VACav

I fly 2X a year from IAD to NZ on Bus Class. My dilemma: if I book it all through UA (my main affiliation--star gold, UA Gold), the flights cost 3-4k more than when booked as separate domestic and international itineraries (UA first domestic, Air NZ prem bus int'l). The latter presents two problems: uA tries to avoid checking bags all the way from iad to akl. I fight for it, but it has been hairy. Second, on the Air NZ flights I don't get the bonus for EQM nor does the fare count toward the UA spend minimum for Elite qualific'n.
An alternative is to book it all on Air NZ with dom US codeshares. However Air NZ is not allowed to offer dom First for both domestic flights 1 only). Outrageous for a Star Alliance partner.
My colleagues use travel agents who use a consolidator itinerary. They have no check thru issues. I don't know the downside: ff miles, EQM miles, problems with itinerary changes, cancell'ns.
Who has advice on how to solve this problem. Elite qualifying on UA is impt.

Mwenenzi

Have you checked with your colleagues about ff miles, EQM miles, problems with itinerary changes, cancellations? Or ask the travel agent?
You could try USA-Australia (UA) Australia-NZ(by ANZ or ??)

Cannot really answer more but, airlines that fly USA/Canada to Australia (most from LAX) are
- United [Star Alliance] (LAX SFO – SYD MEL)
- Qantas [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner) (LAX JFK DFW HNL – SYD BNE MEL)
- Jetstar (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Delta [Skyteam Alliance] (VA & AS partner) (LAX – SYD)
- Virgin Australia (DL partner) (LAX – SYD BNE)
- Hawaiian, via Hawaii (AA & VA partner) (HNL – SYD)
- Air NZ, via AKL [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui (last segments on codeshares) (AA & DL partner)
- Air Canada [Star Alliance]
And others via Asia & Middle East

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to New Zealand are
- Qantas via SYD BNE & MEL [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Virgin Australia via BNE MEL & SYD (DL partner)
- Hawaiian (AA & VA partner)
- Air NZ [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui via Tahiti (AKL) (AA & DL partner)
And others via Asia & Middle East

Airlines that fly Australia (CNS BNE OOL SYD MEL ADL) – New Zealand (AKL WLG CHC ZQN) are
- Air New Zealand (codeshares with VA) [Star Alliance]
- Virgin Australia (codeshares with Air NZ) (Delta partner)
- Jetstar (a low cost low quality carrier with low-medium-high priced fares owned by QF)
- Qantas (codeshares with EK) [OneWorld]
- Emirates (codeshares with QF)
- LAN (SYD AKL) [OneWorld]
- China Airlines (BNE/SYD - AKL & SYD - CHC) [Skyteam]