trooper

I'm with Randy... there is no ONE answer.. it is way too subjective...

I also use my A$ for upgrades... exclusively... and (even without EF's assistance ) I have an excellent success rate...

I mainly travel SYD-LAX.. and given the other options that have traditionally been available (QF/UA) I found NZ more comfortable and a better experience all round (YMMV!!!) even before getting some status and building up a goodly store of A$....

They "got" me initially with their Y product...

Blackcloud

For long haul flights, that can be credited to *A FFP, I would never put them to NZ Airpoints.
For domestic flights, which is the bulk of my *A flying at the moment, I would credit them to NZ as the actual miles are just so low that you can get a better redemption rate with NZ.
I too believe that Airpoints is jst not working for NZ, they can bring in extra revenue but they just do not have the right earning partners.

AKL/XIY

I felt the same. In the last three or four month there are a few people I know, who have already gave up their NZ's airpoints and swapped to some other airlines' program. For me, I fly NZ a lot both internally and externally.However, all my points go to Aeroplan, now I'm a AC Elite but I have never been on AC at all. All my ASB credit card points I use them for shopping, which works really well for me (otherwise I have to pay $10 to convert them to NZ's Airpoint dollars). At end of the day, airlines are businesses,they are here to make money rather than give people free upgrades and free plane tickets but different airlines do things differently.

Flying Prof

This isn't strictly on-topic but relates to NZ pricing and I raised it in a thread some time ago. I got my comp Gold Elite card from "slice it" and have QF WP status through to June 2010. So, having 3 business class flights to HKG coming up, I thought I might as well give NZ a go and had a look at prices on NZ, QF and CX. The flights are at various times over the coming 3 months and I have a bit of flexibility as to dates. NZ prices are at least NZ$600 more than QF and $1,000 more than CX. On some dates they are $3,000 more than CX. With those differentials they're certainly not going to attract my business and I won't have to worry about how to accrue or spend Airpoints.

ieuan1

Again not strictly on-topic but does anyone know what the economics of points are from the various airlines 'point' (no-pun intended) of view.

I use SQ Krisflyer as my * alliance programme. When I fly on NZ and accrue points to SQ does NZ pay SQ for reflected loyalty/causing SQ a liability? If so does anyone know how much? If not, how does it work?

Kiwi Flyer

Yes, and the calculation and amount is a commercial secret between airlines.

ieuan1

Dear Kiwi Flyer,

Thanks for the info.

I suspect NZ might make money from other airlines overall. * alliance members in US using miles to fly across the Pacific, whilst I suspect most NZ Card holders would use Airpoints to redeem on NZ.

anat0l

This is an interesting thread.

I'm just about to submit my QF WP status (good until end of Feb next year) to get a comp to NZ AP GE through the SliceIt promotion. Personally, I was only attracted because of *A GLD status attached to GE (plus there appear to be a couple of other side benefits), and if the status came "for free" then why not. I highly doubt BD are about to give me a comp, given the M+M transitional climate, even if they do have the most lax administrative checks systems in the world.

But would I ever credit to Airpoints to earn Airpoints? Probably not in my life.

Whilst I have no experience as to what would be the most optimal *A program to use for my patterns of flying (which unfortunately consists mainly of a lot of domestic AU flying, some TT and limited NZ domestic and long-haul), I've had a quick squizz at the AP system and I think it is too difficult to get reasonable redemptions on AP unless you fly premium (or flexible). Despite QF withdrawing Jetconnect off the NZ domestic network, at least before Red e-Deals garner 1000 points, whereas a similarly priced NZ Smart Saver garners nothing (except status). Of course, blowing 8000 QFF points for a domestic flight in NZ is a crime in itself, but 8000 points is still better than 0 AP dollars. (I've probably shot myself in the foot there with the cost benefit analysis, but anyway.....)

Of course, let's do some analysis. I would mostly only fly on Smart Savers (otherwise I'd rather fly a different carrier) on Trans-Tasman - let alone NZ domestic - none of those earn AP let alone any credits of sorts on any other *A FFP, so they're essentially moot. Since I live in AU, maintaining NZ status is pretty difficult unless I visited the seventh state pretty often, or flew long haul on *A. If I lived in NZ I'd find it stupidly difficult to maintain QF status unless I visited the "west island" regularly and did status runs there (or visited the other big island to the east and did KUPP/YUPP runs). NZ probably makes a more logical choice then for NZ residents, but as seen there are other *A programs that seem to fit the bill better (no pun intended). As it stands, my elite status is with QF and the oneworld alliance, and maintaining that with my current flying record is pretty difficult enough as it is without needing to balance off another FFP.

It would also be nice if NZ had a First equivalent lounge, e.g. for GEs only, similar to the QF F Lounge (The access credentials would be similar to LH F lounges, where only F pax and HONs are allowed, but since NZ has no F, it would only be for GEs). That might sway me to give more traffic.

EDIT: And wouldn't you know it - I've repeated half the stuff that's in the main NZ AP forum sticky.

everywhere

GE and HON are hardly comparable status levels.

HON is much harder to get for a start, particularly if you 'live' in NZ.

77Wguy

So are you a former Airpoints member yet - or are you still looking for as many loopholes as humanly possible?
And what did this Anita Hawthorne have to say for it all?
What you seem to be forgetting is that it is not $20 or $30 coming out of your pocket, it's a fee that's deducted from your account for failing to agree to it's terms in the first place, and rightfully so.
It seems that had you realised there was an annual account fee prior to joining, you wouldn't have gone to all the trouble in the first place.
Is it the fact that you've joined, received your pack, then discovered this terrifying annual account fee, leaving you feeling somewhat bamboozled?

It's all pretty simple - fly and earn or invest your time and efforts elsewhere.
In saying all this, your letters clogging up the inbox of Anita and poor ol' Robbie may not be in vain.....like they say - the squeaky wheel always get's the oil.