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| Thread ID: 86124 | 2008-01-04 23:49:00 | First time Flyer - Online Bookings? | Raewyn (946) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 627494 | 2008-01-04 23:49:00 | I'll be regularly making return flights from Wellington to Auckland and wondered how I find out the cheapest flights and best rewards? Also I was told that online bookings are cheaper but I don't have a credit card. Are there other options available? As a first time flyer, what sort of things do I need to know? Any tips for a newbie? I look forward to reading your replies. Thanks :-) |
Raewyn (946) | ||
| 627495 | 2008-01-05 00:15:00 | Dunno about rewards for local flights. It stands to reason that rewards will only be offered for full-price fares. There is an Air NewZealand website for last-minute flight bookings, which offer really inexpensive fares. But it's an iffy option if you need a confirmed time and date to fly. So I suggest you may benefit from Pacific Blue (http://www.flypacificblue.com/) - their rates seem excellent. |
Greg (193) | ||
| 627496 | 2008-01-05 00:27:00 | Dont forget to breathe, if your like me and dont like flying that much, get drunk the night before so you sleep through most of the flight. | rob_on_guitar (4196) | ||
| 627497 | 2008-01-05 00:48:00 | Online bookings are cheaper, and really efficient. You'll never want to talk to a travel agent again, after you find out how easy it is to book online (and even to check-in online). AirNZ has cheap fares all the time, IF you book well in advance (like, a month at least). But yes, you can check www.grabaseat.co.nz daily to find out special discounts on SELECTED fares, not every single fare. You should get a credit card, as it is the only way to purchase online. (Perhaps a Debit Card from Westpac might do the same deal, that way you can set up a decent credit limit). It is extremely safe to do credit card processing on AirNZ, as website payments probably make up the bulk of their sales these days. And if you are travelling regularly, sign up for an Airpoints card ($50). You'll gain rewards on selected flights (you won't get rewards on the discount rates, but you will on the full rate flights). And it'll make check-in a whole lot faster, you just give them your Airpoints card. |
KerryDP (13174) | ||
| 627498 | 2008-01-05 01:48:00 | I believe the House of Travel website searches through multiple airlines at the same time and then gives you the best deals for the routes you want to fly. | beeswax34 (63) | ||
| 627499 | 2008-01-05 04:42:00 | Yep get a credit card. You don't have to go into debt, make the bank put a small unchanging limit on it and put money onto it before you make your payment. Flying often you should start accumulating airpoints too. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 627500 | 2008-01-05 09:50:00 | Use a family's c/c for it or get one from Westpac. No income required. Its linked to your std Westpac account. Re: domestic airfares. AirNZ's site is the cheapest. Travel agents will just match it at best. Buy it there, in 1 min you get an email of PDF file of your itinerary. Re: best rewards. Forget it, the cheapest (domestic) fares on AirNZ do not allow points accumulation. If you are not yet a Airpoints member it cost you $50 to join and if you don't fly once a year I think they will bill ya. If you have a GlobalPlus Credit Card (BNZ) they waive it if you don't travel once a year. If you want points, you can always get the economy fare that is not the cheapest which allows some cheaper freedom to alter your flight times - in otherwords you pay less penalty should you wish to alter the times. If you don't need to, guess than the company takes your extra money and hey you get points - great .. not. How to get points? Only with international. Best way IMO is go with Qantas or AirNZ. Use a compatible c/c and pay the travel agency the fares. Then use the same network airline. Then link it via a loyalty company. Therefore you get 3x as much points in each go. Ie., AirNZ (or other Star Alliance) + AirNZ Service Centre (agency) or United Travel (agency) link it to Flybuys. Airline + c/c is with Airpoints and your Flybuys and agency will work together to give you flybuy points, this can be converted to Airpoints. Qantas or partner + House of Travel + ANZ Telstra Clear c/c. All within the Telstra Clear card thingy scheme. For domestic travel: really just nothing really apart from using a c/c that allows points accumulation from the amount you spend or accumulation of 0.5% refund once you spent a certain amount (National Bank). Domestic fares do not give you points unless you go for the bit more $$ fare type. Above all if the airfare is sig cheaper I would just flag the points and use that instead. If international you still get points from the c/c and the agency but not the airline. |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 627501 | 2008-01-15 18:44:00 | Thank you all for your replies. Sorry I wasn't able to get back earlier. I've done two return trips now and I LOVE it! I ended up going with Pacific Blue since their prices were always the cheapest. I even got a flight back from Auckland yesterday; booking a ticket an hour before the flight for $49.00! Pacific Blue also has reward points for domestic flights. I was using the NZ Post Prezzy Card (pre-paid Visa) but will look into the Westpac one. Did I mention that I love flying! Wooohooo!!! | Raewyn (946) | ||
| 627502 | 2008-01-15 19:57:00 | Hi Raewyn, here is a site we used to use before Pacific Blue came on stream: www.houseoftravel.co.nz Watch out with pre-booking Pacific Blue on line, we booked on the 11 Sept 2007 and on the 13 Jan 2008 they have just altered the timetable. Lurking. |
Lurking (218) | ||
| 627503 | 2008-01-16 01:27:00 | Raewyn We use the ANZ Telstra Visa card. Every $ spent with the card is 1 air point. Bonus points for shopping at certain places. Points don't expire unlike our AirNZ ones. We buy almost everything with the Card. We keep track of what is spent and we pay it off in FULL every month Since we do all food shopping using the card it is a considerable amount of points per year. Qantas flights (plus their partner airlines), some rental car companies, some hotel chains all gain bonus points. We would end up with a free return trip to Aussie a year on points no problem. Downside it limits your choice of Airlines for International travel if you are concentrating on points. |
Bantu (52) | ||
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