Elite Partner tier benefits

As an Elite Partner member, nominated by an Elite Airpoints™ member, you'll receive a range of travel benefits designed to make your whole travel experience as seamless and comfortable as possible.

It's important to note that Elite Partner benefits are different to Elite member benefits. Your Elite Partner benefits will only apply when you travel on an Air New Zealand operated and ticketed flights and on selected routes with our airline alliance partners, when you're travelling without the Elite member. Please refer to each airline for further detail as benefits may vary; Air China, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and United. 

Lounge access

Elite Partner members may access our Air New Zealand Regional, Domestic and International Lounges and our many partner lounges when departing on an Air New Zealand ticketed and operated flight. You'll also receive access when travelling on an Air New Zealand flight number with some of our alliance partners on selected routes:

Remember to take your Elite Partner membership card with you, when travelling, to display upon lounge entry at our partner lounges.

Guest and child lounge access

Elite Partner members are welcome to bring one guest with you into Air New Zealand Lounges and some partner lounges prior to the departure of your Air New Zealand flight. Like you, your guest needs to be departing on an Air New Zealand ticketed and operated flight, from the same airport terminal as you, that day.

Children 11 years and under travelling with you will be accommodated in Air New Zealand Domestic and International Lounges on a complimentary basis, if space is available.

No guests/children can be accommodated into the Koru Express facility, located at Christchurch regional airport terminal. 

Guest and child access to lounges is always subject to space being available in the lounge, on the day.

Complimentary frequent flyer seating

Elite Partner members, have complimentary access to our reserved frequent flyer seating areas when travelling on an Air New Zealand operated flight (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number).

Frequent flyer seating is often located towards the front of our Economy cabins and includes the Space+ zone on our domestic jet services and international A320 services, and is independent from the paid Preferred and Exit Row seating options.

When booking online, you'll need to ensure you're logged into your Airpoints account or have submitted your Airpoints number on the 'Enter Passenger Details' page to ensure access to frequent flyer seating and the correct Seat Select options.

Note: If there are any Preferred or Exit Row Seats still available 48 hours before travel, Elite Partner members can select these free of charge, as an additional benefit.

To view all Elite Partner member seating benefits check out our quick reference guide to Air New Zealand seating.

Note: Frequent flyer seating benefit does not apply to other airlines flights.

Priority check-in and boarding

Elite Partner members will enjoy access to premium check-in where available and priority boarding when travelling on Air New Zealand flights and some of our airline alliance partners flights.

Priority check-in

Like Elite and Gold members, Elite Partner members are invited to use the premium check-in counters in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin airports, when travelling on Air New Zealand operated flights.

If you're flying domestically in New Zealand with carry-on luggage only, you can check in directly at our lounges in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown airports.

Priority boarding

Also like Elite and Gold members, Elite Partner members are part of the priority boarding call wherever available when flying on Air New Zealand operated flights, with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number.

These priority check-in and boarding benefits also apply to selected flights with our alliance airline partner Cathay Pacific - see here for more details.

Baggage privileges

Priority baggage

As an Elite Partner member travelling with checked baggage on Air New Zealand operated flights (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number) you'll receive priority baggage service wherever possible.

Additional checked baggage

Elite Partner members also receive one complimentary additional piece of checked baggage (up to 23kg) if the fare you're travelling on includes a checked bag, up to a maximum of 3 pieces including the allowance included with your airfare. This applies to Air New Zealand operated and ticketed flights when checking in with Air New Zealand, where your airfare includes a checked bag and Air New Zealand baggage rules apply.

These additional checked bag and priority checked baggage benefits also apply to selected flights with our alliance airline partner Cathay Pacific - see here for more details.

If checking in with another carrier, including when connecting to an Air New Zealand flight, the extra bag available to Elite Partner members may be charged as excess, refer to excess baggage charges.

Overweight and oversized bag charges still apply to any checked baggage allowance. Seat airfares do not include a checked baggage allowance, so excess baggage charges apply to all checked baggage when booked on these airfares.

Note: Travel in Economy class to Honolulu, Singapore or China, departing from Australia or New Zealand on an Air New Zealand operated flight, with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number (including transit journeys via Hong Kong) or vice versa, have a standard checked baggage allowance of 2 pieces, with each bag weighing no more than 23kg.

Elite Partners travelling on these flights, can still take an extra bag up to 23kg at no extra charge providing a maximum allowance of 3 checked bags, when flying in Economy class.

For Honolulu, this excludes Seat airfares, as no checked baggage still applies and Seat + Bag airfares as only one checked bag applies.

Baggage allowances vary depending on where you are travelling - please check your exact baggage allowance.

Fast Bag

Elite Partners can enjoy our Fast Bag service on our regional flights.

Fast Bag is available for single sector or point-to-point NZ regional domestic flights - meaning you can take your bag (weighing no more than 15kg) right to the aircraft door and collect it at the time you disembark making regional flying a breeze. This service is only available when travelling on a ticket that includes checked baggage allowance.

Make sure you have your bag tag attached to your Fast Bag with the blue luggage loop.