Battle of the frequent flyer programmes: Whose is better -Air NZ or Qantas?
Wednesday, 7 August 2024
New Zealanders love a bit of friendly competition with the Aussies, so whose frequent flyer programme comes out on top? Air New Zealand’s Airpoints or Qantas’ Frequent Flyer?
Both earn members points in the air and on the ground and reward flights with status credits. The first can be spent on flights or products in the airline’s shop. Status points or credits determine the membership tier.
Air New Zealand is this week making some changes to its Airpoints system, and some functions on the app and the website may not be able to be used. In March, Stuff Travel obtained a list of perks the airline was considering for its revamped Airpoints programme and surveyed its top-tier members, suggesting ideas such as checking in bags from home.
Most of those potential perks would be for Gold or Elite flyers and are yet to be confirmed.
Stuff Travel compared the programmes as they are now for how to earn points and status, the value of the points, the different tiers and the expiry.
Are you part of the frequent flyer programme for either airline? Tell us your favourite perk in the comments.
Airpoints
Airpoints Dollars are earned on eligible Air New Zealand flights and flights by the other 25 airlines in the Star Alliance group, including Singapore and United Airlines.
Points can also be collected using an Airpoints earning credit cards and at some rental car providers and hotels. Twenty-three partners like New World and Z give shoppers points too.
One Airpoint is equal to NZ$1, making it easy to know how much you need to buy flights and items in the airline’s online shop. Points expire four years after earning them.
Airpoints can be earned on Qantas flights with Air New Zealand flight numbers (starting with NZ).
Members need 450 status points to reach Silver, 900 to reach Gold and 1500 to reach Elite.
Lounge access
Airpoints Silver members receive two lounge vouchers a year for all Air New Zealand lounges when departing on a flight with the airline. For those on Gold, they can access any Air New Zealand, Star Alliance and partner airline lounges before an Air New Zealand or Star Alliance-operated flight. They can also bring the guest who is travelling with them.
Elite can bring three guests into the lounge.
Upgrades
Silver members are given one cabin upgrade per year on Air New Zealand flights, Gold gets two.
Gold and Elite members get complimentary access to seats towards the front of the cabin. Forty-eight hours before departure they get complimentary access to any unsold Preferred, Exit Row or seats located in the Economy Stretch zone.
Elite can request an upgrade 355 days before the scheduled flight and get three upgrades a year, which can be gifted. Elite members can also nominate someone to become an Elite Partner so they can receive many of the same benefits. Stuff Travel reporter Brook Sabin, who made it to Elite status, called it the “perk that ruled them all”.
He discovered a few unlisted extra benefits too, including: “When flying economy on international flights, the crew will load business class headphones into your seat pocket before you’ve boarded the flight.”
Discounts
Silver, Gold and Elite get discounted long-haul business class fares. Gold and Elite get a voucher for a complimentary upgrade at some New Zealand and Australia hotels, and a rental car.
Elite members get valet parking at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports.
Baggage
Gold and Elite members get one extra 23kg checked-in bag and can take two pieces of carry-on baggage. They can skip the baggage carousel and pick up their bags next to the aircraft on regional flights.
The same tiers get priority check-in, boarding and baggage claim.
Status
Gold and Elite members get their status points boosted and their Airpoints don’t expire.
When an Elite member earns more than 2400 Status Points, 1400 of them on Air New Zealand-operated flights while on that tier, they get another year of Elite banked to use if they don’t make it there again.
If you are lucky enough, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran might invite you to be one of 100 or so members of the Elite Priority One level. Those people get free valet parking, exclusive boarding and guaranteed to choose their meal first on planes - to name just a few.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Close to one million Kiwis are members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme, earning them points on international flights across Qantas, Jetstar and 45 partner airlines, including the 13 Oneworld alliance airlines. They can also be earned and used on every Jetstar domestic flight in New Zealand.
With Jetstar in New Zealand flyers can earn 1600 Qantas Points on a return flex fare between Auckland and Christchurch or 800 points on a return starter fare.
Members can use their points on a domestic flight starting from 6400 points or trans-Tasman flight starting from 14,400 points with Jetstar or 18,000 points with Qantas.
Points can also be earned on the ground with partners such as Accor Hotels, Avis and Budget car rentals and Airbnb and on an Air New Zealand flight with a QF flight number.
There is a NZ$60 joining fee.
In April, Qantas added 20 million reward seats to its frequent flyer scheme in what it described as one of the biggest expansions to the scheme in its 35-year history.
The fares allow Qantas Frequent Flyer members to book international flights with their points. People on the Gold frequent flyer tier are given preferential access to Qantas Classic Flight Reward seats.
It is not straightforward how much points are worth. Forbes.com reported the cheapest flight to Wellington from Australia would cost 18,000 points plus $167), making the value per point 0.0190555 and the value of 1000 points $19.06.
As long as you continue to earn or use Qantas Points once every 18 months, the points won’t expire.
Qantas has five tiers to its programme - Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One.
You must earn 300 Status Credits to get to Silver, 700 to achieve Gold, 1400 for Platinum and 3600 status credits (with at least 2700 on Qantas flights) for Platinum One.
At milestones between tiers members get a loyalty bonus of 8000 points or 50 Status Credits.
Lifetime tier status can also be achieved. 7000 for Silver, 14,000 Gold and 75,000 for Platinum.
Upgrades
Once a member reaches silver they are rewarded with complimentary seat selection, preferred seating and more status points on certain flights. Upgrades for domestic flights are afforded to those on Gold or higher. International flight upgrades are for those on Platinum One.
Check-in and bags
Members in Silver and above get international priority check-in, priority waitlist and airport standby and additional checked baggage. Gold members and up get priority checked baggage, priority boarding and access to priority screening lanes when flying within Australia.
Lounge access
Silver members get a complimentary invitation to the Qantas Club Lounge. Gold membership unlocks access to over 600 lounges worldwide. Platinum One travellers get two complimentary lounge access passes to give to others.
Platinum One
Those on the top-most echelon also get a complimentary Platinum membership for another person, VIP support and a Qantas Wine Premium membership.
Verdict
Qantas wins with no points expiry for active members and for rewarding its members between tiers.
However, Air New Zealand’s programme is free. That is always a win. It is also straightforward to understand how many points are needed as one point is worth $1.
As Air New Zealand flies to more destinations in New Zealand and Airpoints are offered at frequently-visited locations such as Z and New World, as well as being able to be spent at the Air NZ online shop, its frequent flyer programme allows most people more options to earn points.
If you fly frequently with airlines in the Oneworld alliance then the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme is worth signing up for.