Avios/ air miles, any good?

applepad

Planning a holiday to New Zealand for a family of 4, all classed as adults.

It's going to be expensive but could getting an air miles credit card help cut the cost?

Can you use 'miles' to part pay?

Sorry new to all this

blindman

applepad wrote: »

Planning a holiday to New Zealand for a family of 4, all classed as adults.

It's going to be expensive but could getting an air miles credit card help cut the cost?

Can you use 'miles' to part pay?

Sorry new to all this

Have a look at Headforpoints re how to collect and use Avios

Collecting enough for NZ will be a challenge, but a bigger one will be getting availability (especially for 4 adults).

I used BMI miles (Not avios)to fly to NZ a few years back. Only 2 Adults and over Xmas New Year so it's doable.

Had to research a lot and go a convoluted route

Germany-Japan-NZ

NZ-Australia-Turkey-Home.

Managed it all in Business and one First class

PeacefulWaters

You'd be better seeking out cheap business class seats, bagging a shed load of Avios and utilising them for future trips to Europe!

The BA section of the Flyertalk forum has a "J&F" fare section well worth getting involved in.

Caz3121

applepad wrote: »

Can you use 'miles' to part pay?

You can use BA Avios to part pay on BA flights (and AA transatlantic flights). BA do not fly to New Zealand so will not help.

applepad

I have flown to NZ with Emirates in the past.

Can I get an Emirates credit card to collect points and then put those towards a ticket?

Caz3121

applepad wrote: »

I have flown to NZ with Emirates in the past.

Can I get an Emirates credit card to collect points and then put those towards a ticket?

no according to their website
http://www.emirates.com/english/help/faq/722423/can-i-pay-partly-with-business-rewards-miles-and-partly-cash-to-reduce-the-fare-and-or-miles-needed

pmramsay

They can be good they can be bad, all depends on how flexible you are and how you use them. Need to be able to book as soon as flights open if you want to get the exact flights you want. Having 4 people may often limit you to economy (ba release 4 economy and 2 business per flight - sometimes more)

Just for reference I have used airmiles for the following:

Upper class virgin to South Africa, Business flights within South Africa and I have the following coming up. Return upper class to Hong Kong, 3 business class flights in asia and business return to crete next year.

Also if you look at the BA Platinum Amex, the companion voucher is a good benefit. An example if I was to pay for 2 return first class flights to south africa it would cost best part of £9-10k. With 170k miles, companion voucher and £1k in taxes I can get the same.

You have to be prepared to play the game with miles but overall it is well worth it. NZ is a tricky route but play around with destinations and you may be able to find something.

richardw

BA put their flight code on Cathay Pacific flights from Hong Kong to Auckland and also Qantas flights from Sydney.