The 5am embargo is now over so I wanted to be the first to give my thoughts on the new Koru (was Airpoints) program.

There are five tiers- Koru Bronze (new), Koru Silver, Koru Gold, Koru Platinum (was Elite), Koru Black (new). Black will require 3200 SP to obtain.

The good news is that the benefits of existing tiers are *not* being slashed in any way.

Black will include 3 x longhaul RU and 2 x shorthaul RU, extra parking vouchers, OneUp bids upweighted by 60%, and the new Koru Circle allowing you to gift status to friends or family (an extension of the current Elite Partner). The old Elite Partner is now known as Koru Platinum Nominee and Koru Black is Koru Black Nominee (stupid name if you ask me).

And there we have it.. After years of hype about a refresh of the program we now have Koru Black that is essentially going to give you an extra longhaul RU, and extra shorthaul RU, and some extra parking vouchers. Meh.

Air NZ could have delivered innovation and delivered benefits that could have truly made chasing Black worth it. They could have delivered benefits that could have created loyalty and improved the travel experience for the (at my guess) potentially five thousand people that would qualify for this status.. But instead of doing this they gave two more recognition upgrades.. Recognition upgrades that many people struggle to use... Oh and did I mention they're going to upweight OneUp bids by a whopping 60%! Woohoo. Oh wait, why would any Black member even consider a OneUp bid over an APD upgrade?!

Just imagine how innovative offering Koru Black members something as simple as free same day flexibility on all domestic and Trans Tasman fares would have been - this would have been a true benefit.

How about offering them free domestic airfares as a perk? I'm sure offering somebody who's potentially spend $30,000 to get Black would have loved say 3 free domestic flights per year theat they could use for themself or gift to friends or family over a few extra parking vouchers which would actually cost around the same (tax and fees on a flight is just over $60 for a typical jet service).

Air NZ are being hurt hard to Qantas and I don't see anything in here that would drive loyalty to the Air NZ brand. I know a couple of people who are FIFO workers in Aussie and have chatted to both of them lately about FFP's and they both agree the best strategy now is to split their loyalty. Koru Black should have driven loyalty to the airline and kept people who hit the ~3K SP mark loyal to the airline, but IMHO it's totally failed at that. There is absolutely no incentive for anybody to stay loyal, and plenty of benefits in splitting the loyalty so you've got Platinum with NZ and QF.

With no plans to bring back the ability to top up APD (which makes them potentially the only airline in the world that doesn't offer the ability to buy points), an upgrade system that is still largely a lottery unless you're like us savvy people who know how it works, overcrowded lounges with what has increasingly become pretty mediocre food, terrible Trans Tasman schedules out of WLG and CHC that are forcing people to other airlines, and very little recognition of status, I really wonder what purpose there is of anybody actually wanting to be an Air NZ fanboi any longer.

If this is the best they can come up with it's no wonder the business is struggling. These people may have a marketing degree and think they're a loyalty expert but it's pretty clear they have zero understanding of what their average frequent flyer wants. None of this stuff is rocket science and I really struggle to understand why they're not doing a far better job.. But maybe when you think you know it all you don't bother actually asking.

The Airpoints program is being rebranded as Koru and will be topped by the long-awaited new Koru Black status tier as of April 2026.

There'll also be a fresh entry-level Koru Bronze tier, while Elite becomes Koru Platinum.

Air New Zealand lounges will become Koru Lounges, while the new business class lounge to open at Auckland International Airport in mid-2026 will be known as the Koru Premier Lounge.

Here's a breakdown of what's happening, based on a pre-brief with AirNZ – you'll also notice some familiar FT names in this article, sharing their own takes on the changes: https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...nts-koru-black





The official AirNZ pages should now be live at https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/koru-loyalty-programme and https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/compare-koru-tiers

Koru Club,
Koru Bronze,
Koru Silver,
Koru Platinum,
Koru Black,
EP1.

Not exactly simple is it? I can't really see a huge difference between tiers on the comparison page either; https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/compare-koru-tiers

Does anybody have any information on the "more meaningful rewards" that were mentioned in the email? I can't see anything on the website.

In typical Air NZ style, lots of flash, talk, hype, marketing, branding and zero substance

Nothing about qualification
https://www.airnewzealand.com/compare-koru-tiers

Not at all clear from first glance at this or the Air NZ email what status points (if any) are required to achieve Koru Black. I am a current Airpoints Elite & it appears it will be like for like, except I am no longer the top tier of valued customer. Not convinced it achieves the "greater clarity", "more meaningful recognition" or "new ways to feel valued" the new Koru video proudly proclaims!

Adding my article here, based on a pre-brief with AirNZ with some extra details beyond the official announcement � you'll also notice some familiar FT names sharing their own takes on the changes: https://www.executivetraveller.com/n...nts-koru-black

This Herald article mentions 3200 SPs will be required: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...E63U3BA5Z4GHA/
I guess from a service point of view Elites are now the new Gold?

I received the email and was excited to see what�s coming next.

Couldn't believe my eyes on the new perks there ain't even any of the free same day changes for Koru Black given the scale of AirNZ�s operation? So really, nothing tangible.

I guess it�s good news for gold if your travel more internationally with different *A or even elite if you travel mostly AirNZ.

This is my last year of getting Elite and I have already reached and maintained Platinum with QF whose lounges - especially globally are much nicer than *A lounges.

Recently relocated to the UK I still have a NZ credit card and can see it�s still doable to just maintain a NZ gold� nothing more

The friends and family perk looks interesting. And do my banked years keep me in Black or only keep me in Platinum?

My membership year ended recently and I got an email this morning saying..

So, I guess 3200 is the new magic number.

Not sure if my banked years are Black or Platinum yet. Or if my membership year will reset to April from next year.

The only incremental benefits of Black announced so far is basically an extra shorthaul RU, valet parking vouchers and First Class lounge access at LAX (you’d have gotten the extra RU at 3000/1600 earn via Elite Gift anyway under the current (old?) system…..

I want to know if you still pocket an Elite (Platinum) banked year at 2400/1400 regardless of status? Or if you are Black then the system doesn’t give you one when go past that threshold when requalifying for Black as it sees you as going for a Black banked year and not a Platinum
banked year?

My email this morning welcomed me to Black….I’ve met the status point threshold but not qualifying flights threshold yet

It seems strange that they don't appear to have rebranded Airpoints Dollars to Koru Dollars - I assume that will probably happen.

There is also no mention of a banked year for Platinum that I can see at a quick glance. If this has been scrapped it's going to be a major devaluation of the program.

Overall this refresh is simply unexciting and for most people will mean nothing. My flying isn't going to earn me enough to get to Black but even as a huge fanboi I can't see people actually being excited about it. If anything these changes run the very real risk of doing exactly the opposite of what Air NZ intend them to do and actually drive people to other FFPs once they reach Platinum.

It really just shows how lacking in airline knowledge the board and exec team truly are.

No mention of banked years under Black. What�s happening to them (earning/retaining banked years?)

That is so...underwhelming. Being somewhat of an optimist, one could imagine that having an additional tier gives more leeway to adjust benefits In The Future (tm), but yeah nah, this doesn't immediately incentivise anyone to chase Black, does it?

Agree with comments in Exec article and here. 3200 is manageable but would be a push for me - I currently split between OW and NZ to maintain OWE (currently via QR but usually QF). Once I reach banked year usually switch or sometimes reach yo get the SP gift of upgrade

the benefits (while being a competitive person so wanting black) are not enough to justify flying NZ to Europe in J (which sucks vs other offerings) and returning all TT travel to NZ (in J from AKL there are not enough wide body flights to make it convenient).

I can still use the new lounge, usually pay for J for personal travel given the lottery.

would have aimed for this 100% if
1. guaranteed upgrades if seats
2. flexibility TT and Domesfic
3. personal and efficient direct phone access