Air New Zealand has introduced dates and routes for its first utterly revamped 787-9 Dreamliner. Which means in simply a few weeks, you may try the airline’s brand-new seats (and carpet, curtains, leisure methods and extra).
The airline overhauled all cabins — together with economic system, premium economic system and enterprise class — on its first retrofitted 787-9 over a 184-day interval. It additionally added two new all-new business-class merchandise styled Enterprise Premier and Enterprise Premier Luxe. That is the primary of 14 Air New Zealand Dreamliners set to be redesigned by the tip of subsequent yr.
So, how are you going to expertise these new seats for your self? The brand new Dreamliner will fly between Auckland and the next cities: San Francisco; Brisbane, Australia; Rarotonga, Cook dinner Islands; and Vancouver, British Columbia. These routes can be found to ebook as of Wednesday, Might 7, with flights taking off within the coming weeks.
For example, the inaugural Auckland-to-San Francisco flight will take off on Might 19 at 7:45 p.m. native time and land at 12:50 p.m. PDT on the identical date (time journey!). The return San Francisco-to-Auckland flight departs Might 19 at 10:05 p.m. In line with a press launch, there will likely be “extra routes to observe as extra of the retrofits are full.”
Associated: What to know when planning a household journey to New Zealand
Easy methods to ebook Air New Zealand’s new Dreamliner with factors and miles
Air New Zealand Airpoints are arduous to come back by; it is a lot simpler to ebook Air New Zealand award seats by its Star Alliance companions. Nonetheless, to seek out flights with this actual aircraft, it may be useful to start out your search on Air New Zealand’s web site.
For example, on the inaugural revamped 787-9 flight from Auckland Airport (AKL) to San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) on Might 19, the brand new Enterprise Premier Luxe seats are talked about beneath the business-class fare.
On the subsequent web page, you may have the choice to improve to Enterprise Premier Luxe. Or you may choose these seats from the seat map later within the reserving course of.
This similar flight is on the market on United Airways’ web site for 60,500 miles one-way in economic system, plus $47 in taxes and charges. Or, if in case you have an eligible United cobranded card, you may pay solely 55,000 miles. You may see right here, too, that the 787-9 Dreamliner is named out close to the flight quantity.
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Whereas Enterprise Premier and Enterprise Premier Luxe aren’t accessible with United miles on the above flight, a business-class award between the U.S. and New Zealand would usually value 110,000 miles (or 100,000 miles for United cardholders), so hopefully we see these redemptions pop up quickly for the brand new 787-9.
The identical flight booked by Air Canada Aeroplan is an excellent higher deal, costing solely 50,000 factors in economic system. You may pay barely extra in taxes and charges: 136 Canadian {dollars} (roughly $98), which continues to be very affordable for a long-haul worldwide flight. Equally, there isn’t any Enterprise Premier or Enterprise Premier Luxe accessible to ebook on this flight by this associate, however typically, business-class redemptions on different planes that fly this route go for 75,000 Aeroplan factors.
With money charges for a similar date beginning at 992 New Zealand {dollars} ($589) one-way in economic system, this comes out to round 0.98 cents per level — slightly below worth for Aeroplan factors, that are price 1.4 cents every per our Might 2025 valuations.
You possibly can switch bank card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio from American Categorical Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles and Chase Final Rewards. You possibly can switch Chase factors and Bilt Factors to United, however you are higher off transferring to Aeroplan because it presents higher award charges on this case.
One other approach to ebook the brand new Air New Zealand Dreamliner is with Singapore Airways, which prices 66,000 KrisFlyer miles (plus $42) for one-way economic system saver award seats. (Equally, there aren’t any business-class redemptions accessible on this particular flight, however they are often discovered for 146,500 miles on different planes on this route.)
This is not the most affordable approach to fly on Air New Zealand’s new Dreamliner, however it’s a pleasant choice if in case you have a stash of bank card rewards that may be transferred to KrisFlyer, reminiscent of Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Final Rewards factors.
Associated: How I used 75,000 Chase factors to fly enterprise class to New Zealand
Backside line
Due to factors and miles, there are a number of methods to check out Air New Zealand’s revamped Dreamliner — and discover the Land of the Lengthy White Cloud — with out breaking the financial institution. We suggest reserving with Aeroplan, the place you will get actually outsize worth in your factors in enterprise class.
The draw back is that, for now, specialised seat sorts like the brand new Enterprise Premier Luxe and the economic system Skycouch are not bookable by associate airways. However we’ll be watching this area to see if and when award bookings develop into accessible.
