Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
PROGRAMME PROFILE
Air New Zealand Airpoints
Airpoints is one of the two currencies in Koru, Air New Zealand's loyalty programme. Members earn Airpoints on Air New Zealand flights and through everyday spending with partners, and spend them on flights, upgrades and Airpoints Store rewards [1]. The second currency, Status Points, is what moves a member through Koru's five tiers [1]. Koru is the programme name listed for Air New Zealand in the Star Alliance member directory [7].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Airpoints and Status Points are separate: Airpoints buy rewards, while Status Points are the measure used to progress through the Koru tiers [1].
- Airpoints are earned on Air New Zealand flights and through partner spending, and are spent on flights, upgrades and the Airpoints Store [1].
- On a partner airline, the operating carrier decides how much is earned, and Status Points are only earned on Star Alliance carrier operated flights [6].
- Members can pool Airpoints through Shairpoints with up to nine family and friends, a feature Air New Zealand makes available to New Zealand-based Koru members [1].
Two currencies, two jobs
Koru works with two currencies. Airpoints are earned on flights and through everyday spending with partners, and can be used across a range of rewards [1]. Status Points are the progression currency: Air New Zealand says they are how members move through the tiers, and that they are earned on flights and by using a Status Points-earning credit card [1].
The two are not interchangeable in what they do. A large Airpoints balance gives a member more to spend on rewards [1], while Status Points relate to tier movement and nothing else in the programme description [1].
The five Koru tiers
Koru starts at Koru Bronze and has five tiers in total: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Black [1]. Air New Zealand describes each tier as offering its own selection of benefits, and names lounge access, Status Rewards and Frequent Flyer Seating among the things members earn as they progress [1].
Tier position comes from Status Points rather than from Airpoints [1]. The structure described here applies to Air New Zealand's own Koru programme; other carriers set their own tier rules.
Earning on partner airlines
Air New Zealand is a Star Alliance member and joined the alliance in May 1999 [7]. The alliance describes itself as founded in 1997, uniting 25 airlines with access to more than 1,150 airports in 190 countries, with Juneyao Airlines as a Connecting Partner [6]. Air New Zealand itself serves 21 destinations within New Zealand and 30 further destinations across Australia, the Pacific Islands, China, Japan, Singapore, North America and the United Kingdom [7].
Partner earning is set by the airline that operates the flight, not by Air New Zealand: Airpoints and Status Points earning is determined by the operating partner airline [6]. Status Points are earned only on flights operated by Star Alliance carriers, and certain booking classes on partner airlines are not eligible to earn Airpoints or Status Points at all [6]. On a partner flight, earning may be assessed flight by flight rather than for a whole journey [6]. Booking class eligibility and earning rates can change without notice, and any change applies according to the date of travel [6].
Outside flying, Air New Zealand lists earning Airpoints on travel insurance, accommodation and rental cars [5], and says the Airpoints Store pays 1 Airpoint for every NZ$100 spent there [1].
Spending Airpoints and pooling them
Airpoints can be spent on a flight, on an upgrade, or on something from the Airpoints Store [1]. Rental cars are described as bookable with Fly + Drive rates where a customer can earn or pay with Airpoints, with offers in more than 180 countries [5]. Among the store examples in the sources are Liquorland e-giftcards priced from $20 to $500, each valid for three years from the date of purchase [1].
Airpoints can also be combined. Shairpoints lets a member combine Airpoints with up to nine family and friends to reach a goal faster; joining is free and the feature is available to all New Zealand-based Koru members [1].
Exceptions and limits
- Eligibility follows the operating carrier. Because the operating partner airline sets earning and some booking classes are excluded, a ticket sold by one airline may earn differently from the same journey flown by another [6]. Earning rates are subject to change and apply by travel date [6].
- Pooling is restricted. Shairpoints is free but is limited to New Zealand-based Koru members and to a maximum of nine people combined [1].
- Card offers carry their own terms. Air New Zealand advertises 400 bonus Airpoints for applicants who apply for the Amex Airpoints Platinum Card by 28 October 2026, are approved and spend $1,500 on the card within the first three months; the offer is for new Amex Card Members only and terms and conditions apply [1].
- Programme terms sit with Koru. Koru terms and conditions apply to the programme, and Air New Zealand directs readers to them for partner earning detail [1] [6].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers Air New Zealand's own Koru programme only; other airlines' programmes are not covered, and lounge access appears here only as a tier benefit listed by Air New Zealand [1].
- Koru loyalty programme overview, Air New Zealand, checked 18 October 2026
- Air New Zealand home page: book flights and earn Airpoints, checked 18 October 2026
- Star Alliance and the Airpoints programme, Air New Zealand, checked 18 October 2026
- Air New Zealand member profile, Star Alliance, checked 18 October 2026