Elite Partner tier benefits

Elite Partner membership is gifted by an Elite Airpoints™ member. You'll receive a range of travel benefits designed to make your whole travel experience with Air New Zealand as seamless and comfortable as possible.

Our Elite Partner cards are now fully digital and at your fingertips in the Air NZ app. You will need to download the Air NZ app or, if you already use it, please update it to view and display your digital Elite Partner card. The expiry of your Elite Partner membership is linked to your Elite Members' next expiry date.

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 below. 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:

  • Air China on flights between New Zealand and Beijing
  • Cathay Pacific on flights between New Zealand and Hong Kong
  • Singapore Airlines on flights between New Zealand and Singapore
  • United on flights between Auckland and Los Angeles and between Christchurch and San Francisco

Please make sure you have downloaded your Elite Partner digital card, to display upon lounge entry at our partner lounges.

By accessing any lounge you are required to follow the Lounge access terms of use. If you and/or your permitted Guest and/or Children do not agree to these Terms you will not be permitted access to any Lounge. 

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.

Up to a maximum of three children aged between 3 and 17 years (inclusive) travelling with you, will be permitted access to Air New Zealand Lounges on a complimentary basis, subject to space availability. Children aged two years and under travelling with you, may access Air New Zealand Lounges on a complimentary basis subject to space availability.

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 of travel.

Complimentary frequent flyer seating

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

Frequent flyer seating is located towards the front of the cabin on most Air New Zealand flights. These can be booked during the Seat Select process when booking online, by visiting My Bookings or by calling our contact centre. They are available to you on a first come first serve basis and available on any fare type purchased on Air New Zealand.

Some seats are designated as Preferred Seats, Elite Partners enjoy complimentary access to any unsold Preferred, Exit Row or seats located in the Economy Stretch zone within 48 hours of departure

Note: Frequent flyer seating benefits do not apply when travelling with other airlines.

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.

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 collect your bag (weighing no more than 15kg) from right next to the aircraft when you disembark. This service is only available when travelling on a ticket that includes checked baggage allowance.

Things you need to know: Air New Zealand ticket numbers start with '086' and Air New Zealand flight numbers start with 'NZ'.

Elite Partner membership is not a Star Alliance recognised product. Airpoints terms and conditions apply