Qantas points stop working on Air NZ domestic flights from 7 April 2027 as Air NZ moves to Virgin

Qantas will end its codeshare and frequent-flyer agreements with Air New Zealand on 7 April 2027, according to Flighthacks and Aviation Week. The CAPA brief on the change gives only "early April 2027".

The deal was smaller than many travellers assume. It never covered flights across the Tasman. Qantas put its code on Air NZ's domestic flights within New Zealand, and Air NZ put its code on Qantas flights within Australia, Flighthacks reported.

Qantas Frequent Flyer members lose a fair bit. Until 7 April they can earn Qantas Points and Status Credits on Air NZ domestic flights, book those flights as Classic Flight Rewards, and, if eligible, use Air NZ lounges. From 7 April all of that goes, according to Flighthacks.

Existing bookings

Qantas's customer notice, as reported by Flighthacks, says:

• Travel before 7 April 2027 is unaffected.
• A QF-coded booking on an Air NZ flight on or after 7 April will switch to an Air NZ (NZ) flight number. Qantas or the travel agent handles the change. Passengers still earn the Qantas Points and Status Credits from the original booking.
• QF codeshare flights operated by Air NZ can't be booked for travel from 7 April.
• Classic Flight Rewards on Air NZ can be booked until 6 April 2027. Only NZ domestic flights are offered as Classic Rewards.

What to do with your points

Qantas points you were saving for Air NZ flights within New Zealand need spending soon. Book any Classic Flight Rewards on Air NZ before 6 April 2027 and fly before 7 April. If you already hold a reward seat on Air NZ for a date after that, check directly with Qantas. The reported notice covers paid codeshare bookings and how they earn points. It doesn't spell out what happens to reward seats.

After 7 April, Qantas Points won't earn on Air NZ domestic flights. Velocity points, from Virgin Australia's programme, would start earning on them only if regulators approve the new deal.

The Virgin deal

Air NZ and Virgin Australia have applied to Australia's competition regulator, the ACCC, and to New Zealand's Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) to widen their codeshare, CAPA reported. If it's approved, Virgin becomes Air NZ's main partner for flights and connections within Australia.

Virgin customers would get codeshare access to every Air NZ-operated service to 20 New Zealand domestic destinations. Air NZ customers would reach 30 destinations on Virgin's Australian network on a single itinerary, according to CAPA.

Flighthacks reported that Velocity members would earn points on any Air NZ flight, book Reward Seats on Air NZ, and get status perks including Air NZ lounges, priority check-in and extra baggage. Air NZ's Koru members would be offered the same earning, redemption and status perks when flying with Virgin.

There are exclusions. Routes where both airlines fly, such as Virgin's Queenstown services, would not be codeshared. Loyalty benefits would not apply to Virgin's flights between Australia and Doha, which Qatar operates on Virgin's behalf, Flighthacks said.

The timing problem

Both the ACCC and New Zealand's Minister of Transport must approve. Flighthacks reported that the ACCC's draft determination is expected in November 2026, with a final decision in January or February 2027. If approved, the deal would run for five years.

In their application, the airlines say Air NZ would end the Qantas codeshare once the Virgin deal is approved. But Qantas has set 7 April before regulators have made their final decision, Flighthacks noted. If approval is late or refused, Air NZ would have no main domestic partner in Australia from April.

Until a new deal is approved, the two airlines are linked by a limited one-way trans-Tasman codeshare, which the ACCC authorised until 30 June 2029, CAPA reported. Under it, Virgin puts VA flight numbers on Air NZ services between Australia and Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, but Air NZ codes don't go on Virgin flights, according to Flighthacks.

The airlines have been here before. Air NZ and Virgin were partners for most of the 2010s until Air NZ switched to Qantas in 2018. Simple Flying described that split as acrimonious, and noted that Air NZ once held a 26% stake in Virgin.