Originally Posted by
Bluewren
In December 2025 I am planning on traveling from the DC area to New Zealand around the 17th of December. Then I will be traveling on January 2nd from Sydney back to the DC area. I have about 600,000 cap one points and 220,000 amex, and 178,000 kisflyer. I am trying to book tickets for a family of five. What would be the best way to try and book business class tickets for all?
So
- DC, USA to AKL New Zealand on Tuesday 17 Dec 2024
- SYD, Australia to DC, USA Thursday 2 Jan 2025
- NZ to SYD by ship?
Note the time zone-date line change USA-NZ~AU. Some people do forget this.
As posts above the days Saturday 14 Dec to Wed 25 Dec is the peak time to travel to NZ_AU. And the ~7 days before Christmas,
peak of peak.
In the days-week before Christmas will be less business class employer paid travel, but the airlines will be expected to sell *every* seat for money. For very good money at that.
For a very long time business class awards USA<---->NZ-AU have been one of the hardest to get.
Getting 2 or 3 (saver chart) business awards on the same aircraft will be hard. Most people would have been looking and booking awards months ago.
Air NZ (Star Alliance), a SQ Krisflyer partner, are know for *not* releasing awards to partners.
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand (not from all airports to all airports).
Schedules can change. Not all routes daily. Lists may not be up to date
- American Airlines AA . DFW-AKL Until 30 Mar 2024. From 05 Dec 2024 to Mar 2025. LAX-AKL. Pre CV19 AA was due to fly LAX-CHC 3 days a week from Oct 2020. [Oneworld Alliance]
- Air Canada AC YVR – AKL From 12 Nov 2022 [Star Alliance]
- Air New Zealand NZ LAX SFO IAH JFK YVR ORD HNL– AKL. JFK started 17 Sep 2022. ORD suspended until Oct 2024 [Star Alliance]
- Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX SEA – PPT - AKL (AS AA QF NZ partner)
- Delta DL LAX – AKL. From 28 Oct 2023 seasonable. Restart due 02 Oct 2024 [Skyteam alliance]
- Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL YVR – NAN - AKL WLG CHC. (Oneworld connect)
- Hawaiian HA HNL – AKL (AA & VA partner) Service suspended Apr to Nov 2024
- Qantas QF SYD-AKL-JFK from 14 Jun 2023. LAX SFO DFW JFK HNL YVR* via SYD BNE & MEL. {* seasonal} [Oneworld Alliance]
- United UA SFO LAX – AKL. SFO - CHC from 04 Dec 2024 seasonable[Star Alliance]
- And others via Australia, South America, Asia & Middle East
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia.
Schedules can change. Not all routes daily. List may not be up to date
- Air Canada AC YVR – SYD BNE [Star Alliance]
- Air New Zealand NZ LAX ORD SFO IAH JFK YVR – AKL – Australia various[Star Alliance]
- Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX SEA via PPT Tahiti & AKL. Last segment on QF codeshares. (AA AS partner) [SEA new route March 2023]
- American Airlines AA LAX-SYD. DFW-BNE from Oct 2024 - Mar 2025(new route) [OneWorld Alliance]
- Delta DL LAX – SYD. LAX - BNE 3 times per week Dec. 4 2024 to March 28, 2025. [Skyteam Alliance]
- Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL YVR– NAN - BNE SYD CBR MEL ADL. (OneWorld Alliance connect.)
- Hawaiian HA HNL – SYD. Pre CV19 also used to fly to BNE ( AA VA partner)
- Jetstar JQ HNL – SYD. Pre CV19 also used to fly to/from BNE & MEL
- Qantas QF LAX SFO DFW HNL YVR* - SYD. LAX – BNE. LAX DFW - MEL. {* seasonal}. JFK-AKL-SYD from 14 June 2023. [OneWorld Alliance]
- United UA SFO LAX – MEL. IAH* LAX SFO – SYD. SFO LAX – BNE*. {* seasonable}.[Star Alliance]. (VA partner)
- and others via Asia, South America & Middle East