Auckland Koru Lounge a playground
May 22, 2018, 11:42 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,595
I disagree with half the minimum requirement being too easy. The programmes work differently. Lets translate this to dollar value, it's easier comparisons.
$3k on flights eg AKL-LAX return sale PE with Air NZ might get me 254SP with Air NZ which is still only half of the flying requirement to NZ Gold. If I flew AKL-PER return with QF on a DSC offer in J for $2.9k that's ~640sc. It's 700 to attain gold and 600 to retain with QF.
I suppose this might come down to which routes you want to spend your money on but most people are flying predefined routes due to a holiday or work destination, but that's just off the top of my head. Despite the credit card link I still think NZ is tougher to earn status with than other programmes.
Edit: And don't even get me started on VA. A family trip is the equivalent of a quadruple status run! And that's available year round (to those with families). I'm sure there's a domestic return route where 4 people can earn 500 / 400sc to retain gold.
$3k on flights eg AKL-LAX return sale PE with Air NZ might get me 254SP with Air NZ which is still only half of the flying requirement to NZ Gold. If I flew AKL-PER return with QF on a DSC offer in J for $2.9k that's ~640sc. It's 700 to attain gold and 600 to retain with QF.
I suppose this might come down to which routes you want to spend your money on but most people are flying predefined routes due to a holiday or work destination, but that's just off the top of my head. Despite the credit card link I still think NZ is tougher to earn status with than other programmes.
Edit: And don't even get me started on VA. A family trip is the equivalent of a quadruple status run! And that's available year round (to those with families). I'm sure there's a domestic return route where 4 people can earn 500 / 400sc to retain gold.
The qualification threshold (900 Status Points) hasn't changed comparing now with pre credit card era. How many people wouldn't qualify without the help of a credit card? With VA's Family Pooling, at least it helps them put butts in seats, airlines' core business.
May 22, 2018, 11:45 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,595
The Wellington international lounge will notice it as will be removing a 1/3 of the flights that use the lounge. Though suspect the 2x daily on VA will drop to <=1 NZ, so depending on when in the day it should be better in there. Likewise BNE in the evening there were 3x VA and 1x NZ. Will drop the 3x VA and get maybe 1 or 2 more NZ so will only end up with 75% of the people.
Though that also assumes VA doesn't pick up the NZ lounge as a contract lounge.
Though that also assumes VA doesn't pick up the NZ lounge as a contract lounge.
May 23, 2018, 1:51 am
#18
Ambassador: Air New Zealand
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Wellington NZ
Programs: NZ Elite, EK Gold, Qatar Gold, Amex Plat, Accor Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,424
May 23, 2018, 2:16 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 366
It sure does come down to routes and class of travel. To get to NZ Gold, you probably need 1 and a half AKL-LAX return trip in the cheapest Business fares and probably just 1 return trip if you are paying full fares. QF Gold requires almost 2 return SYD-LAX trips in Business, discount or not.
The qualification threshold (900 Status Points) hasn't changed comparing now with pre credit card era. How many people wouldn't qualify without the help of a credit card? With VA's Family Pooling, at least it helps them put butts in seats, airlines' core business.
The qualification threshold (900 Status Points) hasn't changed comparing now with pre credit card era. How many people wouldn't qualify without the help of a credit card? With VA's Family Pooling, at least it helps them put butts in seats, airlines' core business.
May 23, 2018, 4:35 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,672
May 23, 2018, 4:54 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,672
It sure does come down to routes and class of travel. To get to NZ Gold, you probably need 1 and a half AKL-LAX return trip in the cheapest Business fares and probably just 1 return trip if you are paying full fares. QF Gold requires almost 2 return SYD-LAX trips in Business, discount or not.
The qualification threshold (900 Status Points) hasn't changed comparing now with pre credit card era. How many people wouldn't qualify without the help of a credit card? With VA's Family Pooling, at least it helps them put butts in seats, airlines' core business.
The qualification threshold (900 Status Points) hasn't changed comparing now with pre credit card era. How many people wouldn't qualify without the help of a credit card? With VA's Family Pooling, at least it helps them put butts in seats, airlines' core business.
The DSC and also 50% sc offers are perks to the QF programme just like credit card SP earn is to Air NZ. I still have to fly more with Air NZ to reach status even with the cc earn. There is no way around it with Air NZ. There is with VA and QF.
May 23, 2018, 8:14 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
Comparing NZ and QF can be difficult as QF has lower requirements for Gold (700 vs 900), but offer lower status credits on higher booking class fares and higher status credits lower booking class fares. For example, MEL-SYD earns a minimum of 10SC's and a max of 20 for a full Y fare. NZ WLG-AKL earns a minimum of 8SC's but a max of 34SC's on a FlexiPlus Y fare. Trans-tasman is much the same. Minimum earn of 20SC's with QF and only 8 SC's with NZ. So QF is much better if you are travelling on cheaper fares as you get more status credits at a lower threshold. Whereas NZ can work out if taking higher fare classes. YMMV.
May 24, 2018, 1:02 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 12
Since the easy to attain VA Platinum won't be able to get me into the NZ lounge anymore. Just signed up to Aegean and got to star allaince gold now only 12,000 miles needed to retain gold makes the NZ program look like a joke in comparison to retain status.
May 24, 2018, 3:08 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100
Which is exactly why Air NZ are clamping down on this.
May 24, 2018, 3:57 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 12
200% on J fares with TG. 150% on J fares on NZ. 100% on all economy classes with SK. Redemptions are also very cheap for star alliance compared to NZ and you can do it all online none of this call to try book a star alliance award through the call centre.
May 24, 2018, 4:02 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 12
Not on star alliance gold they aren't 
If NZ was serious about reducing pax in the lounges they would cut Koru or increase the price significantly to make it less attractive however think the $$$ are more important to them. Children in my opinion she be counted as a guest if over 2 most other carriers have stricter policies in regards to children.
If NZ was serious about reducing pax in the lounges they would cut Koru or increase the price significantly to make it less attractive however think the $$$ are more important to them. Children in my opinion she be counted as a guest if over 2 most other carriers have stricter policies in regards to children.
May 24, 2018, 5:32 pm
#30
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,100