Fifth-freedom flights represent a novel opportunity to redeem your Airpoints Dollars. Basically, a fifth-freedom flight is one operated by an airline between two countries that it is not registered in (Air New Zealand’s Los Angeles- London flight fits into this category).
Common features of fifth-freedom flights include:
- They’re usually good value
- Above-average award availability
- Are usually on wide-body long-haul aircraft
This guide includes a list of fifth-freedom routes flown by Star Alliance airlines that you can redeem Airpoints Dollars for at the rates published on Air New Zealand’s fixed price partner chart.
We have only listed those routes where Business Class reward availability can be found by booking online. Other routes may be possible to book via phone.
Fifth-freedom routes & pricing
The varying Star Alliance partner airlines operate a number of these type of flights around the world.
Here is a full list with reward pricing in Airpoints Dollars:
Route | Airline | Business Class | Taxes & charges |
---|---|---|---|
Larnaca - Tel Aviv | Aegean | 250 | $40.10 |
Santiago - Buenos Aires | Air Canada | 300 | $38.30 |
Madrid - São Paulo | Air China | 1300 | $43.30 |
Freetown - Monrovia | Brussels Airlines | 250 | $205.20 |
San Jose - Guatemala | Copa Airlines | 250 | $63.40 |
Managua - Guatemala | Copa Airlines | 250 | $76.90 |
San Jose - Managua | Copa Airlines | 250 | $71.10 |
San Jose - Tegucigalpa | Copa Airlines | 250 | $63.40 |
Bangkok - Hong Kong | Egypt Air | 300 | $37.40 |
Bangkok - Amsterdam | EVA Air | 1300 | $37.40 |
Bangkok - London | EVA Air | 1300 | $37.40 |
Bangkok - Vienna | EVA Air | 1300 | $37.40 |
Wellington - Melbourne | Singapore Airlines | 500 | $56.81 |
Hong Kong - San Francisco | Singapore Airlines | 1600 | $95.10 |
Tokyo - Los Angeles | Singapore Airlines | 1300 | $77.80 |
Manchester - Houston | Singapore Airlines | 1000 | $214.00 |
Moscow - Stockholm | Singapore Airlines | 300 | $28.40 |
Frankfurt - New York | Singapore Airlines | 1000 | $170.20 |
Accra - Abidjan | South African Airways | 250 | $117.50 |
Accra - Washington DC | South African Airways | 1300 | $270.90 |
Taipei - Seoul | Thai Airways | 300 | $25.50 |
Karachi - Muscat | Thai Airways | 250 | $278.00 |
São Paulo - Buenos Aires | Turkish Airlines | 300 | $44.10 |
Djibouti - Mogadishu | Turkish Airlines | 300 | $43.30 |
Ouagadougou - Conakry | Turkish Airlines | 300 | $70.00 |
Manila - Koror | United Airlines | 300 | $170.60 |
Kwajalein - Kosrae | United Airlines | 250 | $0.00 |
Kwajalein - Pohnpei | United Airlines | 300 | $0.00 |
All redemption figures are for one-way travel. Taxes and charges are at time of writing.
All routes (with the exception of Hong Kong to San Francisco with Singapore Airlines) are better value to redeem with Airpoints Dollars than KrisFlyer miles. This is based on our conversion method that equalises APD with other point currencies.
No online availability could be found on any fifth-freedom routes offered by the following airlines:
- Air India
- Ethiopian Airlines
- LOT Polish Airlines
- TAP Portugal
Availability with Singapore Airlines can be a bit hit or miss, but as of time of writing is fully loaded onto the Airpoints online booking portal.
Summing up
We are lucky in New Zealand to have access to a points currency that provides for some excellent value on these Star Alliance services.
Many of the routes are also flown by home country Star Alliance partners, e.g. ANA between Tokyo and Los Angeles.
However flying a carrier in a region nowhere near their hub may be a chance to try an airline you may never otherwise have the opportunity to fly.
Have you used your Airpoints Dollars for travel on any of the routes above? Or do you have any other suggestions for good-value fifth-freedom flights? Share in the comments below!
Looking for more inspiration for how to spend your hard-earned frequent flyer points?
Here are some of our Best Uses of Points guides. There may be some overlap but each guide has its own twist.
Airpoints
- Best uses of 300 Airpoints Dollars
- Using Airpoints for cheap ANA domestic flights in Japan
- Using Airpoints for short-haul Star Alliance Business Class
- Using Airpoints on fifth-freedom Star Alliance routes
Qantas
- Best uses of Qantas Points
- Best uses of 100,000 Qantas Points
- Seven of the cheapest Qantas Points redemptions for luxurious Emirates flights
- The cheapest ways to fly Cathay Pacific First Class with Qantas Points
- Reader response: what is the best use of Qantas Points?
Velocity
Other programs
- Best uses of 100,000 Asia Miles
- Best uses of 100,000 KrisFlyer miles
- Best uses of Emirates Skywards miles
- Best uses of Etihad Guest Miles