Lounge Frog guide
Is your Air New Zealand Airpoints award a good deal?
Enter the cash price and the Airpoints Dollars an award costs. See what each is worth on it and whether using them beats paying cash.
The same booking, paid in cash.
What the award costs.
Cash still due on the award.
Fair deal
60.00¢each
The same as the usual 60¢. The award saves $450; at the usual value the Airpoints Dollars are worth $450, so using Airpoints Dollars and paying cash come out even.
- Great deal at up to
- 625
- Breaks even at
- 750
- Poor deal above
- 833
Set against a typical redemption value of 60 US cents each: 20% or more above it is a great deal, more than 10% below it a poor one.
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<script async src="https://www.loungefrog.com/embed.js"></script>The short answer
Using Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars on an award is a good deal when it saves you 72¢ or more in cash for each one: 20% above the 60¢ Lounge Frog values them at. Under 54¢ each it is a poor deal, and paying cash keeps the Airpoints Dollars for a better award. An award that saves $500 is a great deal at up to 694 Airpoints Dollars, breaks even at 833 and is poor above 925.
- Great deal
- 72¢+
- Typical value
- 60¢
- Poor deal
- under 54¢
How many Airpoints Dollars should an award cost?
Find the cash the award saves (its cash price less taxes and fees), then read across. Fewer Airpoints Dollars than the first figure is a great deal; more than the last, a poor one.
| Cash saved | Great deal up to | Breaks even at | Poor deal above |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 138 | 166 | 185 |
| $250 | 347 | 416 | 462 |
| $500 | 694 | 833 | 925 |
| $1,000 | 1,388 | 1,666 | 1,851 |
| $2,500 | 3,472 | 4,166 | 4,629 |
How to work it out yourself
Find the cash price. Look up what the same flight, room or purchase costs in cash, on the same dates and in the same cabin or room type.
Take away what you still pay. Subtract the taxes, fees and any cash part of the award. What is left is the cash the award saves you.
Divide by the Airpoints Dollars. Divide the cash saved by the Airpoints Dollars the award costs, then multiply by 100 for cents per point.
Compare with the program's value. Set the result against 60¢: 72¢ or more is a great deal, 54¢ to 72¢ a fair one, and under 54¢ a poor one.
The 60¢ is Lounge Frog's estimate of what a Air New Zealand Airpoints point usually returns, an average across typical awards; any one award can be worth much more or less. Prices in other currencies are converted with ECB reference rates of 2026-10-16. An educational estimate, not financial advice.
Air New Zealand Airpoints award questions
Is your Air New Zealand Airpoints award a good deal?
It is when each of your Airpoints Dollars saves 72¢ or more in cash, 20% above the 60¢ Lounge Frog values them at. Between 54¢ and 72¢ it is a fair deal, about even with paying cash; under 54¢ it is a poor one, and paying cash keeps the Airpoints Dollars for a better award.
How many Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars should a $500 award cost?
If the award saves $500 in cash after taxes and fees, up to 694 Airpoints Dollars is a great deal, 833 breaks even with Lounge Frog's 60¢ value, and more than 925 is a poor deal. For a $1,000 saving the same lines fall at 1,388, 1,666 and 1,851.
What is a good value for Air New Zealand Airpoints Dollars?
72¢ or more each is a good redemption: 20% above Lounge Frog's estimate of 60¢, an average across typical awards. Any one award can be worth much more or less, so check yours.
How do I work out what my Airpoints Dollars are worth on an award?
Find the cash price: Look up what the same flight, room or purchase costs in cash, on the same dates and in the same cabin or room type. Take away what you still pay: Subtract the taxes, fees and any cash part of the award. What is left is the cash the award saves you. Divide by the Airpoints Dollars: Divide the cash saved by the Airpoints Dollars the award costs, then multiply by 100 for cents per point. Compare with the program's value: Set the result against 60¢: 72¢ or more is a great deal, 54¢ to 72¢ a fair one, and under 54¢ a poor one.
Do taxes and fees count?
Yes. Subtract them from the cash price first, since you pay them either way. On an award that costs $500 in cash and $50 in taxes and fees, the Airpoints Dollars save $450, not $500.