Ideas for Air NZ ticket - AKL to DXB
Jun 23, 2016, 3:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Programs: NZ*E, Accor Gold, PGR Black
Posts: 51
Ideas for Air NZ ticket - AKL to DXB
I am planning a (Economy/Premium Economy) business trip from AKL to DXB in October and looking at getting the best benefit from my NZ Elite status. I would prefer to book an Air NZ ticket rather than direct with a Star Alliance partner. Looking for ideas that maximize SP, lounge access and potential upgrades - I have a completely open mind on the route, long layovers and partner metal etc... curious if anyone has some one has looked at this type of thing in the past??
Jun 23, 2016, 4:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,118
Have you rung Air NZ to see what they can do? Since it's not an option on the website you'll probably have to speak to the holidays team.
Jun 23, 2016, 4:26 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
I am planning a (Economy/Premium Economy) business trip from AKL to DXB in October and looking at getting the best benefit from my NZ Elite status. I would prefer to book an Air NZ ticket rather than direct with a Star Alliance partner. Looking for ideas that maximize SP, lounge access and potential upgrades - I have a completely open mind on the route, long layovers and partner metal etc... curious if anyone has some one has looked at this type of thing in the past??
The only route that I can think of, that's "direct" and with NZ/*A would be routing via Singapore with NZ/SQ:
NZ282 AKL-SIN 23:50 (NZST) 06:21+1 (SGT)
SQ494 SIN-DXB 15:10 (SGT) 18:25 (GST)
That will give you NZ metal for maximum NZ Elite benefits, ~9 hours layover in Singapore and access to the "better" SQ SilverKris Business Lounge with Elite status.
On the return, it'd look like:
SQ495 DXB-SIN 20:00 (GST) 07:30+1 (SGT)
NZ281 SIN-AKL 8:40 (SGT) 22:00 (NZST)
So only a 1h10min connect time, of course you can choose to connect to a NZ codeshare/SQ operated service instead to extend your transit at Singapore...
SQ285 (NZ3285) SIN-AKL 21:10 (SGT) 10:50 (NZST) which will give you ~14 hours of transit time.
Last edited by Kamadan; Jun 23, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Jun 23, 2016, 4:50 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
You could go via BKK and connect onwards on TG, though not sure what product you'd get on the BKK-DXB route.
If you're happy with additional stops, there are multiple other options, including some non-*A with NZ's other alliance partners (CX via HKG, EY via PER or other Australian or Asian ports).
If you're happy with additional stops, there are multiple other options, including some non-*A with NZ's other alliance partners (CX via HKG, EY via PER or other Australian or Asian ports).
Jun 23, 2016, 6:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
You could go via BKK and connect onwards on TG, though not sure what product you'd get on the BKK-DXB route.
If you're happy with additional stops, there are multiple other options, including some non-*A with NZ's other alliance partners (CX via HKG, EY via PER or other Australian or Asian ports).
If you're happy with additional stops, there are multiple other options, including some non-*A with NZ's other alliance partners (CX via HKG, EY via PER or other Australian or Asian ports).
OP's NZ Elite and would prefer flying on NZ (086) ticket stock, and able to lodge Elite APD upgrades, or *A for benefits/status points earn.
Hence the suggestion of routing through SIN with NZ/SQ.
Of course if he isn't concerned about *A benefits, the most "logical" choice would be the direct EK AKL-DXB service... no point in non-*A stops/connection options at this point.
Jun 23, 2016, 11:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,609
Jun 24, 2016, 5:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Air NZ Airpoints and United Mileageplus
Posts: 13
From experience, it's cheaper to buy an SQ ticket than an NZ ticket even if you're flying on the same metal. This has been the case for me for the last two years when I've bought flights from AKL-BLR: the SQ quotes have been several hundred dollars cheaper than the NZ ones.
Jun 24, 2016, 10:44 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Seems amazing that via SIN is the only option that allows you to fly NZ to a partner gateway and then get a nonstop *A flight to DXB.
Jun 25, 2016, 2:21 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: AKL
Programs: BA Silver, ANZ Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 468
I fly this route regularly and the best option is AKL-SIN-DXB with SQ..
SQ tickets are typically several hundreds cheaper than NZ tickets sadly.
On the outbound it's impossible to get NZ metal without a long lay-over. On the way back you can make a fairly swift connection with NZ metal for SIN-AKL leg
SQ tickets are typically several hundreds cheaper than NZ tickets sadly.
On the outbound it's impossible to get NZ metal without a long lay-over. On the way back you can make a fairly swift connection with NZ metal for SIN-AKL leg
Jun 27, 2016, 10:04 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Programs: NZ*E, Accor Gold, PGR Black
Posts: 51
FYI - I ended up booking AKL-SIN-DXB with SQ direct [Thanks Mart81 & shivNZ]
This was considerably cheaper than the exact same flights via Air NZ - including some that were NZ Metal.
Thank you to all who commented and suggested ideas (I explored them all) it was a most interesting exercise.
This was considerably cheaper than the exact same flights via Air NZ - including some that were NZ Metal.
Thank you to all who commented and suggested ideas (I explored them all) it was a most interesting exercise.
Last edited by Biz_Traveller; Jun 27, 2016 at 10:06 pm Reason: Spelling
Jun 27, 2016, 10:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
FYI - I ended up booking AKL-SIN-DXB with SQ direct [Thanks Mart81 & shivNZ]
This was considerably cheaper than the exact same flights via Air NZ - including some that were NZ Metal.
Thank you to all who commented and suggested ideas (I explored them all) it was a most interesting exercise.
This was considerably cheaper than the exact same flights via Air NZ - including some that were NZ Metal.
Thank you to all who commented and suggested ideas (I explored them all) it was a most interesting exercise.
Happy to see that it worked out for you in the end.
Just a note that because your ticket is issued with SQ, even if some of the flights are flown/operated on NZ Metal, you won't be able to lodge Elite APD or OneUp upgrades for them.
Glad to be corrected if you somehow managed to get upgrades working.
Jun 28, 2016, 3:28 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: AKL
Programs: BA Silver, ANZ Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 468
Yea, this is the thing on this route if you are keen to upgrade then the only way is to shell out more $$ and book NZ ticket stock.
Glad you found a solution, I can recommend to book exit row seats if they're available
Glad you found a solution, I can recommend to book exit row seats if they're available