Originally Posted by
kiwifrequentflyer
A business class flight to the USA one way nets you 300 SP and a PE flight nets you 130ish SP. With a mixture of both on at least two yearly long haul flights and their other travel, they can easily get to the required metal requirement and combine that with credit card SP. Again that requires credit card SP but it's important to note because I would wager a lot of people who fly that much and in any sort of premium cabin at all also spend enough on their CC to make up the difference.
Agreed, on paper it only takes 2 return trips to LAX in non discounted business class (or 4 prem economy return) plus 200 - 300 SP from other sources to get to Elite, I think my problem is that long haul flights with work require me to book cheaper business class/prem economy flights if available, usually meaning another Star Alliance Airline, which impacts my ability to get up to Elite with Air NZ.
For example, a non discounted Air NZ business class from Auckland to Singapore can earn 200 ish SP, but a Singapore airline Business class to Singapore will only accrual around 120 SP to Airpoints based on my experience. I am unable to book Air NZ 100% of the time, and therefore is thinking whether I am better off with another FFP.
Elite would be very nice and tempting, and the APD upgrades was amazing value when I last had Elite about 3 years ago. But I am not likely to hit it every year (consistently) unless my travels got busier.
My travel pattern got me just over 1000 status points in the past 9 months, but I don't see myself getting another 400 SP for the next 3 months to get up to Elite.
I think what i really want out of the FFP is just to maximise the value of my spending, knowing I most likely will stay at the Gold Level if nothing changes, but based on the above comments, maybe my best approach is to just fly once or twice more with Air NZ on PE or B to sneak up to Elite and enjoy.
Are there anyone using another Star Alliance FFP but fully based in Auckland?