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Does anyone have a suggestion on any reasonably cost effective way to do this? It has to be on flights.
What do you determine as “cost effective” ? Best earn for SP is about $6.50 for SP and there are numerous options to do this for around $700
I don’t know when you need to earn them by but there is currently a sale on departing Aussie to NZ which spans May – August? Just noticed it. eg NZD
o PER-AKL J 1235 earns 146 SP ~ 8.5
o ADL-AKL J 802 earns 108SP ~ 7.7
o MEL-AKL J 515 earns 60SP ~ 8.6
o BNE-AKL J 519 earns 60SP ~ 8.6
o SYD-AKL J 513 earns 60SP ~ 8.6or combine it with a PE fare on the way over. Whatever works to get to 100 SP.
Make a trip of it. Book separate tickets. It won’t show up on a return ticket originating from NZ.
Just booked a work trip and was gutted when I realised afterwards it would have been $250 cheaper to book separate tickets and earn the same SP.
You can extract >$1200 worth of value from Elite.
– Elite partner is basically free Koru
– Short haul upgrade from seat only fare to Business class with the rate of clearance being really good.
– Elite APD upgrades. If they clear you’re getting the next cabin up for a bargain particularly long haul. Infrequently I’ll use the 100APD upgrade from economy to PE when I realise it’s school holidays and a packed cabin or I’m feeling like I’ve had too much economy. I’ve applied them <24hrs and still had them clear.
– Requalification is easier the following year at 1350SP which might be easier than the initial 1500 required.
– More guests into lounge.
– If you fly to SIN you receive SilverKris lounge access on departure. Not a major but it’s there.
– Improves your gifting register. I think you’re allowed more.
– Parking vouchers save money and are useful for day trips or combine them. Your elite partner can use them as well.
– Hotel vouchers although I’ve never used those, and the upgrade to AVIS/Budget cars. Seemed more like a sideway move to me.
– Also elite rollover points. So if you overfly Air NZ but don’t make a banked year, those will contribute to the following years status so you can sort of underlay them to a degree and still retain elite.
If you already have any trans Tasman tickets check out the cost of upgrading those to the next cabinet earn more SP but you don’t have to fly extra.
Edit: If you need them sooner, Auckland to Tonga goes for 860 in business for 78SP and those fares are available right now on Fridays with the 777. You could book economy back. It will be the same aircraft so no need to worry about delays but that would be $1100 for 99SP. NZ will gift you the last 1 SP.
If you have a partner you could book a trip for both of you but book economy over then separate tickets on the return leg and book one in economy but one in business. You could sit in economy and give your partner the business class seat. The deal is you need to split the cost of your tickets combined but they can have the business class seat.
Ask to seat swap at the aircraft door. Forget asking in the lounge, it’s not up to them. They get the nicer seat for a cheaper rate and you get your SP for Elite at a slightly lower cost overall with the longterm benefits.
You could lower the cost of their ticket by using APD towards at least one way. That would lower your overall out of pocket expenses. Depends on whether you’re happy to use them that way.
I’d kill for Elite. I have Silver and requalified this year but probably won’t next time because the longest flight I have planned was paid for with APD.
If I was close like that, I would make darned sure I got it.
Should be very easy to earn them if you were targetted for the new Triple Status Points offer. Air NZ is pumping these offers out, as there was one just a few months ago, too!
Quick trip to Australia? Bangkok? Singapore? LA?
Singapore is the best !!
Hello,
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