Air New Zealand’s Airpoints frequent flyer program is New Zealand’s go to loyalty program. There are so many fantastic features you can take advantage of to maximise your Airpoints. This is especially so in the area of helping friends and family who are Airpoints members, and letting your Airpoints take you further.
My quick guide to transferring, combining, gifting, sharing, buying, and do more with your Airpoints intends to answer all of these burning questions. These are all simple features of other airline loyalty programs, but are slightly different with Airpoints due to its unique 1:1 point valuation.
How to Transfer, Combine, Gift, Share, Buy & Do More With Your Air NZ Airpoints is an extension to my Ultimate Guide to Air New Zealand Airpoints. All other Airpoints questions are answered there!
Table of Contents >>>
- How to Transfer Airpoints Between Accounts
- How to Combine Airpoints With Another Account
- How to Gift Airpoints (Gifting Flights)
- How to Buy More Airpoints & Use Flexipay
- Bottom Line
How to Transfer Airpoints Between Accounts
You can’t directly transfer Airpoints from one account into another.
Instead, you will need to create a Shairpoints account to use another person’s Airpoints. I discuss how to combine, pool and share your Airpoints using Shairpoints below…
How to Combine Airpoints With Another Account
Yes, you can transfer and combine Airpoints between Airpoints accounts.
To combine Airpoints, you need to create what is called a ‘Shairpoints‘ account. A Shairpoints account will let you pool your Airpoints with up to nine friends or family members. This allows everyone to purchase a Airpoints reward, together, and faster. Shairpoints is also free to join and use.
To set your Shairpoints account up, follow these steps
- Go online to airnewzealand.co.nz/shairpoints
- Sign into your Airpoints account
- Click My Balances -> Click the Shairpoints tab
- (a) If you want to become the ‘owner‘ of that Shairpoints account, create a new Shairpoints account.
- (b) If you want to become part of someone else’s Shairpoints account, accept an invitation by the owner of the other account
- If you are an owner, you will assign roles to members of the group. A ‘Spender‘ can spend Airpoints Dollars from the Shairpoints account, while a ‘Non-spender‘ can contribute Airpoints Dollars but can not spend Airpoints Dollars from the account.
The members of a Shairpoints account do not have to live at the same address as each other.
I really like Shairpoints, and this has to be one of the best features of Air New Zealand Airpoints. Unlike other airline loyalty programs, you can combine miles with basically anyone who has Airpoints, and can live at any address. Shairpoints is fantastic if you’re a family, know someone who has expiring Airpoints, or planning a group trip with friends.
Here’s even more information on how to use Shairpoints at the Air New Zealand website.
How to Gift Airpoints (Gifting Flights)
Yes, Airpoints lets you gift flights purchased with Airpoints Dollars. Airpoints members can buy a ticket for anyone in their household using Airpoints Dollars. Some Airpoints branded credit cards let you give to others outside of your household too.
- Sign into your Airpoints account
- Click ‘My Balances’ -> Click ‘My Profile’
- Under the Gifting Register tab you can add giftees who you can then buy flights for with your Airpoints Dollars (Giftees must live with your household)
- Gold or Elite Airpoints members, or those who currently have a Westpac Airpoints credit card, can choose a limited number of people outside their household to be giftees too.
- Book the Air NZ flight ticket you wish to gift as normal. Select your giftee when prompted at the checkout and choose to pay in Airpoints dollars.
Here’s more about how to gift a flight to someone else.
How to Buy More Airpoints & Use Flexipay
The answer to this sadly is you can’t, unless you hold a Kiwibank Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card. But the good news is that you shouldn’t need to (if you’re redeeming on Air New Zealand flights)!
So no, you can’t directly buy Airpoints. However, you have less of a need to do so unlike other loyalty programs. This is due to the unique 1:1 valuation of Airpoints Dollars.
Most Airpoints purchases allow you to use Airpoints Flexipay. Flexipay lets you pay as much as you wish in Airpoints Dollars, then the rest in New Zealand Dollars. Airpoints Flexipay can be used on Air New Zealand’s website, or at the Airpoints Store.
The only instance where you must use entirely Airpoints is when redeeming your points for a partner airline reward flight. These prices are often really good value, but you must pay up front, only in Airpoints.
Buying Airpoints (Kiwibank): Kiwibank is the only exception. Yes, you can buy miles if you have a Kiwibank branded Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card.
A Kiwibank credit card lets you use the Airpoints Top Up feature. To top up, you pay a $5NZD fee and must have available credit to purchase the requested amount of Airpoints. This is the only instance where you can buy Airpoints Dollars.
If you have a Kiwibank credit card follow these steps to top up:
- Sign in to your Airpoints account at airnewzealand.co.nz
- Click ‘My Balances’ -> Click ‘Top up Airpoints Balance’
- Enter the amount of Airpoints you need and your Air New Zealand Airpoints credit card details. Your Airpoints Dollar balance will be topped up instantly (you need enough available credit to purchase the requested top-up amount and pay the $5 fee).
Kiwibank Top Up is a great way to reach your Airpoints rewards faster. One of the best things about Top Up is that you can purchase partner airline reward flights, which cost less in Airpoints than in real cash.
Bottom Line
Airpoints’ flexibility and sharing features are some of the loyalty program’s most useful features. It is super easy to complete all of the points I have outlined above. Be it transferring, combining, gifting, sharing, or in some cases, buying Airpoints, make sure to take advantage of all of them. Air New Zealand’s fantastic website makes this all so much easier to do too.
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