Turnsright2often

Hi from my first post but a long time lurker and admirer of all your expert knowledge which I hope to tap into and maybe contribute a bit as well. So I am planning a BIG trip for us away for three weeks in New Zealand March '25 just as the booking inventory comes on line. Looking to do min J all the way there and back x 2 pax ...and all on miles ....!!?? First leg is getting off the rock (ex lon) on ba as have the amex premium companion and 220k avios which just gets us to SIN HKG or HND west bound or NYC LAX SFO YVR or Houston east bound. Next leg is to switch to virgin miles I have just under 500k and make the on connection to NZ ..dont mind which city AKL or other. The tricky part is matching the two legs up finding availability especially on VS partners and booking with enough lay over time in case of delays and doing that all as far out as possible do we can make other plans whilst there (first time). Not looking for a travel service but happy to take all hints and tips having read all the ba Vs and ANZ posts I can find already and have the aeroplane app and seat spy for availability etc. Appreciate any thoughts bar 'thats impossible ' 😃. Cheers.

Mwenenzi

Turnsright2often Welcome to FT. Hope you can turn left.

Many threads on awards UK to AU~NZ, using a variety of ff miles/avios/points from different ffp's
To me far better to go via Asia or ME rather than via USA. USA needs a full visa and no airside transits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch_Airport

Do not need to fly the same airlines/ffp out and back. Book as one ways UK-->NZ and NZ-->UK to maximise the odds. [May be more options other than LHR. Look at to/from MAN, BHX, LGW, EDI etc]
If ff miles/avois/points are limited would use 1 frequent flyer program out and the other back. Changing ffp's/airlines half way out (USA Asia) on separate tickets is bigger risk.
I suspect your best chances are with SQ and/or QR Qatar.

BA flys to SYD and other Asian airports. Many threads in the BA forum on the Amex 2-4-1. BA ff partners, Qatar QR, Qantas QF, CX, MH, UL can get you to AU and/or NZ. Look at QR as flys to AKL, BNE, SYD, MEL, ADL & PER.
Australia<--->NZ is about 3:30hrs from/to many airports on a range of airlines if need to purchase separate tickets.. Not just SYD<--->AKL

For NZ VS has several partners https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/e...-airlines.html.
While Air NZ is a VS partner have you checked award availability on Air NZ. Air NZ is *very* stingy in making award to partners. More so in business class. And as you state "us" for 2 passengers is harder again. Would forget about getting an award on Air NZ. Just too hard.
VS partner DL also flys LAX-AKL seasonably
VS partner SQ also flys SIN AKL & CHC, Can have award availability. Many forget to look for CHC
VS partner MU China Eastern flys into AKL
VS partner KE Korean flys into AKL

Edit
BA forum--> New Zealand with a 2-4-1

Turnsright2often

Super useful thanks! The one way x2 different programmes was genius - no brainer but i hadn't thought of it!

Have now booked QR direct LGW-DOH-AKL one way for 180k Avios (2 Pax) which is a better deal than using the BA241 imho. Now i just need to get the VS miles booking back NW to LON.

Mwenenzi

Good you are turning left on the way out.
Look for SQ from CHC using VS ffp. And other VS partners from AKL
If you can't get from NZ a cash paid flight to AU (BNE SYD MEL ADL) and award from AU may give more chances. And to other UK airports, not just LGW-LHR

Wikipedia lists airlines/routes but no always up to date
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Airport

Tiger_lily

It's a bit of a kerfuffle but Hawaiian is also VS partner, not sure what redemptions might look like on their metal but they fly from AKL to HNL and then onwards on either Hawaiian or Delta to a mainland gateway served by VS or Delta (SEA/LAX/SFO/LAS/BOS/EWR for example).
LATAM is also worth a look AKL>SCL>LHR
Also look at a cash/avios ticket to SYD or MEL on QF and then Vietnam Airlines back to the UK.
Or again cash/avios to SYD and Garuda back to the UK (or at least as far as Jakarta and look at switching to KLM)
Or get to Oz and then on Delta via the US
Or AKL>ICN>LHR on Korean
I think the upshot is to be creative with your routing and flexible on your dates if you can, and maybe build in a pitstop on the way back if things don't line up exactly. Also check when Easter falls as that will hike up demand and reduce availability

Mwenenzi

Some good suggestions above.
VN offer some good business class cash fares AU to UK.
HA service AKL HNL is suspended Apr to Nov 2024. So expect back for the 2024-25 southern summer. HA are being taken over by AS so will be a Oneworld airline at some time. But even with a takeover existing bookings stick.

Tiger_lily

It’s taking 6 months to switch SK from *A to Skyteam by the look of it so maybe similar to integrate HA into OW. That said, HA is a partner in the way that SQ/NZ are partners and they are both still big partners in *A, so maybe HA joining OW won’t matter in the short term if the partnership continues.

Mwenenzi

off topic
Its a full takeover by AS of HA. Been reported HA will be a brand of Alaska. HA as an airline will not exist. Just AS will have more flights in its schedules and some will be HA coded flights on HA livery aircraft. HA (independent airline) not being in an alliance now, but with a good number of ff partnerships with a range of airlines will make integration a little less complex.
https://www.wheretocredit.com/hawaiian-airlinesBut these things take a long time to happen

on topic
Still consider the OP should look for an SQ award ex CHC. Or from Australia on any VS partner

Tiger_lily

off topic…Maybe not. Both are on Sabre I think, so maybe not a long time.

On topic…Either way, any route on any partner is fair game, getting to Oz will give more options for sure