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New Zealand 鈥 or Aotearoa, as the Indigenous M膩ori people call it 鈥 is a land of stunning natural beauty, from the beaches and volcanoes of the North Island to the beautiful reflective lakes and glaciers of the South Island.
While it might seem like an expensive place to visit from the U.S., there are plenty of ways to visit New Zealand on a budget, especially if you can use points and miles to pay for your flights, hotels, car rentals and tours.聽
Here鈥檚 everything you need to know about traveling to New Zealand with points and miles, plus some of our favorite things to do there.
How to use points and miles to save money on travel
The cheapest award flights to New Zealand
For starters, you鈥檒l need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) to enter the country, which takes about 72 hours to be approved and costs 17 NZD ($10 USD) to complete via mobile app. Depending on which country you鈥檙e from, you may also need to pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which costs 35 NZD ($20 USD).
As for booking flights with points and miles, you鈥檒l find the best deals from hub cities with nonstop flights, namely New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix. Most flights arrive in Auckland, though there is a route to Christchurch from L.A.
Note that there aren鈥檛 any first-class redemption options unless you use Alaska Mileage Plan miles or American Airlines AAdvantage miles to book a first-class award with Qantas or Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong).聽
Once in New Zealand, points and miles can be used to cover domestic flights. Air New Zealand is a partner of United Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Air China, while Jetstar is connected to Qantas.
Being aware of airline alliances and maximizing welcome bonuses from certain travel credit cards will go a long way toward cutting costs. Think of it this way: the more points and miles you acquire, the more you鈥檒l save.
- Cheapest economy class ticket to New Zealand: 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles round-trip
- Cheapest business-class ticket to New Zealand: 110,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles round-trip (to fly with Qantas or Fiji Airways)
- Cheapest first-class ticket to New Zealand: 140,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles (to fly with Qantas)
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Avianca LifeMiles
Booking award flights on Star Alliance partners like Air New Zealand and United Airlines with Avianca LifeMiles is a real points-and-miles sweet spot.
- Economy Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 160,000 miles round-trip
Accumulate Avianca LifeMiles quickly by switching points over from Capital One Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards or Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 transfer ratio or from Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1.
- :听Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- : Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
- Citi Premier庐 Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
- American Express庐 Green Card: Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
- : Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards庐 Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
- : Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards庐 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
- : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards庐 points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- : Earn 60,000 Bonus Points plus 1 Free Night Award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Free Night is valued at 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- : Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points After you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from the account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless庐 credit card.
- : Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- : Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy庐 bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club
As with Avianca LifeMiles, you can use ANA Mileage Club miles to book flights to New Zealand with United Airlines and Air New Zealand since they鈥檙e Star Alliance partners. The only catch is one-way redemptions aren鈥檛 allowed, so you鈥檒l need to book round-trip award flights.
- Economy Class: 75,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 120,000 miles round-trip
To quickly earn ANA Mileage Club miles, transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or apply for or . Each card鈥檚 welcome bonus would provide enough points to cover a round-trip flight.
- : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
- : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards庐 points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
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United Airlines MileagePlus
While it鈥檚 not your cheapest option, especially after , United Airlines does offer a nifty nonstop route between San Francisco and Auckland.
- Economy Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 200,000 miles round-trip
United MileagePlus miles can also be used to book flights with Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand, though award availability can be hard to come by and will cost you more miles.
- Economy Class: 120,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 220,000 miles round-trip
Several cobranded United credit cards offer lucrative welcome bonuses, as do the 听辞谤听. United is also a partner of Bilt Rewards (1:1) and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1), so points could be transferred from those programs.
- :听Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel鈩.
- : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel鈩.
- The Bilt Mastercard庐: No welcome bonus, but you can earn points on rent and transfer to a number of airline and hotel partners.
- : Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.
- : Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- : Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- :听Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- :听Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in your first three months of account opening.
- United Club鈩 Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles plus聽1,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
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Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles are an extremely valuable currency, as you can use them to book flights on Oneworld alliance partners like Qantas (nonstop or via Australia), Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong), Korean Air (via Seoul) or Fiji Airways (via Nadi).
Here鈥檚 how many Alaska Mileage Plan miles you鈥檇 need to fly with Qantas:
- Economy Class: 85,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
- First Class: 140,000 miles round-trip
To use Alaska miles to fly to New Zealand with Cathay Pacific, you鈥檇 need:
- Economy Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 120,000 miles round-trip
- First Class: 160,000 miles round-trip
Here鈥檚 how many Mileage Plan miles you鈥檇 need to fly with Korean Air:
- Economy Class: 85,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 125,000 miles round-trip
To use Alaska miles to fly to New Zealand with Fiji Airways (which would let you fly from San Francisco, Los Angeles or Honolulu with a free stopover in Nadi)聽you鈥檇 need:
- Economy Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
To quickly earn Mileage Plan miles, sign up for one of two cobranded credit cards to maximize the welcome bonus. Otherwise, Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred at a ratio of 3:1.
- Alaska Airlines Visa庐 card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening 鈥 and earn Alaska鈥檚 $99 Companion Fare each year after you spend $6,000.
- Alaska Airlines Visa庐 Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska鈥檚 $99 Companion Fare (fare plus taxes and fees from $23), after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- :听Earn 60,000 Bonus Points plus 1 Free Night Award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Free Night is valued at 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- :聽Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points After you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from the account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless庐 credit card.
- : Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- : Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy庐 bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
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American Airlines AAdvantage
American Airlines offers nonstop routes from Dallas, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago, Phoenix and Boston to Auckland and from L.A. to Christchurch.
- Economy Class: 70,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 190,000 miles round-trip
Bilt Rewards can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio or you can sign up for a cobranded credit card to boost your AAdvantage miles stash.
- The Bilt Mastercard庐: No welcome bonus, but you can earn points on rent and transfer to a number of airline and hotel partners.
- Barclays AAdvantage庐 Aviator庐 Red World Elite Mastercard庐: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee within the first 90 days of account opening.
- Citi庐 / AAdvantage庐 Platinum Select庐 Mastercard庐: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of opening your account.
- CitiBusiness庐 / AAdvantage庐 Platinum Select庐 Mastercard庐: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months of account opening.
- Citi庐 / AAdvantage庐 Executive Mastercard庐: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers the flexibility to book award flights with Air New Zealand, whether you鈥檙e coming from California, Houston or New York.
- Economy Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
- Business Class: 125,000 miles round-trip
To rack up Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles quickly, transfer points at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One Rewards (through Virgin Red). Marriott Bonvoy points can also be transferred at a 3:1 ratio. Otherwise, Virgin鈥檚 credit card offers a decent amount of starter points.
- Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard庐: Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.
- The Bilt Mastercard庐: No welcome bonus, but you can earn points on rent and transfer to a number of airline and hotel partners.
- :听Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel鈩.
- : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel鈩.
- :听Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- : Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
- Citi Premier庐 Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
- American Express庐 Green Card: Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
- : Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards庐 Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
- : Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards庐 points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
- : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards庐 points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- : Earn 60,000 Bonus Points plus 1 Free Night Award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Free Night is valued at 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- : Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points After you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from the account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless庐 credit card.
- : Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- :听Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy庐 bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
New Zealand hotels you can book with points
New Zealand is home to a ton of points hotels that are part of the IHG One Rewards, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Wyndham Rewards, Choice Privileges and Accor Live Limitless loyalty programs. Sign up for your preferred brand鈥檚 loyalty program and its cobranded hotel rewards credit card to score a lucrative welcome bonus and earn free nights.
Some credit cards cover resort fees and other on-property costs. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire, for instance, provides $200 in statement credits to take care of those charges at Hilton properties twice per year.
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Auckland
Most nonstop flights from the U.S. arrive in Auckland, a terrific base for doing day trips around the North Island. Visit the Hobbiton movie set in Matamata, cultural and natural sights near Lake Taupo and the Whakarewarewa M膩ori village in Rotorua. If time allows, venture north to Cape Reinga or as far south as Wellington.
Marriott Bonvoy fans can choose from the Four Points by Sheraton Auckland, which has rooms from 30,000 points per night or the JW Marriott Hotel Auckland, where rates start at 33,000 points per night. Each puts you downtown, close to some of the city鈥檚 best dining, nightlife and attractions.
Marriott Bonvoy is a partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, so you can transfer points from either program to increase your balance.
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Wellington
For any respectable Tolkien fan, Wellington is a must. Visit Peter Jackson鈥檚 W膿t膩 Workshop to see how the studio has created props, costumes and visual effects over the years and take a tour of the area鈥檚 filming locations.
The InterContinental Wellington offers five-star accommodations and nightly rates from 30,000 points. You鈥檒l be within walking distance of most of the city鈥檚 best attractions, as well as tons of great restaurants and bars on Cuba Street and Courtenay Place. Don鈥檛 leave without learning about M膩ori history and culture at the Te Papa Museum or strolling the waterfront.
The welcome bonus from the 聽would cover two nights, while that of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card would provide enough points to pay for a three-night stay. Alternatively, sign up for the 听辞谤听聽鈥斅爀ach of their welcome bonuses would cover two nights.
Top up your IHG Rewards One points balance by transferring points from Bilt Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.
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Christchurch
Whether you fly nonstop from L.A. or via a domestic flight from Auckland, Christchurch is your gateway to the South Island. While in town, visit Quake City to learn about the region鈥檚 most devastating earthquakes (Cathedral Square is still visibly recovering). It鈥檚 also an excellent base for day trips to Lake Tekapo, Kaikoura and Hamner Springs.
The George, a Category 4 World of Hyatt property, has nightly rates from 15,000 points. Christchurch Botanic Gardens, several notable museums and several restaurants on Victoria St. are all within walking distance.
Each of the World of Hyatt Credit Card, 听辞谤听聽welcome bonuses provide enough points to cover a four-night stay.
To top up your World of Hyatt points balance, Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred from Chase at a ratio of 1:1.
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Queenstown
Queenstown is popular with skiers in winter and adrenaline junkies all year long 鈥斅爄t is the birthplace of bungee jumping, after all. Ride the Skyline Gondola or make a day trip to the Milford Sound to experience some of the South Island鈥檚 legendary natural scenery.
Two Hilton properties are located outside downtown Queenstown 鈥 it鈥檚 just a 10-minute scenic boat ride into town, and you鈥檒l be rewarded with beautiful views of The Remarkables mountain range from Lake Wakatipu. Nightly rates at the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa start at 47,000 points, while those at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Queenstown go from 26,000 points.
You鈥檒l earn two Hilton Honors points for every American Express Membership Rewards point you transfer since they鈥檙e loyalty program partners.
The card鈥檚 welcome bonus offers enough points to cover one night at the Hilton and three nights at the DoubleTree, while the would take care of three nights at the Hilton and six nights at the DoubleTree.
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Activities and ground transportation
Planning a road trip around New Zealand? You鈥檒l need to drive on the left side of the road and from the right side of the car. You can also get around by InterCity bus, tourist train or ferry. Certain credit cards will help you 鈥渆rase鈥 travel-related charges made for any of those transportation methods or even Uber rides within the larger cities.聽
罢丑别听's $300 annual travel credit perk means you鈥檒l receive statement credits to take care of relevant travel charges. The 聽and the 聽also let you redeem points for travel expenses, typically at a value of one cent per point.
听辞谤听 cardholders can redeem Ultimate Rewards points for 1.25 cents per point or 1.5 cents per point, respectively, through the Chase Travel鈩 portal to save on rental cars, guided tours and other activities.
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Bottom line
A trip to New Zealand doesn鈥檛 have to break the bank. Whether you鈥檙e planning an epic solo adventure, a dream honeymoon or the ultimate family vacation, you鈥檒l save more money by paying attention to points hotels, taking advantage of airline mile sweet spots and booking tours, activities and rental cars with points and miles whenever possible.
* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit聽聽for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author鈥檚 alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
