TT there's simply very little choice. The problem I have with it is they rely on the ignorance and narrow thinking of the average kiwi. No one in their right mind would use the NZ programme if they were serious about earning/burning. But the thing is that the average kiwi - and even a goo number of those supposedly clued in on the game - don't realise that they can belong to ANY programme on the planet.

Agean and Avianca have been better *A options for over a decade. Flying out of New Zealand programmes like the Alaska Airlines programme were often excellent option until they joined OW recently. IMO and despite the degrading of the programme post_OW join, that programme *remains* a better option than the NZ native programme if you're flying in/out regularly.

The other thing that people forget is that earn/burn is for fools these days, especially on NZ. You do far better to simply buy points on sale across other programmes and then use them for tickets. The problem there, obviously, is seat availability, especially on NZ itself, although oddly that has actually improved post-covid. Avianca still have regular points sales and their burn rates -especially when they have one of their rarer burn sales - can be rather good. I'd much rather spend NZ$1500-NZ$2000 on buying points with Avianca and then use those points for a J class return ticket on United/Thai/Singapore/Whomever. Makes far more sense than spending NZ$12,000 just to eventually get a AKL-CHC fare in NZ LCC Domestic.

The NZ programme makes zero sense for anyone that actually wants what the airline pretends it offers.