Status run to Auckland

[mckinj02]

I’m doing a status from Sydney to Auckland and return on the same day. Will there be any issues at immigration in New Zealand. I only have five hours between landing and my flight back to Sydney on the same day.

 

[RichardMEL]

I’m doing a status from Sydney to Auckland and return on the same day. Will there be any issues at immigration in New Zealand. I only have five hours between landing and my flight back to Sydney on the same day.

No, and you could even stay airside if you wanted (using in app boarding passes etc) no real need to enter NZ. If you have lounge access, they can issue a paper BP if you like.

 

[Guvner]

Assuming you’re an Aus or NZ citizen then no issue.
Have done plenty of same day returns for meetings etc over the years.

 

[mckinj02]

Staying airside is a fantastic idea. No transfer desk in Auckland airside

 

[LadyC]

No, and you could even stay airside if you wanted (using in app boarding passes etc) no real need to enter NZ. If you have lounge access, they can issue a paper BP if you like.

I second this and did the same last month on a status credit run MEL-BNE-AKL-SYD-MEL (all same day)

 

[mckinj02]

Assuming you’re an Aus or NZ citizen then no issue.
Have done plenty of same day returns for meetings etc over the years.

Yes Australian

 

[RichardMEL]

Staying airside is a fantastic idea. No transfer desk in Auckland airside

true, but again lounge can issue a BP, or just check in via app and you have a BP that way. shouldn't be an issue.

 

[mckinj02]

I second this and did the same last month on a status credit run MEL-BNE-AKL-SYD-MEL (all same day)

That’s awesome

 

[mviy]

Oh wow, you can do that? I might need to consider doing that next time.

I think the only problem is maybe not being able to do indirect both ways for maximum SC?

 

[flyingfan]

I've done a few runs, including a couple back to back (ie. went to NZ twice in two days). A couple of times they asked me what I was doing, I said a status run for points (I think points is more easily understood than SCs), not an issue.

 

[Mqrko]

Has anyone managed to do indirect flight both ways?
I have booked mines for next year but I remember I couldn't find anything.

 

[LadyC]

I have done three separate status credit runs from MEL to AKL and back all in one day. Two were on a single ticket, one was on two separate tickets. I have never cleared customs, always gone through the international transit area. I've also always had all my boarding passes for the whole day. It makes for a long day! The latest trip had me leaving MEL at 6am for BNE and returned from SYD on the last flight at 10pm, arriving in MEL at about 11.30pm. This was ticketed direct with Qantas. I think the daylight savings difference between VIC and QLD helps with this particular ticket as I couldn't get it as an option before October. The status credit run that was two one way tickets involved me flying to AKL from SYD and returning on the same plane turned around to minimise risk of missing a flight due to delays.

 

[Rangalad]

I've done a few runs, including a couple back to back (ie. went to NZ twice in two days). A couple of times they asked me what I was doing, I said a status run for points (I think points is more easily understood than SCs), not an issue.

Decided to “enter” NZ (WLG) to get some fresh air. Stopped at departures, eventually let through after a second security search.

 

[Ade]

I think the only problem is maybe not being able to do indirect both ways for maximum SC?

Oh one certainly can .... I have done a a few stops before entering and after exiting AKL

Post automatically merged: Nov 16, 2023

Has anyone managed to do indirect flight both ways?
I have booked mines for next year but I remember I couldn't find anything.

I have. Depends how *indirect* you like to go. Do you have an idea or itinerary that you'd like to fly?

 

[clifford]

Oh one certainly can .... I have done a a few stops before entering and after exiting AKL

I have. Depends how *indirect* you like to go. Do you have an idea or itinerary that you'd like to fly?

Quite easy, but depends on how much you want to pay...

 

[Ade]

Quite easy, but depends on how much you want to pay...

Exactly!

Also IME, not always depends on how much you want to pay, but how much you want to fly or how much you need to attain/retain … I have had mates who did the whole 1400 within 3 days and others like me, who do one weekend to make up the remaining 400 or so …

But whatever you want to do - there is something for everyone and that is a beauty of a status run

 

[mviy]

I like MEL-BNE-CNS return in one day, but the pricing for that is ridiculous at the moment.

Whilst WP, MEL-SYD-AKL-BNE-MEL is a nice option if one can get it or flying somewhere else in NZ such as CHC.

 

[Don Gordon]

I’m doing a status from Sydney to Auckland and return on the same day. Will there be any issues at immigration in New Zealand. I only have five hours between landing and my flight back to Sydney on the same day.

If you need you can do an incoming passenger form online for New Zealand which speeds up the entry process. Check the New Zealand customs web site.

• 
  The New Zealand Customs Service
  https://www.customs.govt.nz/.../passenger-arrival-card-april-2…PDF file

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I like MEL-BNE-CNS return in one day, but the pricing for that is ridiculous at the moment.

I will point out that JetStar can be a good option if you can find a Max fare since that attracts Flexible Economy earning. Something like SYD > DRW for $600 return would attract 80 status credits and possible as a same day turn. Whilst not the cheapest status credit run, it can be cheaper than some of the alternatives. Another trick (if you want to call it that) is to force Qantas to put you onto a connecting flight after you book. To give you a concrete example here, my flight back from Adelaide to Sydney had a schedule change of 20 minutes. Most people would accept that change. I didn’t! I called up Qantas and asked to be put on a connecting flight via Canberra to Sydney. So now instead of earning 10 status credits I’ll earn 20. Now I know what you are thinking, why would I care about earning an extra 10 status credits if I already qualified for Platinum status? Well, it turns out I am exactly 10 status credits short of earning my loyalty bonus this year (which can then be redeemed for next program year which starts on Dec 1, 2023 meaning I’ll have a 50 status credit head start for the year), meaning a single extra flight on Qantas would be me over the edge.

Whilst WP, MEL-SYD-AKL-BNE-MEL is a nice option if one can get it or flying somewhere else in NZ such as CHC.

I have no doubts this has been mentioned elsewhere, but arguably the best place to do status credit runs (if you can wing it) is the US. Lots of cheap J fares on Alaska and AA, with plenty of interesting routing options. In particular, last month I flew LA to Portland to Seattle back to LA for ~$550 AUD in J which earned me 160 status credits. And that was an easy same day turn too with me landing in LAX earlier in the morning from SFO to catch that status credit run. I have been told that similar phenomena can be found in Europe with British Airways and FinnAir. However, one interesting feature/wrinkle with the US is that since American Airlines is considered a preferred partner of Qantas you get more favourable status credit earning than if you flew any other partner. For instance when I flew AA from SYD to DFW I earned the same number of status credits as I would have earned if I flew Qantas.

The other possibility to consider as well are the double status credit promotions, which I reckon will take place at the end of March next year which enable you to earn double status credits on Qantas flights booked during the promotion. When combined with an international sale they can represent incredible value. For instance, when they had this double status credit promotion back in March 2022, they also had flights to NZ in J on sale too. Ended up forking out $1100 for a J ticket to AKL which earned me a whopping 480 status credits flying the routing SYD > MEL > AKL > SYD > MEL which I took back in January. This combined with the 250 status credit rollover given due to the you know what, along with a couple of other flights booked by my employer (including a long haul domestic flight to the US) put me over the edge to qualify for World Platinum status this year.

-RooFlyer88

 

[RichardMEL]

JQ is not helpful if one is looking for some DSC magic
just sayin'