Airpoints members with >$1000 APD, how'd you do it?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 777
Airpoints members with >$1000 APD, how'd you do it?
Seems unfathomable to me. I get probably a few hundred from credit card every year, though I am guessing most here probably are flying in J or full Y fares regularly to be hitting such high balances. I have even heard of some members with >10 years banked Elite years. I'll be lucky to hit Silver this year
#2
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ*E
Posts: 186
As you suggest, flying a lot in full Y or premium cabins does actually bring in a lot of Airpoints (and status points of course). Last year I probably only earnt ~5% of my Airpoints from card spend, the rest was flying.
There's plenty of people out there doing long haul flights most months - this makes building up a few thousand Airpoints pretty easy, particularly if you're not using them for elite upgrades.
There's plenty of people out there doing long haul flights most months - this makes building up a few thousand Airpoints pretty easy, particularly if you're not using them for elite upgrades.
#3
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,095
I'd probably earn at least $1k per year just from flights.
I know a number of people who put $100k + per year on their credit cards. That's pretty easy when you're paying GST + PAYE with it.
Obviously credit card earn is going to crash big time within the next 12 months or so when the expected interchange fee drop occurs.
I know a number of people who put $100k + per year on their credit cards. That's pretty easy when you're paying GST + PAYE with it.
Obviously credit card earn is going to crash big time within the next 12 months or so when the expected interchange fee drop occurs.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Wellington
Programs: NZ*G
Posts: 120
From a combination of flights and credit card spend. I do put pretty much everything on my credit card. Although, as sbiddle says the credit card earning power could be eroded depending on what MBIE go with.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Programs: NZ *G
Posts: 411
Same for me. I put most life spending on my credit card (if only I could pay the mortgage that way too...), and the rest is flying. Mine is mostly Flexi Y around NZ, with some TT thrown in. It gets me around $APD1000 each year.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 955
I earn a fair bit from flying but I groan at the prospect of another flight as a reward. I give many points away to people who need to fly places for personal reasons. I suppose I could spend them on the Airpoints shop but it just does not do it for me. Coming from the UK with elderly parents I tend to just sit on the majority as I know one night I will get that phone call and need to jump on a plane pretty quickly. I have enough to cover two PE returns to London.
#8
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,095
I recently switch my Hilton earn across but that does mean less Hilton points which can be more valuable. I had about 25 Hilton nights last year.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 908
Nearly all of mine come from flying. I've done 4 AKL-LON-AKL trips on NZ this year alone. 3 of these trips were booked in C class in both directions. C class earns 497APD and 476SP each way...
#10
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, QF-G, EK-P
Posts: 601
Mix of 5-6 LH to US or UK per year in J and 10-12 trans-tasman in E or PE - I also fly most weeks domestically - but as you point out that nets only a few hundred. Clocks up quickly in J. I have >10 banked years. I got given some when they introduced changes 5-6 years ago and last 2 years have got 2 each year - from threshold and also from the 5000 SP gift. I have been fortunate to take one of my kids to UK on a companion ticket each year for the last 3 years on airpoints.
BCE
BCE
#11
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 748
We put almost every household expense through on our joint Airpoints Visa card. I also put 95% of my personal spending on my Airpoints Mastercard. The rest of my Airpoint dollars are accrued through travel: about 3-4 domestic, perhaps 2 trans-Tasman or the Islands, and 4-5 international Y class trips (Europe, North America, Asia).
#13
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ Gold, BA Gold, QF Silver, IHG Platinum Elite Ambassador, Accor Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Long haul in premium cabins, NZ or not, and I rarely spend them except on Elite upgrades, the odd OneUp when not Elite or *A business or first reward tickets. The latter can be excellent value on some routes when available.
#14
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,317
Building the points up
I'd probably earn at least $1k per year just from flights.
I know a number of people who put $100k + per year on their credit cards. That's pretty easy when you're paying GST + PAYE with it.
Obviously credit card earn is going to crash big time within the next 12 months or so when the expected interchange fee drop occurs.
I know a number of people who put $100k + per year on their credit cards. That's pretty easy when you're paying GST + PAYE with it.
Obviously credit card earn is going to crash big time within the next 12 months or so when the expected interchange fee drop occurs.
But due to the surcharges you are really paying for the points.
Still I find it is worth paying the surcharge as (the Westpac World Card) then has no fees and extra 55 days of free credit really assists the business cashflows (you do need several cards to time the payments or the days of credit can be very short)
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 777
FWIW, I made a submission to MBIE on that matter as well. The sooner the payment processing fees come down the better. Needs more regulation IMO.
http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-service...sions-received