YOW to AKL
Jan 23, 2017, 7:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: AC E75K, Bonvoy E Gold
Posts: 20
YOW to AKL
Flying to AKL from YOW this March for business. Flying J or C. Note that Air New Zealand only accumulates 125% in business class vs 150% for AC or UA. AC flights are longer (transit through Australia) and prefer to avoid US altogether. Is NZ significantly good enough to warrant losing 25% on such a long haul? Any other advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Jan 23, 2017, 10:35 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
That for you to decide. But remember that it's not just miles.
It's double connection vs single connecting (SFO/LAX or YVR)
Transiting SYD vs poossibly US immigration (twice if return) vs connecting in YVR.
150% miles vs 125% miles
Possibility of 2 shorthaul planes vs 1 shorthaul.
It's double connection vs single connecting (SFO/LAX or YVR)
Transiting SYD vs poossibly US immigration (twice if return) vs connecting in YVR.
150% miles vs 125% miles
Possibility of 2 shorthaul planes vs 1 shorthaul.
Jan 23, 2017, 10:36 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: HHonors Silver, AC Altitude 35K, AAdvantage, SkyMiles, Bonvoy Silver and a few more
Posts: 565
Flying to AKL from YOW this March for business. Flying J or C. Note that Air New Zealand only accumulates 125% in business class vs 150% for AC or UA. AC flights are longer (transit through Australia) and prefer to avoid US altogether. Is NZ significantly good enough to warrant losing 25% on such a long haul? Any other advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Jan 23, 2017, 12:57 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: NZ*G
Posts: 93
How much do you value how you feel when you arrive...? Flight from YVR is well timed for lots of sleep and whole day of light on arrival, with no aircraft change at challenging hours. Same goes for the way back up from AKL. IMHO, you'd have to really love points to sacrifice that level of convenience and comfort.
Jan 24, 2017, 8:05 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: AC E75K, Bonvoy E Gold
Posts: 20
How much do you value how you feel when you arrive...? Flight from YVR is well timed for lots of sleep and whole day of light on arrival, with no aircraft change at challenging hours. Same goes for the way back up from AKL. IMHO, you'd have to really love points to sacrifice that level of convenience and comfort.
Jan 24, 2017, 9:43 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BLQ / TRG
Programs: NZ*E, UA*1K, QF Plat
Posts: 1,071
Going via Australia you will basically lose a whole day connecting back to NZ.
Is there a pricing difference?
NZ J is a better sleeping product that AC.
Is there a pricing difference?
NZ J is a better sleeping product that AC.
Last edited by WLGNZ; Jan 24, 2017 at 1:31 pm
Jan 24, 2017, 1:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite Partner/Silver (in own right), PR Classic, QF Bronze, UA Member, VA Red
Posts: 1,551
If you go via Aus the 6 hours (and most of the 9 hours) would be used up with the extra flight time YVR-AUS and AUS-NZ and associated transit time in Australia.
Jan 24, 2017, 5:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: South Island, New Zealand
Programs: Krisflyer, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Air NZ Airpoints, Koru, NZ*S and former *G
Posts: 317
What is the price differential? I suspect you will be paying a premium for less points (and it sounds as if they are important to you), myself I would go for convenience first, unless it costs a lot more.
Jan 25, 2017, 7:15 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: AC E75K, Bonvoy E Gold
Posts: 20
They are roughly the same cost. Jeffrocowboy made a good point that even with the long layover in Vancouver, it is still shorter than transiting through Australia.
Jan 26, 2017, 8:51 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 748
Ex YOW via LAX/SFO you would need to clear US customs at some point and perhaps change planes twice. AC to NZ via YVR could be a single connection and no US customs. Regardless you'll arrive in AKL early morning--lunchtime for your YOW body clock.
AC all the way would add 6 hours to the journey to go via BNE or SYD on AC metal. You arrive early in SYD, but since that's 2 hours behind AKL you'll be arriving in AKL in the afternoon--dinnertime for your YOW body clock.
Ex-pat hoser here (take off, eh?) and I would sacrifice the 25% points premium for NZ's vastly superior hard product. Best sleep in the sky in J thanks to the mattress cover.
PS HABS
AC all the way would add 6 hours to the journey to go via BNE or SYD on AC metal. You arrive early in SYD, but since that's 2 hours behind AKL you'll be arriving in AKL in the afternoon--dinnertime for your YOW body clock.
Ex-pat hoser here (take off, eh?) and I would sacrifice the 25% points premium for NZ's vastly superior hard product. Best sleep in the sky in J thanks to the mattress cover.
PS HABS