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Two months ago I wrote that US Airways would be losing five of its Star Alliance partners over the course of 2014.

Another one bites the dust in five days! June 29, 2014 is the last day to use US Airways miles to book Air New Zealand flights.

Note that Air New Zealand flights need only be booked by June 29. You can book US Airways awards up to about 335 days in advance. That means you can fly awards containing Air New Zealand flights until about May 30, 2015.

The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® is currently offering 40,000 bonus miles after first purchase. You can’t get the miles in time to book Air New Zealand, but you can get them in time to book the other partners US Airways is losing like Turkish and Singapore at the end of July.

  • What are the current restrictions on booking Air New Zealand flights with US Airways miles?
  • What if you want to change your US Airways/Air New Zealand award later?
  • How is Air New Zealand award space?
  • What other partners is US Airways losing soon?

Restrictions

There is one restriction when booking the award and another big one if you later want to change the award.

Right now, you can only book US Airways’ Star Alliance partners on awards that contain US Airways and Star Alliance flights. You cannot combine Star Alliance flights with American Airlines or other oneworld airlines’ flights. US Airways’ remaining Star Alliance partners are:

  • Aegean Airlines
  • Singapore until July 31, 2014
  • Air China
  • Air New Zealand until June 29, 2014
  • Shenzhen Airlines
  • South African Airways
  • TAP Portugal
  • Turkish until July 31, 2014

If you book a valid award now with an Air New Zealand flight and want to change the award after June 29, you cannot change to another Air New Zealand flight. Starting June 30, US Airways will not have access to Air New Zealand flights, even for changes.

How to Replace Air New Zealand for Future Awards

Even after US Airways’ partnership with Air New Zealand ends, US Airways will still partner with Qantas, which is based in Australia and serves several destinations in New Zealand.

Air New Zealand Award Space

Unfortunately for folks hoping to book a US Airways award with Air New Zealand flights, Air New Zealand award space is terrible.

Air New Zealand operates three flights to/from the United States:

  • Los Angeles to Auckland
  • San Francisco to Auckland
  • Los Angeles to London

All three feature two-cabin planes with fully flat beds in business class. Unfortunately I never see business class award space.

The best award space on those routes is between Los Angeles and Auckland. I see a handful of economy award space later this year (yellow dates).

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.30.18 PM Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.30.47 PM

Interestingly, I did see excellent award space between Shanghai and Auckland next Spring in economy and business class.

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.52.55 PM

This route also features fully flat beds in business class and can be used as part of an award between the United States and New Zealand with a stopover in Asia.

Screen Shot 2014-06-23 at 11.53.48 PM

US Airways charges 80,000 miles roundtrip in economy and 110,000 in business between the United States and New Zealand. US Airways never collects fuel surcharges but collects a $50 award processing fee on international awards.

Recap

Book Air New Zealand flights with US Airways miles by June 29, 2014 for flights until May 30, 2015.

The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® is currently offering 40,000 bonus miles after first purchase. You can’t get the miles in time to book Air New Zealand, but you can get them in time to book the other partners US Airways is losing like Turkish and Singapore at the end of July.

 

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