Gekko

First time passing the roll-over and now heading to 3000 SPs. Not sure what the gifts are, but can they be earned from any source (credit cards, Star Alliance) or just Air NZ flights?

LyingFlat

To qualify for the 3000 gift, at least 1600 SP must be from Air NZ/qualifying partner flights (qualifying partner flights are those which would normally count as NZ-metal).

Elite Tier Benefits

JANZFlyer

https://www.airnewzealandelitegift.co.nz/

Here are the gifts, most valuable thing for me in terms of $ value is the long haul upgrade, R class has been near 100% strike rate for me in the last 12 months - had 4 to use and no dramas!

Thai-Kiwi

Having you been checking R class was available before booking? Or just booking and then applying upgrades that have subsequently cleared at some stage?

JANZFlyer

always check in Advance, lately been good availability for the dates I wanted - this is for North America in december. Recently applied one to SIN for April 30 and again good availability over that time.. Generally booking at least 6/12 out.

sonyxperiageek

I've just ticked over the amount of SPs required to retain elite, six months early. I honestly don't see what's the point in continuing as I personally feel like there isn't much value in Air NZ GE anymore. For domestic, sure, I'll keep earning them because of those flights. But even internationally, the products of Air NZ are getting a bit meh compared to a lot of other airlines (as most of you already know anyway).

Like previously, the threshold wasn't so high just to get a free Elite gift that's worth just one or three hundred dollars I'm pretty sure (apart from maybe the RU upgrade gift).

bce1

yeah, the wine or the accommodation or meal is only a few hundred, but I generally take the banked year or recognition upgrades depending on the level of gift.
As has been discussed elsewhere, pre-COVID and in the last 6 months, R class is increasingly available - a LH upgrade can be worth $2-4K. Problem is the randomness to availability.

Thai-Kiwi

This.

greg23

Agree 100%, the randomness of availability and trying to align travel dates / accomodation / family. When you book international travel its not just flight dates you are trying to align, your checking if the hotel you want is available for there dates you want, if the cattery/kennel can take the pets for the time you are away etc, there is a lot of planning which takes place before even enquiring about R class availability.
The fact Air NZ contact centre agents can check R class availability, begs the question why they dont just make this public knowledge. Or at least for Elites who can have upgrades confirmed in advance where R class availability exists, allow us to check for availability when searching for flights while logged into our airpoints account.
Many other airlines make it 100% clear where there is award availability so people can plan.

Air New Zealand's way of recognising Elites is by asking us to jump through hoops, take a stab in the dark, or cross our fingers and hope for the best.

poopbunny

I used to get Elite threshold gifts.

I fell out of love for the NZ BP seats and the inflight meals wasn't getting any better and decided it was pointless to accumulate status to put up with a product I didn't like.

I decided to try other carriers/alliances. Initially just for the freedom to not be locked in with *A and NZ. Then I discovered another tier beyond Gold with access to another level of lounges I never knew existed. Restaurant a la carte dining with bottomless real champagne.

With many inflight meals being meh these days, I value this well above the Elite gift.

To each, their own.

bce1

ha, ditto.
roll on my next trip to London as an emirates platinum!!
depending on which client is paying I still have to use NZ to North America but Emirates is my go to now for Europe - cheaper, solid business class and depending on prices option for F.

Gekko

Thanks for the discussion and feedback. I've started flying QR J to Europe, and will be able to go non-stop to DOH next month (the ADL stop was enough for me to reconsider QR).

I'm pretty close to the 3k SP, so will bank that before my renewal date. I'm a lifetime sapphire on oneworld, and a couple of QR trips puts me into emerald which will bias my travel to QF trans-tasman and to JFK (ex-AKL) - and access to the QF first lounges with a la carte dining! West coast US will probably stay with NZ or UA for convenience.

NZ disappoints with ability to get assistance (long hold times are not acceptable), lounges, in-air product and prices. Comparative across the board failure at this point...which is sad.

JANZFlyer

SameQR OWE, impressive lounges with First through OW. The issue has been TT travel and poor offering by QF on this, the A330 is hardly on the routes to SYD and never to MEL. QF 3/4 options leaving 0630 from AKL has aided my decision to hold NZ till the banked year and earn status with QF in OW.

CHCflyer

Reading the comment about status threshold gifts - do you get a golden helicopter for 10,000 status points as that seems to be some real hard core flying there. I usually hit the first gift then switch to QF as earning more points on NZ is a waste if you know you won't hit the mark and they don't roll over.

Beano

At say $12 per status points that could be a mix of up to $120k of travel or over $2m on the credit card.