Qantas and Air New Zealand: Points, status and lounge access
What passengers will get from the new alliance.
Qantas and Air New Zealand announced a new partnership in June that will see Qantas code sharing on many Air New Zealand domestic flights from 28 October 2018. But what benefits will that offer for Qantas Frequent Flyers? Here's what you need to know.
Will Qantas passengers get lounge access?
Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers will be able to use Air New Zealand's domestic lounges if they're booked on a Qantas codeshare flight. (So will anyone lucky enough to have Chairmans Lounge membership.)
The news isn't so good for Qantas Club members. They won't be eligible to use Air New Zealand lounges, even if booked on a codeshare flight.
Lounge access is only for domestic flights. If you're flying on an Air New Zealand flight from New Zealand to Australia, you won't be able to use your Qantas status for lounge access.
How many points will codeshare flights earn?
A Qantas spokesperson confirmed to Points Finder how points will work for Qantas Frequent Flyers.
- Codeshare Air New Zealand flights booked in discount economy or economy will earn 800 Qantas Points and 10 status credits.
- Codeshare Air New Zealand flights booked in flexible economy will earn 1,200 Qantas points and 20 status credits.
Those rates closely align with the minimum earn available on Qantas domestic flights. That makes it one of the more generous points-earning partnerships available to Qantas flyers. New Zealand is a relatively small country, so no domestic flight is long enough to earn more points based on distance.
Which routes are covered?
Here are the routes covered in New Zealand for Qantas passengers:
However, not every flight on those routes will be a codeshare. Check when booking that there's a four-digit Qantas codeshare number in the form QF8xxx.
Looking to maximise your Qantas Points total? Make sure you're using a credit card with a high earn rate. Check out current card offers to see if you could score bonus points.
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Picture: Qantas
