nycguy

I'm based in NY and am contemplating a trip to Aus/NZ in April and want to take advantage of UA DEQM offer. I'm a beginner at this but it looks like the best way is to fly round trip on UA metal throught SFO/LAX on to SYD, then add a NZ South Pacific Airpass to hit 2-3 cities in NZ. Does anyone have experience as to the relative value of the Airpass vs. direct booking? I believe UA stopped their flights to Auckland from US thus my thought of going through Aus. We would spend some time sightseening in Aus as well.
Thanks.

Kiwi Flyer

As long as you don't need flexibility, can travel outside peak dates (watch for school holidays in April and easter), and book more than (generally) a week in advance, then fares trans-tasman and inter-NZ are fairly cheap.

zigzagg900

On UA website try a multi-city booking: JFK-SYD-AKL. SYD as a stopover instead of final destination.

Last year I flew LAS-SYD-AKL then CHC-SYD-LAS on an M fare, and it ended up being cheaper than LAX-SYD. (This year it may be different because of the sale.)

Then I flew AKL-WLG and WLG-CHC on Virgin Blue for $60 each, which maybe cheaper than an air pass. Qantas and Air NZ also fly those routes, but I think they only allow bookings from NZ and OZ residents for those fares.

The aerial views are stunning especially in and out of Wellington.

Advantages:
1) Upgraded on UA on the Transpac segments
2) free stopovers in SYD each way
3) Air NZ service (hot meal, wine, newspapers)

Disadvantages:
1) no FF miles on SYD-AKL or CHC-SYD (Air NZ) segments
2) slightly longer routing

nycguy

Thanks. I'll check the separate segments a little closer to our travel dates. Looks like the current cheapest fares on NZ won't accrue FF miles but the airpass books in T which will, and it's not much more. There is a cheap LAN flight on our first leg from SYD-AKL but we're hoping to get economy+ type seating on NZ.

Kiwi Flyer

space+ seating on NZ is available on full fare or to *G pax

domestic flights between AKL, WLG, CHC typically around NZ$60 o/w in between sales and quite a bit less during sales (in the last few months I've bought fares between NZ$1 and NZ$30 o/w)

with jetstar taking over from qantas there have been lots of domestic sales this year

nycguy

Thanks. We ended up booking the airpass in T class for about the same price as a direct purchase lower fare basis NZ multistop ticket which wouldn't have accrued UA miles and we have great flexibility with travel dates. The NZ CSR was clueless about many of the Airpass features, and tried to charge me an additional $250 per ticket for "fuel surcharge" so be sure you read the ticket conditions if you book one of these.

flaii

Hi all - this has been a useful thread for me to read. I am flying into SYD on a *A RTW award ticket issued by UA, and also want to visit NZ at the same time. I'd also been debating booking each leg individually, vs. Airpass, and since I really want to earn status miles, I think I will investigate the cost of the Airpass a bit more. (btw, is there a way using the online tool to find out how much your itinerary costs?)

Question: what is the best way to book the South Pacific Airpass? I am currently in Laos, will be going to Cambodia soon, and have 1.5 days in Bangkok before my flight to SYD. Is it best to call someone (I have Skype, so can call anywhere I think), or to visit an airline city ticket office in BKK? If I should visit a ticket office, which airline should I go to?

The reason why I ask, is because when I was in IST, and wanted to book a *A Asia Airpass, I went to the main TK city ticket office and 3 of the staff consulted each other with my request and basically told me they don't book tickets on other airlines, and sent me away! I had thought that you could book any *A Airpass product in any *A ticket office...

Thanks in advance for your advice.

nycguy

I used my recent Airpass from AUS-NZ and then within NZ and had decent success booking by phone via the NZ US reservations number. Once we were in the south pacific, I went to NZ city offices to make changes. Wide discrepancies on how much the different offices knew about the passes so be prepared and be sure and bring along a copy of the rules from the website. I had no fewer than 3 separate NZ CSR's try and charge me $100 per ticket for changes when the rules specifically allow for free changes as long as the routing stays the same.

flaii

Nycguy - great advice, thanks!

flaii

I just got back from my trip and wanted to post my experience. I ended up not getting an Airpass, mainly because I didn't decide where to visit in Australia/NZ until after I arrived in SYD, but also because the fare estimator on the *A website gave me a total price that was just a few $s more than booking directly with NZ. I traveled between Australia and NZ a lot in my month there (SYD-AKL-MEL-CHC, ZQN-CHC-AKL-SYD).

I found that when you book the "Flexi Saver" fares (Tasman Flexi Saver, or Domestic Flexi Saver), you get T class which is what the Airpass books into. Sometimes Flexi Saver was 2x or 3x Smart Saver (the non-mileage earning fare), but sometimes it was just a few dollars more. I also found that the fares within each fare type didn't seem to change much depending on how far in advance you book, but the cheaper fares naturally get booked up before the fore expensive ones (the fully flexible or business fares). I also found that buying round trip was no different than one-way, or open jaw. So not sure what the situation would be in peak season, but I found it easy enough to just buy the tickets to my next destination when I felt ready to, about 2-3 days in advance.

I guess the benefit of the Airpass is free changes, whereas with the Flexi Saver fare you do have to pay change fees. Also keep in mind that if you fly into Australia, and want to buy your NZ and trans-Tasman tickets "as you go" vs. all at once, you do at least have to purchase your ticket OUT of NZ to satisfy immigration requirements for visitors.