Going to visit New Zealand 2020

tboo

Eldest daughter and her partner have just emigrated to New Zealland so me, dad and her 10 year old sister are planning to visit next year for 3 weeks or so.

The plan is to fly around the UK 6 week school summer holidays ie late July/early August,
I know this is winter down there but I believe it will be cheaper than Xmas time and we will get a longer holiday (xmas school holidays are only around 2 weeks)

This is all i have found out so far

• I have read that you can go either East or West.
• Go direct or stop over for a day or so or even longer.
• USA you require a visa even with a stop over.
• Best time to book is mid week.
• Fly somewhere else then fly the rest EU-EX or something.

Will it be better to go straight there or stop over,
I don't mind either way, will this be cheaper, problematic etc?

Normally fly from Manchester but will try anywhere to save a few £££s

My head is a shed.

Any insights or suggestions welcome


edit - for ease of reading as missed 1st time around and info is in later posts


DD is in Auckland, we are nearest to Manchester Airport but will travel to any airport

Robin9

I went out via LA (two stop over) and back via HK (five hour stop over) Going out was OK but coming back, knowing you had a long flight ...... !

Worse coming back was that we started at Christchurch, then to Auckland.

tboo

Sorry

Forgot to say flying to Auckland

Robin9

Staying in North or South Island ?

tboo

Daughter is living in Auckland

Murphy_The_Cat

ex-eu mean starting your "main" flight from an airport outside the UK.
The benefits can be considerable, increasing in amount as you travel up the fare classes (UK Air Passenger duty is considerable in Premium Economy, Business & First). "Easy" airports to cast your eyes over are Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo & Copenhagen. But also have a look at the likes of Helsinki, Amsterdam & Paris.


Amongst the downsides (& they can be considerable) are that a) you MUST be at your ex-eu airport to take your flight, if not, you'll lose your "big" flight, b) the positioning flight has a cost to it, plus possibly a nights accomodation at your eu airpot, c) the extra travelling eats into your holiday time.



A lot depends on how much computer time you are prepared to put put in, and how much of a saving you feel would make it worthwhile for you.


Keep checking the Chinese airlines, as from time to time, they are offering some bonkers fares.

google flights is your friend ! you can search from several departure airports at a time.


Is £2074 for 3 of you, flying from Edinburgh any good ? United Airlines EDI - Chicago/Washington DC - San Fransisco - AKL 31ish hour travel time in the back of the plane.




p.s.for transit through the US you'll need an ESTA (not a visa), which is applied for online and costs $14

tboo

Thanks for all the replies

badger09

tboo wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies

You’ll also all need NZeTAs. This is the official website. Cheaper to apply via the NZeTA app though


https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/nzeta

Murphy_The_Cat

badger09 wrote: »

You’ll also all need NZeTAs. This is the official website. Cheaper to apply via the NZeTA app though


https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/nzeta

& an absolute doddle to do via the app :beer:

Voyager2002

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

p.s.for transit through the US you'll need an ESTA (not a visa), which is applied for online and costs $14

This is true for most British citizens, not if you are a national of somewhere like Greece or Uganda and just live in the UK. Also note that British citizens may need a visa for the USA if they have ever been arrested for "a crime involving moral turpitude"; have visited certain countries such as Iran; have had any involvement with illegal drugs; and certain other circumstances.

Note also that there is no such thing as simple transit through the USA: you need to pass Immigration and collect your baggage, a process that may take a matter of hours, even if you will then simply board another flight. Transit through Canada is likely to be simpler. (You may be able to avoid this step if you take the Air New Zealand flight that calls at LA.)

Voyager2002

I suggest that unless you already have one, you now obtain a suitable American Express card. Everything that you spend on it (including air tickets) will help you to earn their reward points, which can be exchanged for 'miles' in most airline frequent flyer schemes. You could use these points to upgrade to a more comfortable class for at least part of your journey.