A common critique of Air New Zealand’s Airpoints programme is that its points offer poor value on flight redemptions.

While this is a myth in some scenarios, particularly where you use Airpoints on partner redemptions, it is true that using Airpoints Dollars for Business Class seats with Air New Zealand itself is usually not the way to go.

However there are exceptions where variable points pricing does come out ahead.

For example, because each Airpoints Dollar is worth the equivelent of $1 when redeemed on flights with Air New Zealand, this can make cheap grabaseat fares a great redemption opportunity, particularly in Economy Class.

There are also select routes where using Airpoints Dollars on Premium Economy or Business Premier seats can offer better or equal value when compared to other frequent flyer programmes.

This guide explores where this value can be found.

All points pricing in this guide is ‘from’ and is based off the lowest fares found on 17 January 2020. Blanks mean that the specified cabin class is not offered on that route.

Quick links

• New Zealand ↓
• Australia ↓
• Pacific Islands ↓
• Asia ↓
• North America and Hawaii ↓
• South America ↓
• Other ↓
• Summary ↓

Understanding how we show points pricing in this guide

The tables in this guide show converted points pricing only, rather than the specific Airpoints Dollar (APD) amount.

The reason for this is that the converted amount provides the point of comparison with other frequent flyer programmes.

To work out how many Airpoints Dollars you would need, just divide the number shown by 59.

You can find out more about how we’ve calculated these values in our guide to understanding Airpoints.

New Zealand

Using Airpoints on domestic flights will almost always be cheaper than a redemption with any other programme, unless booking at the last minute when only fully flexible fares remain available for sale.

There are also no taxes or charges to pay for domestic redemptions made using Airpoints Dollars.

By comparison, all flights listed in these tables would cost:

• 10,000-14,000 Qantas Points
• 12,500 KrisFlyer miles
• 8,000-17,500 United MileagePlus miles

The points listed are based off the lowest grabaseat fares available at the time of writing this guide.

Australia

Flights to Australia are a bit of a mixed bag. Here are the rules that seem to apply when Air New Zealand fares are on sale:

• Airpoints are cheaper than KrisFlyer for all routes in Economy, except Perth. They are about on par for flights to Melbourne and Sydney in Business Premier, though less so when there are no fare sales.
• While KrisFlyer come out ahead of Airpoints on other routes for Business Premier redemptions, standard reward availablility is often little to none.
• Airpoints is cheaper than using Qantas Points for all routes in all classes, except the Gold Coast and Adelaide, where Qantas are ahead for Business Class redemptions.
• Airpoints is cheaper than Velocity for all routes in all classes, except the Gold Coast, Perth and Adelaide, where Velocity are ahead for Business Class redemptions.
• If you have AAdvantage miles, these will be better value to use all routes in Business Class with Qantas, and to Perth in Economy.
• If you have Asia Miles, these will be better value to use on all routes in Business Class with Qantas, except Perth.

Pacific Islands

With the exception of flights to Papeete, Airpoints offer competitive redemption rates in all classes for flights to the Pacific Islands. Fares to these destinations are frequently on sale, making it easy to find travel dates that suit.

Asia

Economy redemptions to Asia using Airpoints are generally equal or better value compared to most frequent flyer programmes.

Premium Economy redemptions are competitive compared to the likes of Qantas, and about equal with KrisFlyer on most routes.

Business Premier redemptions are pricey, so steer clear. Instead consider an Airpoints partner reward. Most redemptions to these cities can be found at around the 90,000 point (1,550 APD) mark.

^ Operated by Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines
~ Operated by Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific
# Operated by Air China

North America and Hawaii

Economy and Premium Economy redemptions to North America and Hawaii using Airpoints are generally equal or better value compared to most frequent flyer programmes.

Though as is the case with most long haul lights, Business Premier redemptions are often disproportionately expensive due to the revenue cost of these seats.

Again, consider better value Airpoints partner rewards for flights to North American in Business Class.

An example includes Air Canada to Vancouver, which costs only 94,400 points (1,600 APD). This is only slightly more than a Premium Economy redemption on Air New Zealand.

You may also like to read our top tips for securing reward seats on these routes.

^ Operated by Air New Zealand and United
# Rate per grabaseat sale on 21 January

South America

You could redeem your Airpoints Dollars for an Economy Class seat to Buenos Aires and feel comfortable that you’ll generally be getting better value compared to a similar redemption made with other frequent flyer programmes.

However the points cost of a Premium Economy or Business Premier seat is excessive, so you’d be better off looking at these other options for Business Class travel to South America.

Other

These are some of the more obscure Air New Zealand routes, also known as fifth-freedom flights.

Flights to Norfolk Island are often expensive, but the rates shown below are quite competitive, and cheaper than if you made a redemption with KrisFlyer.

Also, on the assumption that KrisFlyer cannot see any standard reward availability on Air New Zealand, a Business Premier redemption between Sydney and Rarotonga is also great value.

This is especially so considering the monopoly they have on this direct flight, and that the distance flown would cost a lot more if Qantas or Virgin Australia also flew the same route.

Flights between Rarotonga and Los Angeles fall into the same rule category as for North America above.

Summing up

The single best advantage of frequent flyer points is to get into Business and First Class without paying the kind of money that an outright ticket purchase requires.

This is because a redemption for a Business Class seat usually costs little more than double the number of points of an Economy Class redemption.

However the same rule does not apply to standard Airpoints rewards with Air New Zealand. In fact, you get more value from an Economy Class redemption, on the basis that the points required for Business Class is tied to the cash amount of the fare, which is often 4-5x more.

So, in summing up, here are the common rules to take from this guide:

• It’s usually safe to use your Airpoints Dollars on flights to Australia and the Pacific Islands in all cabin classes, but time your redemption around when the fares are on sale.
• On long-haul routes, always start with a search for a partner reward. These will usually always offer better value than a standard Airpoints redemption flying Air New Zealand.
• Where this fails, remember that a redemption in Economy Class will usually be cheaper than having made the same redemption with any other frequent flyer programme, and will be the better value use of your points. Premium Economy may also be good value if this class is on sale.

Have you used your Airpoints Dollars for travel on any of the routes above? Or do you have any other suggestions for how to get good value from variable points pricing redemptions? Share in the comments below!