Airpoints is Air New Zealand’s frequent flyer program. It allows members to pick up Airpoints Dollars when they fly with Air New Zealand or with one of its 30+ Star Alliance airline partners.
Once you’ve racked up enough Airpoints Dollars, you can use them to:
Redeem flight rewards with Air New Zealand and its partners
Upgrade your cabin class
Rent cars with certain brands
How do you become an Airpoints member?
It’s free to join the Airpoints program. You just need to complete and submit the form online at the Air New Zealand website. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll need to provide some personal information including your full name, date of birth, country of residence, address, email address and phone number.
How you can earn Airpoints Dollars
Flights
You can earn Airpoints Dollars and Status Points every time you fly with Air New Zealand. The number of Airpoints Dollars and Status Points you could earn will depend on where you’re travelling to and the cabin class you choose.
For example, if you fly from Sydney to LA in Economy Flexi, you could earn between 69.50 and 104 Airpoints Dollars and between 102 and 161 Status Points. If you booked the same flight in business class, you’d earn between 312.10 and 447 Airpoints Dollars plus 299 to 449 Status Points.
Use the Airpoints calculator on the Air New Zealand website to discover how rewarding your next flight could be.
Flights with partner airlines
You can also earn Airpoints when you fly with any of Air New Zealand’s 30+ airline partners in the Star Alliance. While you’ll earn Airpoints Dollars, you may be unable to earn Status Points with some partner airlines. Points from eligible travel should appear in your account within 72 hours of each completed flight.
You can compare the full list of airline partners below:
Air China on flights between Auckland, New Zealand and Beijing
Cathay Pacific on flights between Auckland, New Zealand and Hong Kong
Singapore Airlines on flights between New Zealand and Singapore
United on flights between Auckland, New Zealand and San Francisco
Credit cards
Credit card sign-up bonuses are an easy way to earn a large amount of frequent flyer points, especially when you’re just starting your frequent flyer journey.
While there aren’t any credit cards with which you can earn Airpoints Dollars directly, if you have an American Express, ANZ, NAB or Westpac rewards credit card, you can exchange your points for Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars. You can compare the different exchange rates below:
Point-eligible booking on Sofitel: 1 stay = 20 Airpoints Dollars*
Eligible rates for Airpoints Dollars only apply to "Flexible" rates booked on accorhotels.com.
Point-eligible booking on Pullman Hotels, MGallery Hotels, Grand Mercure Hotels & Apartments, Novotel Hotels & Resorts, Mercure Hotels & Resorts: per NZD$15 spent (based on 1-night minimum stay) = 1 Airpoint Dollar.
Commodore Airport Hotel
Every NZD$12 spent = 1 Airpoints Dollar*
InterContinental Hotels Group
Point-eligible booking on InterContinental Hotels and Resorts: 1 stay (qualifying room rates) = 20 Airpoints Dollars*
Note: Please check with IHG Rewards Club Terms and Conditions for more information on qualifying stays and room rates. Some properties are not participating in the Airpoints program.
Point-eligible booking on HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites: 1 stay (qualifying room rates) = 10 Airpoints Dollars*
Langham Hospitality Group
Point-eligible booking on The Langham Hotels & Resorts and Cordis Hotels & Resorts: 1 stay (qualifying room rates) = 20 Airpoints Dollars*
Note: Please check with Langham Hospitality Group Program Partners membership details as some properties are not participating in the Airpoints program.
Point-eligible booking on Toronto's Chelsea Hotel, Phuket's Splash Beach Resort and Eaton HK: 1 stay (qualifying room rates) = 10 Airpoints Dollars*
Point-eligible booking on The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, EDITION, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Marriott Vacation Club, Gaylord Hotels, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Design Hotels, Le Meridien, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, St. Regis, Tribute Portfolio, W Hotels, Westin: 1 stay = 20 Airpoints Dollars*
Point-eligible booking on Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Towne Place Suites by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments, AC Hotels Marriott, MOXY Hotels, Protea Hotels by Marriott, Aloft, Element by Westin, Four Points by Sheraton: 1 stay = 10 Airpoints Dollars*
See T&Cs for more information on how to earn Airpoints Dollars with Marriot Bonvoy
Millennium Hotels
Point-eligible booking on M Collection, Millennium Collection and Copthorne Collection (including Kingsgate Properties) in New Zealand: Every NZD$15 spent = 1 Airpoints Dollar*
Point-eligible booking on Leng's Collection, M Collection, Millennium Collection and Copthorne Collection in Rest of the World: Every NZD$20 spent= 1 Airpoints Dollar*
Pacific Resort Hotel Group
Every NZD$20 spent = 1 Airpoints Dollar*
Quest Apartment Hotels
Every NZD$40 spent = 1 Airpoints Dollar (T&C's apply)
* Members resident in Australia and in Norfolk Island, please note that these earning rates are in New Zealand Airpoints Dollars™, which will be converted to Australian Airpoints Dollars before being credited to your account.
You can also collect 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $75 you spend with Expedia.
Cardrona Alpine Resort
New Zealand has some of the best slopes in the Southern Hemisphere. You can earn 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $100 spent on lift passes, rentals and more.
Cars
Whether you’re going on a road trip or your car’s in the shop, you can earn 3 Airpoints Dollars per rental day when you rent a vehicle with partners including Budget Rent a Car, Apex Car Rentals and Avis.
How much are Airpoints Dollars worth?
When it comes to the value of your Airpoints Dollars, Air New Zealand says 1 is worth the equivalent of AUD$1.
How many Airpoints Dollars do I need for a free flight?
Because Airpoints Dollars are worth $1, working out how many Airpoints Dollars you need for a free flight is as simple as looking up the cost of a flight.
Book a flight to Tahiti (Papeete) available for travel on select dates at Air New Zealand. Sample fare departs from Melbourne to Tahiti (Papeete). Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
Book a flight to the USA available for travel on select dates at Air New Zealand. Destinations include Los Angeles, New York, Hawaii, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago. Sample fare departs from Sydney to Honolulu. Fares are subject to change without prior notice. T&Cs apply.
What are the other ways can you spend your Airpoints Dollars?
Partner flights. You can also use your Airpoints Dollars for a range of flights with Star Alliance partners and other partner airlines including Virgin Australia, Etihad and Jet Airways. With partner airlines, just make sure to quote your Airpoints membership number and that the flight number begins with NZ.
Companion tickets. If you’ve already purchased a Business Premier, Premium Economy, Economy Flexi, Flexi Works or Flexi Works Deluxe, you can purchase a discounted ticket with your Airpoints Dollars for a travel companion.
Onboard purchases. You can use your Airpoints Dollars to purchase food and beverages, merchandise, movie upgrades and more once onboard. Just sign into your Air New Zealand account to compare your rewards options.
Car rental. You can use your Airpoints Dollars to book a car rental with Avis, Budget and Apex. You also won’t be charged any booking fees when you use your points.
Can you use Airpoints Dollars to upgrade to business class?
Yes, you can. However, you’ll need Elite Status to do so. Elite members can upgrade from one class to the next using Airpoints Dollars at a fixed rate.
You’ll need to make the upgrade at the time of booking. Upgrades are only available on Air New Zealand operated and ticketed flights.
See the cost of upgrades when flying to the following destinations:
One-way journey between
Economy to Premium Economy Airpoints Dollar upgrade
Premium Economy to Business Premier Airpoints Dollar upgrade
Economy to Business Airpoints Dollar upgrade
New Zealand and Eastern Australia
85
85
170
New Zealand and Western Australia
160
300
--
New Zealand and Honolulu/Tahiti/Bali
160
300
--
New Zealand and Pacific Islands (excl. Honolulu and Tahiti)
85
85
170
New Zealand and Asia
260
520
--
New Zealand and Americas 1
315
625
--
New Zealand and Americas 2
355
790
--
New Zealand and London*
--
--
--
Los Angeles and London
315
625
--
Sydney and Rarotonga
260
520
--
*Please note: Elite Airpoints Dollar Upgrade requests on flights between New Zealand and London via Los Angeles are offered on a per sector basis.
What is the Koru program?
Koru membership gives you lounge access, priority check-in and boarding. You can use Airpoints Dollars to pay for it and travel in style.
See how many points you’ll need for membership:
Membership type
Joining fee
1 year
2 years
5 years
Individual
$255
$629
$1,109
$2,549
Corporate (10+ members)
$155
$570
$1,005
N/A
Senior membership
$255
$465
$760
$1,845
Partner renewal membership
N/A
$420
$735
N/A
How do Airpoints’ status credits and status tiers work?
You’ll earn Status Points on eligible Air New Zealand and partnered airline flights.
The Status Points you earn will allow you to move up to the Silver, Gold and Elite tiers and take advantage of exclusive benefits including lounge access, upgrades, extra baggage allowances and more. You can compare how many Status Points you’ll need to reach each tier and the perks you can expect below.
2 complimentary single-use Air New Zealand lounge passes per membership year, which can be used when departing on an Air New Zealand ticketed and operated flight
1 recognition upgrade per year (valid for 1 year and can be used to upgrade 1 cabin class for 1 flight sector, for example to upgrade from premium economy to business premier)
10% OneUp Upgrades upweighting, which means your bid for an upgrade will be upweighted by 10%
You can also take advantage of priority waitlisting and priority airport standby
Discounted business class fares are available in limited quantities to Silver members
Must earn and accumulate 450 Status Points within a 12-month period to achieve Tier Status
405 Status Points are required to retain tier status
Full access to Air New Zealand lounges, Star Alliance and partner-airline lounges prior to departure on Air New Zealand and Star Alliance ticketed flights
Complimentary frequent flyer seating, which is located towards the front of the cabin on most Air New Zealand flights
2 recognition upgrades per year (valid for 1 year and to be used to upgrade 1 cabin class for 1 flight sector)
30% OneUp Upgrades upweighting, which means your bid for an upgrade will be upweighted by 30%
1 extra carry-on bag and 1 extra checked bag
Priority check-in, baggage claim and boarding on all Air New Zealand flights and most Star Alliance flights
Complimentary hotel voucher for 1-room stays and upgrades at participating hotels in New Zealand and Australia
Complimentary voucher for a car-rental upgrade, which you can use at participating locations in New Zealand and Australia
Discounted business class fares
No points expiry
You can nominate an additional 2 people to join your gifting register
Must earn and accumulate 900 Status Points within a 12-month period to achieve Tier Status
810 Status Points are required to retain tier status
Full access to Air New Zealand lounges, Star Alliance and partner airline lounges prior to departure on Air New Zealand and Star Alliance ticketed flights. As an Elite member, you can invite up to 5 guests to join you in any Air New Zealand international and domestic lounge
Complimentary frequent flyer seating, which is located towards the front of the cabin
2 long-haul recognition upgrades and 1 short-haul recognition upgrade each time you reach or retain Elite status (the upgrades are valid for 12 months)
You can request an Elite Airpoints Dollar upgrade for 1 cabin class (e.g. upgrade from premium economy to business premier) using Airpoints Dollars at set rates
The ability to gift your recognition upgrades or Elite Airpoints Dollar upgrades to other Airpoints members who are on your gifting register
50% OneUp Upgrades, which means your bid for an upgrade will be upweighted by 50%
2 extra carry-on bags and 1 extra checked bag on New Zealand domestic and international flights
Star Alliance lounge access, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance and priority boarding
Complimentary hotel voucher for 1-room stays and upgrades at participating hotels in New Zealand and Australia
Complimentary voucher for a car-rental upgrade, which you can use at participating locations in New Zealand and Australia
Discounted business class award fares
5 evouchers for complimentary valet parking each year. You can use these for Air New Zealand valet parking in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington
You can take advantage of Status Points roll over, meaning surplus points can be rolled over to retain your tier level for the following year
When you earn more than 2,400 annual Status Points, you can store Status Points to use when you don't meet the points requirement for the Elite tier
You'll be rewarded with complimentary gifts, including hotel stays, fine dining experiences or short-haul upgrades, when you reach 3,000, 5,000 and 7,000 annual Status Points
Make use of the elite partner membership to nominate a family member or friend to enjoy Elite Partner privileges on Air New Zealand flights
Must earn and accumulate 1,500 Status Points within a 12-month period to achieve Tier Status
1,350 Status Points are required to retain tier status
Can you transfer Airpoints Dollars?
No, you can’t transfer your Airpoints to other programs or people. You can gift Airpoints Dollars to others if they live at the same address by adding them to your Gifts Register.
Frequently asked questions
Do Airpoints Dollars expire?
Yes, Airpoints Dollars expire after 4 years.
Does Airpoints offer family points pooling?
No, Airpoints doesn’t offer family points pooling but you may gift your points to a family member who resides at the same address.
How can I claim missing Airpoints Dollars?
If you forgot to include your Airpoints membership number when you booked your flight, you will need to fill out the “claim missing Airpoints Dollars” form within 6 months after your travel.
If you flew with Air New Zealand but belong to another frequent flyer program (such as Virgin Australia's Velocity program) you can submit a "missing points claim form" to earn points from your flight with the eligible program.
Can you buy extra Airpoints Dollars?
Yes, you can but only with an Airpoints credit card issued by Kiwibank.
Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald. See full bio
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How do I get my frequent flyer points added for my flights to Norfolk Is? They were booked by RACQ.
Finder
SallyMay 31, 2016Finder
Hi Merilyn,
Thanks for your question.
If you forgot to quote your frequent flyer number at the time of booking your flight, you might be able to claim Airpoints Dollars for your flight. Please note that you have to make the claim within 6 months of taking the flight.
You may submit your missing Airpoints Dollars or Status Points claim online, through the “Claim missing Airpoints” function of your online Air NZ Account. Otherwise, you may submit your claim to the Air NZ Contact Centre.
Before you make the claim, make sure you have the relevant original boarding pass, ticket number and e-Ticket available.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
InezFebruary 20, 2016
My daughter has booked return Air New Zealand flights to Canada/USA for June/August this year. Bookings made about a week ago and has subsequently joined the Air New Zealand Airpoints scheme. How does she now add these flights to her airpoints? She didn’t have a membership number 10 days ago when organising her travel but since she likes flying with ANZ decided to become a member and make her travels count. Thanks.
Finder
SallyFebruary 22, 2016Finder
Hi Inez,
Thanks for your question.
Yes, your daughter can claim Airpoints Dollars from the flight. Once she has flown, she’ll just need to keep the original boarding passes and tickets (or e-ticket receipts). She can then sign into her Air New Zealand account and select “Missing some Airpoints Dollars or Status Points?” when viewing her statement. She’ll then need to submit a missing dollars request and submit those flight details.
I hope that has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
GaryFebruary 1, 2016
I currently hold AirNZ airpoints. I am currently residing in France. I am planning to return to NZ later this year. Can I use my air dollars to book say from the UK branch or Japanese branch? I had a go on the Japanese site for a flight from Tokyo to Auckland (one way) and could not see how to utilise my air dollars
Finder
SallyFebruary 2, 2016Finder
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your question.
If you’re using one of the AirNZ international sites, you should be able to log in using your Airpoints membership number when you’re booking your flights to either redeem or earn points on the flights. If you’re still having difficulty, you might like to contact the customer service centre to book your flights and redeem your points over the phone.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
EJSeptember 8, 2014
I currently hold silver status with Virgin Australia. Im looking to transfer all points to Air NZ. Will this also achieve silver status? What is the process to transfer points?
Finder
ShirleySeptember 9, 2014Finder
Hi EJ,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately you can’t transfer all your points to the Air NZ program. You can, however, redeem your miles for Air flights and upgrades.
To achieve Silver status you’ll need 450 Status Points, you can earn these through eligible Air New Zealand and many Star Alliance and other partner flights.
All the best,
Shirley
MarieSeptember 7, 2014
How do I find out my membership number?
Finder
ShirleySeptember 8, 2014Finder
Hi Marie,
Thanks for your question.
To find out your membership, please get in touch with Air New Zealand directly.
Cheers,
Shirley
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How do I get my frequent flyer points added for my flights to Norfolk Is? They were booked by RACQ.
Hi Merilyn,
Thanks for your question.
If you forgot to quote your frequent flyer number at the time of booking your flight, you might be able to claim Airpoints Dollars for your flight. Please note that you have to make the claim within 6 months of taking the flight.
You may submit your missing Airpoints Dollars or Status Points claim online, through the “Claim missing Airpoints” function of your online Air NZ Account. Otherwise, you may submit your claim to the Air NZ Contact Centre.
Before you make the claim, make sure you have the relevant original boarding pass, ticket number and e-Ticket available.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
My daughter has booked return Air New Zealand flights to Canada/USA for June/August this year. Bookings made about a week ago and has subsequently joined the Air New Zealand Airpoints scheme. How does she now add these flights to her airpoints? She didn’t have a membership number 10 days ago when organising her travel but since she likes flying with ANZ decided to become a member and make her travels count. Thanks.
Hi Inez,
Thanks for your question.
Yes, your daughter can claim Airpoints Dollars from the flight. Once she has flown, she’ll just need to keep the original boarding passes and tickets (or e-ticket receipts). She can then sign into her Air New Zealand account and select “Missing some Airpoints Dollars or Status Points?” when viewing her statement. She’ll then need to submit a missing dollars request and submit those flight details.
I hope that has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
I currently hold AirNZ airpoints. I am currently residing in France. I am planning to return to NZ later this year. Can I use my air dollars to book say from the UK branch or Japanese branch? I had a go on the Japanese site for a flight from Tokyo to Auckland (one way) and could not see how to utilise my air dollars
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your question.
If you’re using one of the AirNZ international sites, you should be able to log in using your Airpoints membership number when you’re booking your flights to either redeem or earn points on the flights. If you’re still having difficulty, you might like to contact the customer service centre to book your flights and redeem your points over the phone.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally
I currently hold silver status with Virgin Australia. Im looking to transfer all points to Air NZ. Will this also achieve silver status? What is the process to transfer points?
Hi EJ,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately you can’t transfer all your points to the Air NZ program. You can, however, redeem your miles for Air flights and upgrades.
To achieve Silver status you’ll need 450 Status Points, you can earn these through eligible Air New Zealand and many Star Alliance and other partner flights.
All the best,
Shirley
How do I find out my membership number?
Hi Marie,
Thanks for your question.
To find out your membership, please get in touch with Air New Zealand directly.
Cheers,
Shirley