40love

Hi everyone, am looking for a second credit card to massage some additional SPs. I realise that there are other threads, which I have searched/read, but in 2024 the landscape is different to before NZ regulatory changes to credit card fees (I don't know the exact terminology).

My ANZ card has been good, and the new SPs boost is welcomed, but I'm a few 100 SPs short of Elite. From previous threads, I've established that Elite may not offer me much value as a domestic traveller, but combined with the potential for a greater APD earn rate, I'm considering a second card. From what I know of significant beneifts:

Westpac Airpoints World - Priority Pass, though only useful if in Auckland Airport and unable to enter Koru lounge. Also seems super expensive? $310 pa unless I can churn $50,000 through the card between the 6 monthly $155 card fee.

AMEX Platinum - best APD earn rate at 1 APD per $59 spent, but hardest card to spend with in NZ. $195 pa but currently appears to be the only card offering a sign up offer (300 APD if you can churn $1500 in the first 3 months). SP earn rate average at $250 per SP.

Kiwibank Platinum - best SP earn rate at $200, one of the worst APD earns at $115. Finally has Apple Pay, meaning all of these options can support Apple Pay. $180 pa.

Am I missing any significant features/pitfalls of the cards above? And are there any strong suggestions for any of the above over the other options if paired to an ANZ platinum? Thanks for any real world advice able to be offered.

raznz

a bunch of us have 2-3 cards in our wallets.

ANZ - for SP Bonus on NZ/*A flights
Kiwibank - for buying APD (can be the non-plat card)
AMEX - for best APD earn rate
Westpac - for Priority pass

it comes down to if you think you'll get value from paying the annual on a combination of these cards. For the ANZ card - definitely yes

Beano

The Westpac world card is super cheap as I easily cover the $50k per six months ...so easy that I have two cards...the reason being you can get two priority pass for each account.
IF you travel domestically, Asia and TransTasman the priority card is very useful.
In NZ domestically they have two restaurants in Auckland landside which I can use for both departure and arrival.

But the aim is using the elite airpoints upgrades then kiwibank is the best as you can buy the airpoints.

40love

Any tips on spending $50,000 in 6 months without going broke?

Thai-Kiwi

Or maybe just soak the fee…?

I mean in the big scheme of things trying engineer a $50k spend just to cover the card fee wouldn’t be a focus for me.

AviationNZ

Just a quick call out that in my opinion this is somewhat of a misconception. The retailers you'd likely shop for regular transactions including supermarkets, meal kit companies, petrol stations, etc accept Amex. Yes, some of the smaller retailers in NZ don't, but I'm still easily able to put the bulk of my monthly spend through Amex, with ANZ as the backup.

40love

The fee is substantially higher so I would need to consider the value of paying another $100 pa. If that’s just for Priority Pass then I wouldn’t extract enough value (someone else might though).

raznz

If it happens normally then its moot, otherwise the $310p/a is smaller hit than trying to go out of your way to spend 50k in 6 months to get a 50% discount.

All the Plat cards have the standard APD advance, travel insurance, which for me is enough to justify the per annum
If you're flying enough and hitting elite or getting close to elite, you're probably already maxing out the amount of credit-card earned SPs eligble for qualifying (from the SP bonus) so really it's up to you to workout if you want to pay for another plat card for "a better" APD earn.

tldr:
get an AMEX card for "best" APD earn rate, might have limits on its uses where AMEX isnt accepted
ANZ Plat for SP bonus
and if you want to buy/top-up APD, get the Kiwibank low free visa as a tertiary card

sbiddle

The simple reality is if you're a few hundred SP short of Elite you need to fly more. End of story.

Credit cards aren't the solution to your goal which seems to be to get Elite

40love

My flying is mostly domestic so I’m not going to get any huge earns on anything international. I’ve ramped up significantly in the last 6 months (as evidenced by newly reaching Gold). I was quite surprised to reach Gold at all and now am 250-300 from Elite. I may reach this naturally but having an SP spend earning card would be helpful to guarantee this I think.

I have almost reached the metal required for Elite (so nowhere near maxing out on non-metal SPs)

nzkarit

Elite is 60% from AirNZ Metal. ANZ gives you 50% of 60 so 90%. So really you close. Just need to get 66% flying AirNZ with the ANZ will be there. So that is something 81SP which is a few domestic or a couple of TT a year depending on fare. Not talking much more flying.

If you have an ANZ you should be pretty much bang on the non metal requirement.

adsho43

Both my partner and I are Elite and hold our own individual AMEX and ANZ credit cards. Mrs adsho43 has been Elite for years now through her own personal and work travel. I am Elite as of last year but usually Gold, this was achieved through an increase in travel last year but I'm unlikely to retain Elite. I will easily maintain Gold each year, of which the Gold benefits suit me just fine. As long as my partner retains Elite she can gift me upgrades, even if we're flying separately. So if you really wanted the SPs you could get supplementary cards for your family and get the points from their spending to your account. I haven't done this personally but a browse on the AMEX website states it's linked to the primary account, so I'm assuming you will get the points. I could be wrong though and the supplementary card holder gets the points to their own Airpoints account.

Thai-Kiwi

How many AirNZ metal SPs do you have to date, and how many total SPs?

Both numbers are important. Easy to get 124 SPs for $840 domestically, that’ll earn another 62 SPs with ANZ bonus. Do this twice and you are ‘home’.

40love

sorry don’t have exact figures but I’m rough terms I now need 230 SP with around 80-90 of these from metal, from memory.

as per the thread about Elite benefits I think I have established that I wouldn’t benefit much from this (although a family member that would get my Elite partner may disagree).

so I don’t want to be spending $840 twice just to cross the line. I would prefer to do with without changing much of my spending habits (although paying for a new credit card fee would be spending I guess)

Out of interest how do I get 124 SP for $840? Feel free to DM

raznz

Wellington to Napier/Tauranga/New Plymouth via AKL

or Auckland to Hokitika via Christchurch

return on full flexi = 124SP