Air New Zealand has matched Qantas Frequent Flyer’s status match offer with a Gold status fast-track of its own.
Until 7 May 2021, frequent flyers with Gold (or higher) status in another frequent flyer program can apply for the new Air New Zealand Airpoints “Touch of Gold” offer. This status match is available to Gold, Platinum & Platinum One Qantas Frequent Flyer members, Virgin Australia Velocity Gold & Platinum members, and anyone else with the equivalent of Gold (or above) status with any airline except Cathay Pacific or another Star Alliance member.
If approved, you’ll receive four months of complimentary Air New Zealand Airpoints Gold status. This is equivalent to Star Alliance Gold status and comes with benefits such as lounge access when flying with Air New Zealand or across the Star Alliance network.
During the four-month trial period, you won’t receive a physical Airpoints membership card, but you will receive access to a digital membership card via the Air NZ app.
How to extend your Airpoints Gold status
If you also earn at least 100 Airpoints status points from Air New Zealand flights during your four-month trial period, your Airpoints Gold status will be extended for another eight months (giving you a full year of Gold membership in total).
Upon completion of the challenge, you’ll also receive two complimentary Recognition Upgrades. These can be used to upgrade twice from Economy to Business class on Air New Zealand Boeing 787 or Boeing 777 flights between New Zealand and the Australian east coast or Pacific Island destinations (excluding Papeete or Honolulu), or once on a long-haul flight (including routes like Perth-Auckland or Sydney-Rarotonga).
Status points are the equivalent of “status credits” in Air New Zealand’s Airpoints program, and can be earned for flying with Air New Zealand. (Status points can also be earned on other Star Alliance airlines, but for the purposes of the Touch of Gold offer, these need to be accumulated through Air New Zealand travel.)
The number of Airpoints status points earned per flight will vary depending on the route, fare class and your fare type. You can check how many status points you’ll earn for any given flight when booking on the Air New Zealand website, or by using the Airpoints Calculator.
To give you an idea, you could earn anywhere from 7 to 46 Status Points with a one-way Economy Smart Saver fare from Sydney to Auckland. On the same Sydney-Auckland route, you would earn 33-77 Status Points each way in Premium Economy or 60-107 Status Points for Business class.
If you don’t earn 100 Status Points within four months, your Airpoints status will revert to the level you had before the start of the trial period.
How to apply for Air New Zealand’s “Touch of Gold” status match
If you’re eligible for the Airpoints Touch of Gold offer, you can apply by 5pm on 7 May 2021 on the Air New Zealand website (where you’ll also find the full terms & conditions for this promotion).
You will need to provide proof of your current frequent flyer status with another airline, with your name, current status and the card’s expiry date clearly showing.
Air New Zealand will then review your application and respond to you directly.
While this is a good offer if you’re thinking of making the switch to Air New Zealand, beware that Airpoints is not generally regarded as a good value frequent flyer program overall for Australians. As one AFF member summarised:
Airpoints has poor earning/redemption in general and Australian members are treated as 2nd class (can’t combine points, can’t use easily on *A partners, not a lot of earn partners in AU and also harder to maintain status).
– henrus, 17 April 2021
The last time Airpoints offered a status match to Australian residents was in 2018.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Air NZ ‘Touch of Gold’ status match
