New Zealand on Points?

[haserfauld]

Hey all,

My wife and I are thinking about putting together a trip for 2016 to NZ, hoping to get to do some reef diving as well as some exploring and hiking. It's very much a theoretical trip at this state, but I'm testing the waters to see what options we might have and, if we decide to move forward, what we'd need to focus on earning.

We're looking at LAX > AKL, probably late 2016 (Octoberish)
First or Business (First if it's possible)
2 Pax
Lots of points (350K AA, 70K UA, 115K BA, 100K TY, 50K UR)

Obviously for 2 people in first, the only one that's remotely possibly at this point would be on AA. I checked availability though, and there is nothing at all first or business even 330 days out. I know it's limited, but not a single seat anywhere? We might just change to Fiji or Belize or something if it's that unrealistic.

Thanks for any help!

 

[italdesign]

if you have some flexibility there are several options. For example, TG F BKK-SYD (continuing onto NZ) is only 40K UA miles. Getting to BKK is easy.

 

[KennyBSAT]

Collect Delta or Alaska miles for seats on Korean, or Delta or Virgin Atlantic miles for Virgin Australia. VA is upgrading their business class to a 1-2-1 configuration, and LAX-BNE-AKL as well as LAX-SYD-AKL have wide-open VA business class availability. Delta cards (personal and business) currently have 50K bonuses available.

 

[MickiSue]

Are you looking only at RT, or checking one ways?

Also, check for one person, not two. If you can, look in two browsers and see if you can see one seat in F on both of them. You could try to book them simultaneously.

Or, book one seat through AA, one through BA as a partner flight.

 

[haserfauld]

Collect Delta or Alaska miles for seats on Korean, or Delta or Virgin Atlantic miles for Virgin Australia. VA is upgrading their business class to a 1-2-1 configuration, and LAX-BNE-AKL as well as LAX-SYD-AKL have wide-open VA business class availability. Delta cards (personal and business) currently have 50K bonuses available.

I can chuck my 100K TY points into Virgin Atlantic, which I was thinking about as a possibility, but that wouldn't even get me close to 2 RTs. Was also thinking about Delta, but again...without access to ST the best I can do is MR farm and grab the 50K Delta card. If I could get the 150K targeted Amex Plat offer...I might be closer.

 

[KennyBSAT]

LAX-HKG-AKL on CX or LAX-NRT-AKL on JL is 90-95K AA miles. Not ideal but could be used for a one-way if there's no better option or you don't have enough in other programs.