This collection of articles about bank cards, factors and miles, and budgeting for journey is dropped at you in partnership with The Points Guy.

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New Zealand — or Aotearoa, because the Indigenous Māori individuals name it — is a land of beautiful pure magnificence, from the seashores and volcanoes of the North Island to the attractive reflective lakes and glaciers of the South Island.

Whereas it’d look like an costly place to go to from the U.S., there are many methods to visit New Zealand on a budget, particularly if you happen to can use points and miles to pay in your flights, inns, automotive leases and excursions. 

Right here’s the whole lot you might want to learn about touring to New Zealand with factors and miles, plus a few of our favorite things to do there.

How to use points and miles to save money on travel

The most cost effective award flights to New Zealand

For starters, you’ll want to use for an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) to enter the nation, which takes about 72 hours to be accredited and prices 17 NZD ($10 USD) to finish by way of cell app. Relying on which nation you’re from, you may additionally have to pay the Worldwide Customer Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which prices 35 NZD ($20 USD).

As for booking flights with points and miles, you’ll discover the most effective offers from hub cities with nonstop flights, particularly New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix. Most flights arrive in Auckland, although there’s a path to Christchurch from L.A.

Observe that there aren’t any first-class redemption choices except you utilize Alaska Mileage Plan miles or American Airways AAdvantage miles to e book a first-class award with Qantas or Cathay Pacific (by way of Hong Kong). 

As soon as in New Zealand, points and miles can be utilized to cowl home flights. Air New Zealand is a associate of United Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airways and Air China, whereas Jetstar is related to Qantas.

Being conscious of airline alliances and maximizing welcome bonuses from sure travel credit cards will go a good distance towards reducing prices. Consider it this fashion: the extra factors and miles you purchase, the extra you’ll save.

• Least expensive financial system class ticket to New Zealand: 70,000 American Airways AAdvantage miles round-trip
• Least expensive business-class ticket to New Zealand: 110,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles round-trip (to fly with Qantas or Fiji Airways)
• Least expensive first-class ticket to New Zealand: 140,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles (to fly with Qantas)

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Avianca LifeMiles

Reserving award flights on Star Alliance companions like Air New Zealand and United Airways with Avianca LifeMiles is an actual points-and-miles candy spot.

• Economic system Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 160,000 miles round-trip

Accumulate Avianca LifeMiles rapidly by switching factors over from Capital One Rewards, American Specific Membership Rewards or Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 switch ratio or from Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• Citi Premier® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• American Specific® Inexperienced Card: Earn 40,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 inside the first six months of opening your account.
• American Express® Gold Card*: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 inside the first six months of account opening.
• American Express® Business Gold Card*: Earn 70,000 bonus factors after spending $10,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express*: Earn 80,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 inside the first six months of opening your account.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express*: Earn 120,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 inside the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card*: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases inside the first six months from account opening. Plus, Earn as much as 14X whole factors for each $1 spent at 1000’s of inns collaborating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*: Restricted time supply: Earn 5 Free Night time Awards (every night time valued as much as 50,000 factors) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card*: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card*: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.

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All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Membership

As with Avianca LifeMiles, you need to use ANA Mileage Membership miles to e book flights to New Zealand with United Airways and Air New Zealand since they’re Star Alliance companions. The one catch is one-way redemptions aren’t allowed, so that you’ll have to e book round-trip award flights.

• Economic system Class: 75,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 120,000 miles round-trip

To rapidly earn ANA Mileage Membership miles, switch factors from American Specific Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or apply for The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum® Card from American Express. Every card’s welcome bonus would offer sufficient factors to cowl a round-trip flight.

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United Airways MileagePlus

Whereas it’s not your least expensive choice, particularly after a devaluation earlier this year, United Airways does supply a nifty nonstop route between San Francisco and Auckland.

• Economic system Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 200,000 miles round-trip

United MileagePlus miles can be used to e book flights with Star Alliance associate Air New Zealand, although award availability could be exhausting to come back by and can value you extra miles.

• Economic system Class: 120,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 220,000 miles round-trip

A number of cobranded United bank cards supply profitable welcome bonuses, as do the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve. United can also be a associate of Bilt Rewards (1:1) and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1), so factors might be transferred from these packages.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus factors when you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• The Bilt Mastercard®: No welcome bonus, however you possibly can earn factors on lease and switch to plenty of airline and resort companions.
• United Gateway℠ Card: Earn 20,000 miles after spending $1,000 inside the first three months of account opening.
• United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open.
• United Quest℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months your account is open.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
• United℠ Business Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months your account is open.
• United Membership℠ Enterprise Card: Earn 75,000 United MileagePlus Miles and 1,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months of opening an account. Supply ends April 3, 2024.

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Alaska Airways Mileage Plan

Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles are an especially precious foreign money, as you need to use them to e book flights on Oneworld alliance companions like Qantas (nonstop or by way of Australia), Cathay Pacific (by way of Hong Kong), Korean Air (by way of Seoul) or Fiji Airways (by way of Nadi).

Right here’s what number of Alaska Mileage Plan miles you’d have to fly with Qantas:

• Economic system Class: 85,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 140,000 miles round-trip

To make use of Alaska miles to fly to New Zealand with Cathay Pacific, you’d want:

• Economic system Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 120,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 160,000 miles round-trip

Right here’s what number of Mileage Plan miles you’d have to fly with Korean Air:

• Economic system Class: 85,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 125,000 miles round-trip

To make use of Alaska miles to fly to New Zealand with Fiji Airways (which might allow you to fly from San Francisco, Los Angeles or Honolulu with a free stopover in Nadi) you’d want:

• Economic system Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 110,000 miles round-trip

To rapidly earn Mileage Plan miles, join one in every of two cobranded bank cards to maximise the welcome bonus. In any other case, Marriott Bonvoy factors could be transferred at a ratio of three:1.

• Alaska Airways Visa® card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 inside the first 90 days of account opening — and earn Alaska’s $99 Companion Fare every year after you spend $6,000.
• Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s $99 Companion Fare (fare plus taxes and charges from $23), after spending $3,000 inside the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases inside the first six months from account opening. Plus, Earn as much as 14X whole factors for each $1 spent at 1000’s of inns collaborating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Restricted time supply: Earn 5 Free Night time Awards (every night time valued as much as 50,000 factors) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.

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American Airways AAdvantage

American Airways provides nonstop routes from Dallas, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago, Phoenix and Boston to Auckland and from L.A. to Christchurch.

• Economic system Class: 70,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 190,000 miles round-trip

Bilt Rewards could be transferred at a 1:1 ratio or you possibly can join a cobranded bank card to spice up your AAdvantage miles stash.

• The Bilt Mastercard®: No welcome bonus, however you possibly can earn factors on lease and switch to plenty of airline and resort companions.
• Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Crimson World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first buy and paying the $99 annual charge inside the first 90 days of account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® Mastercard®: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 inside the first 4 months of account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Government Mastercard®: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership

Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership provides the pliability to e book award flights with Air New Zealand, whether or not you’re coming from California, Houston or New York.

• Economic system Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
• Enterprise Class: 125,000 miles round-trip

To rack up Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership miles rapidly, switch factors at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards, American Specific Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One Rewards (via Virgin Crimson). Marriott Bonvoy factors can be transferred at a 3:1 ratio. In any other case, Virgin’s bank card provides an honest quantity of starter factors.

• Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 inside the first 90 days of account opening.
• The Bilt Mastercard®: No welcome bonus, however you possibly can earn factors on lease and switch to plenty of airline and resort companions.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus factors when you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• Citi Premier® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• American Specific® Inexperienced Card: Earn 40,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 inside the first six months of opening your account.
• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 inside the first six months of account opening.
• American Express® Business Gold Card: Earn 70,000 bonus factors after spending $10,000 inside the first three months of opening your account.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 bonus factors after you spend $8,000 inside the first six months of opening your account.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 120,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 inside the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases inside the first six months from account opening. Plus, Earn as much as 14X whole factors for each $1 spent at 1000’s of inns collaborating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Restricted time supply: Earn 5 Free Night time Awards (every night time valued as much as 50,000 factors) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases inside the first 6 months of Card Membership.

New Zealand inns you possibly can e book with factors

New Zealand is dwelling to a ton of factors inns which are a part of the IHG One Rewards, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Wyndham Rewards, Alternative Privileges and Accor Dwell Limitless loyalty packages. Join your most well-liked model’s loyalty program and its cobranded hotel rewards credit card to attain a profitable welcome bonus and earn free nights.

Some bank cards cowl resort charges and different on-property prices. The Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire, for example, gives $200 in assertion credit to maintain these costs at Hilton properties twice per yr.

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Auckland

Most nonstop flights from the U.S. arrive in Auckland, a terrific base for doing day journeys across the North Island. Go to the Hobbiton movie set in Matamata, cultural and pure sights close to Lake Taupo and the Whakarewarewa Māori village in Rotorua. If time permits, enterprise north to Cape Reinga or as far south as Wellington.

Marriott Bonvoy followers can select from the 4 Factors by Sheraton Auckland, which has rooms from 30,000 factors per night time or the JW Marriott Resort Auckland, the place charges begin at 33,000 factors per night time. Every places you downtown, near a few of the metropolis’s finest eating, nightlife and sights.

The welcome bonus from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card can be sufficient to cowl 5 nights. Since cardholders earn as much as 17X factors per greenback spent at Marriott properties, you’ll rack them up very quickly.

Marriott Bonvoy is a associate of Chase Final Rewards and American Specific Membership Rewards, so you possibly can switch factors from both program to extend your stability.

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Wellington

For any respectable Tolkien fan, Wellington is a should. Go to Peter Jackson’s Wētā Workshop to see how the studio has created props, costumes and visible results over time and take a tour of the realm’s filming locations.

The InterContinental Wellington provides five-star lodging and nightly charges from 30,000 factors. You’ll be inside strolling distance of many of the metropolis’s finest sights, in addition to tons of nice eating places and bars on Cuba Avenue and Courtenay Place. Don’t depart with out studying about Māori historical past and tradition on the Te Papa Museum or strolling the waterfront.

The welcome bonus from the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card would cowl two nights, whereas that of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit score Card would offer sufficient factors to pay for a four-night keep. Alternatively, join the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve — every of their welcome bonuses would cowl two nights.

Prime up your IHG Rewards One factors stability by transferring factors from Bilt Rewards or Chase Final Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

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Christchurch

Whether or not you fly nonstop from L.A. or by way of a home flight from Auckland, Christchurch is your gateway to the South Island. Whereas on the town, go to Quake City to be taught in regards to the area’s most devastating earthquakes (Cathedral Square remains to be visibly recovering). It’s additionally a wonderful base for day journeys to Lake Tekapo, Kaikoura and Hamner Springs.

The George, a Class 4 World of Hyatt property, has nightly charges from 15,000 factors. Christchurch Botanic Gardens, a number of notable museums and several other eating places on Victoria St. are all inside strolling distance.

Every of the World of Hyatt Credit score Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve’s welcome bonuses present sufficient factors to cowl a four-night keep.

To high up your World of Hyatt factors stability, Final Rewards factors could be transferred from Chase at a ratio of 1:1.

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Queenstown

Queenstown is fashionable with skiers in winter and adrenaline junkies all yr lengthy — it’s the birthplace of bungee leaping, in any case. Trip the Skyline Gondola or make a day journey to the Milford Sound to expertise a few of the South Island’s legendary pure surroundings.

Two Hilton properties are positioned outdoors downtown Queenstown — it’s only a 10-minute scenic boat experience into city, and also you’ll be rewarded with lovely views of The Remarkables mountain vary from Lake Wakatipu. Nightly charges on the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa begin at 47,000 factors, whereas these on the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort Queenstown go from 26,000 factors.

You’ll earn two Hilton Honors factors for each American Specific Membership Rewards level you switch since they’re loyalty program companions.

The Platinum Card from American Express card’s welcome bonus provides sufficient factors to cowl one night time on the Hilton and three nights on the DoubleTree, whereas the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card* would maintain three nights on the Hilton and 6 nights on the DoubleTree.

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Actions and floor transportation

Planning a road trip around New Zealand? You’ll have to drive on the left facet of the highway and from the appropriate facet of the automotive. You too can get around by InterCity bus, vacationer practice or ferry. Sure bank cards will make it easier to “erase” travel-related costs made for any of these transportation strategies and even Uber rides inside the bigger cities. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve‘s $300 annual journey credit score perk means you’ll obtain assertion credit to maintain related journey costs. The Capital One Venture and the Capital One Venture X Rewards additionally allow you to redeem factors for journey bills, usually at a price of 1 cent per level.

Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can redeem Final Rewards factors for 1.25 cents per level or 1.5 cents per level, respectively, via the Chase journey portal to avoid wasting on rental automobiles, guided excursions and different actions.

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Backside line

A visit to New Zealand doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution. Whether or not you’re planning an epic solo journey, a dream honeymoon or the last word family vacation, you’ll save extra money by being attentive to factors inns, making the most of airline mile candy spots and reserving excursions, actions and rental automobiles with factors and miles each time doable.

* Eligibility and Profit stage varies by Card. Phrases, Situations, and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.

Phrases apply to American Specific advantages and provides. Enrollment could also be required for choose American Specific advantages and provides. Go to americanexpress.com to be taught extra.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, airline or resort chain, and haven’t been reviewed, accredited or in any other case endorsed by any of those entities.