Airlines (VS 501-504, 522-523) do earn airpoints.

Non-earning: EFGIOPTU, all booking classes except N on LON-JNB/CPT/LOS/PHC/DEL

Economy: includes premium economy

Business: includes upper class


Current as at 31 August 2009. Updated to post #1.

Please advise any additions/corrections.

zzz

I wish NZ could make discount economy and full economy on partner airlines more transparent. I have had an M class on Air China a few months ago that earned full economy rates. And a B class ANA Japan domestic flight that earned full economy. I fail to understand why J classes only earn discount economy within Japan.

I'm confused too.... I've got Economy credit for (el-cheapo) J on AC..

...but always full F crediting for all US domestic F flights.. no matter how cheap!

I don't pretend to understand the partner crediting.....:eek:

Great work Kiwi Flyer.

I still say it sucks how many fares do not earn airbucks.

I guess Air NZ wouldn't even concede to give airpennies on some of these...... :(

Great thread Kiwi Flyer

For once I've managed to trick our online travel system at work to book me on a fare that books into domestic first class LAS-LGA on UA. The fare basis is "A", ie discounted First. Does anyone know how that credits to Airpoints? I see it's not one of the non-earning classes, but does it credit as First, business, or even one of the economy levels?

thanks!

The fare basis is "A", ie discounted First. Does anyone know how that credits to Airpoints?

It has always credited as first class with airpoints for me. (except in irrops where the rebooking has sometimes pushed it into full economy or discount economy earning)

QUPs credit as first class if you get booked into first class cabin or discount economy if no availability in first.

It's confirmed into First Class so 90 Airbucks for me, hurrah! Thanks, guys :)

Thinking about this some more, given that it's a flight with a single number but a transfer and plane change in ORD, could I theoretically use my NZ Airpoints card for the first flight, then at the gate in ORD get them to enter my AC Aeroplan card? Wouldn't that earn me 90 Airbucks for LAS-ORD (which is over 2,000km) plus the 733 miles + COS bonus on Aeroplan?

Has anybody had any experience of doing something similar?

Unfortunately not possible unless you've booked the flight as two separate sectors.

Interesting. It shows up on my itinerary from our booking system as two separate sectors, but on the UA 'My itineraries' page it shows as one flight with a change of aircraft, so presumably it is not booked as separate sectors.

So what do you think would happen if I tried to enter my AC number at ORD having had my NZ number in the booking from Vegas? Would the agent say no, or might I run the risk of deleting my Airpoints credit and getting Aeroplan credit for the whole flight instead?

Most likely end up with Aeroplan credit for the whole flight.

KiwiFlyer

I owe you a huge thank you - you saved my a**e big time.I booked a J Class SYD ICN LAX VV on OZ in P class for Xmas, totally unaware i would not accrue either AP or Status Points which I need to retain G. I managed to cancel my OZ flights with a cancellation fee - which was partly off set by not having to book a hotel in ICN. I then booked SYD AKL LAX on NZs website for exactly the same fare albiet with only very minor date changes. Plus, it's a much shorter flight.

Thanks once again.

This is why we all love FT.

Cheers