Cheaper to fly from Sydney!
Jun 23, 2018, 1:35 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,320
So, upon attempting to book SYD-LAX return using the Australian Air NZ site, it seems I either have to click back to the NZ site in order to login to my Airpoints or, alternatively, choose to continue on the Australian site without the ability to log into Airpoints. Is there a booking method I'm missing? Or do I need to book over the phone?
You just cannot use your NZ Airpoints account for a flight unless the flight starts from NZ
Jun 23, 2018, 1:42 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,194
Jun 23, 2018, 2:35 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,114
By hopping off at AKL you're breaking a journey. As Airpoints earn is all journey based you should assume you will get no SP or APD. If you do it'll be a bonus.
Jun 23, 2018, 4:31 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: QF Gold, NZ *G, TK Elite *G
Posts: 186
I used to regularly use this hack when i lived in NZ too.
Another thing that people havent seemed to picked up on is that if you fancy a couple of separate trips to Australia you can usually do this by effectively only 'paying' for one return trip to Aus. Can even do a multistop booking say ex SYD and return to MEL to go to 2 different cities if that makes sense.
Dependant on fares etc, but just an example:
5 August SYD-AKL
31 August AKL-LAX
10 September LAX-AKL
28 September AKL-MEL
Then just book an AKL-SYD on say 3 August for a long weekend in Sydney
Then a MEL-AKL on 30 September for a long weekend in Melbourne
Another thing that people havent seemed to picked up on is that if you fancy a couple of separate trips to Australia you can usually do this by effectively only 'paying' for one return trip to Aus. Can even do a multistop booking say ex SYD and return to MEL to go to 2 different cities if that makes sense.
Dependant on fares etc, but just an example:
5 August SYD-AKL
31 August AKL-LAX
10 September LAX-AKL
28 September AKL-MEL
Then just book an AKL-SYD on say 3 August for a long weekend in Sydney
Then a MEL-AKL on 30 September for a long weekend in Melbourne
Jun 23, 2018, 5:24 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Air NZ Airpoints silver, Koru member
Posts: 24
Ah! I never thought of that! Plus, it would negate the additional hours of reposition flying at either end of the AKL-LAX-AKL flights. How long can stopovers generally be?
Jun 23, 2018, 5:30 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,194
You’d need to check the fare conditions carefully.
Last edited by Thai-Kiwi; Jun 23, 2018 at 5:34 pm Reason: correcting apple auto-mangle....
Jun 23, 2018, 6:27 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,114
I know people who have purchased RTW fares and used them in conjunction with some O/W fares for multiple holidays across the validity of the fare which is normally one year. Depending on the fare you can get free changes as well.
Jun 24, 2018, 9:52 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Air NZ Airpoints silver, Koru member
Posts: 24
Jul 22, 2018, 7:45 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Air NZ Airpoints silver, Koru member
Posts: 24
I used to regularly use this hack when i lived in NZ too.
Another thing that people havent seemed to picked up on is that if you fancy a couple of separate trips to Australia you can usually do this by effectively only 'paying' for one return trip to Aus. Can even do a multistop booking say ex SYD and return to MEL to go to 2 different cities if that makes sense.
Another thing that people havent seemed to picked up on is that if you fancy a couple of separate trips to Australia you can usually do this by effectively only 'paying' for one return trip to Aus. Can even do a multistop booking say ex SYD and return to MEL to go to 2 different cities if that makes sense.
Jul 24, 2018, 12:38 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HK
Programs: Qantas (Lifetime Gold), PAL (Elite), British Airways (now sadly blue), Cathay MPO DM
Posts: 647
I think the positioning flight is best booked separately. Then book the flights needed ex-Australia. You will need to consider how much of a buffer you are willing to have between arriving and departing Syd, and you may have to collect bags and re-check them. You'll carry the risk in the event your positioning flight is delayed (travel insurance would be useful).
You already have forum member's thoughts on short checking the bag on the return. You could make it a multi-trip just to build in a stopover in AKL on the return - that would make the short checked bag easier, but may increase the fare.
Tell us how you get on...
You already have forum member's thoughts on short checking the bag on the return. You could make it a multi-trip just to build in a stopover in AKL on the return - that would make the short checked bag easier, but may increase the fare.
Tell us how you get on...