Status Hold - Parental

Welcoming a little one into your life?
We can put your Airpoints™ Tier Status on hold for a year, so you don't lose your Airpoints Elite or Gold membership.

Now your Airpoints Tier Status can take parental leave as well

You might be travelling less while you focus on family life. So as a special benefit for Airpoints Elite and Gold members, we can put your Tier Status on hold for a year.

An extra-long year for your Airpoints Tier Status

Here's how Status Hold - Parental works.

We simply change your Tier Status review date to 12 months from the day we approve your application. So for example, if we approve it on 10 August, your membership will be on Status Hold until 9 August next year.

At the end of this Status Hold period, your Tier Status resumes as normal. You start a new Tier Status year and receive all of your refreshed Elite or Gold benefits for another 12 months. During this 12 month period you will need to earn enough Status Points to retain your Tier Status by your next Tier Status review date.

Your Airpoints Tier Status is on hold - but you can still enjoy your benefits

  • You can still earn Airpoints Dollars and Status Points
  • If you travel, you still have access to Air New Zealand Lounges, frequent flyer seating and extra baggage allowance, as well as your Star Alliance Gold benefits
  • You won't receive new Recognition Upgrades until the end of your Status Hold period, but you can still request any remaining Recognition Upgrades currently in your account

For Elite members:

  • You can still use your valet parking eVouchers, but they keep their original expiry date
  • Your Elite Partner can continue to use their current Elite Partner card until it expires. We'll issue a new card at the end of your Status Hold period

If you earn enough Status Points while on Status Hold you can upgrade from Airpoints Gold to Elite. However, that will automatically end your Status Hold period and start a new active year as an Elite member. You're welcome to apply for another Status Hold at that point if you are still eligible.

Who is eligible for Status Hold?

During Covid travel restrictions, we introduced Frequent Flyer Tier Extensions to protect our Elite and Gold members from downgrading a tier. Some of our members still have a Tier Extension in place, they are already protected from downgrading and it is not necessary to apply for Status Hold-Parental until the Tier Extensions have been used or expired from their account.

If you do not have a Tier Extension in place you can apply for Status Hold if you're welcoming a child in to your family within the timings outlined below:

  • If your baby was born in the last 12 months or is due in the next six months
  • If you've adopted or fostered a child under six years old in the last 12 months, or will be in the next six months

If two of the child's parents are Airpoints Elite or Gold members, both of them are able to apply for Status Hold.

How do I apply for Status Hold?

You can apply online. All you need to provide is at least one document that shows you're welcoming a child in to your family within the eligible dates.

Your document can be an image (JPEG, JPG, PNG) or a PDF of the below, and must clearly show your name. It could be:

  • A signed and dated letter from your doctor or midwife, on company letterhead
  • A signed and dated letter from your employer from a company representative, stating they have approved your parental leave
  • Your new child's birth certificate
  • Your adoption or foster parent documentation

We'll review your application and will get back to you with a response within 10 business days. 

Cancelling your Status Hold

If you'd like to end your Status Hold period early, please let us know

We'll start a new Airpoints membership year for you at that point and your new year of benefits including Recognition Upgrades will be added to your account. You'll restart at your current Airpoints Elite or Gold tier, and have a full year to earn the Status Points to retain your Tier Status.

Summary of benefits for Airpoints Gold and Elite members while on Status Hold - Parental

 Benefits

Lounge access (Air New Zealand)

Gold

Full access

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Full access

Elite

Full access

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Full access


 Benefits

Complimentary frequent flyer seating

Gold

Yes

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Upgrade - Recognition Upgrade

Gold

2 per year

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Recognition Upgrades will be issued (if the member has unused Recognition Upgrades at the time of going on Status Hold these may continue to be used)

Elite

2 per year

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Recognition Upgrades will be issued (if the member has unused Recognition Upgrades at the time of going on Status Hold these may continue to be used)


 Benefits

Upgrade - Short haul Recognition Upgrade

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

1 per year

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Recognition Upgrades will be issued (if the member has unused Recognition Upgrades at the time of going on Status Hold these may continue to be used)


 Benefits

Upgrade - OneUp Upgrades upweighting

Gold

30%

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

30%

Elite

50%

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

50%


 Benefits

Baggage allowance - Carry-on

Gold

1 extra

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

1 extra

Elite

1 extra

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

1 extra


 Benefits

Baggage allowance - Checked

Gold

1 extra

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

1 extra

Elite

1 extra

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

1 extra


 Benefits

Star Alliance benefits - Lounge access

Gold

Yes

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Star Alliance benefits - Priority check-in

Gold

Yes

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Star Alliance benefits - Extra baggage allowance

Gold

Yes

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Star Alliance benefits - Priority boarding

Gold

Yes

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Hotel voucher

Gold

Yes^

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Hotel voucher will be issued (if the member has an unused Hotel voucher at the time of going on Status Hold this may continue to be used during the Status Hold period)

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Hotel voucher will be issued (if the member has an unused Hotel voucher at the time of going on Status Hold this may continue to be used during the Status Hold period)


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Car rental voucher

Gold

Yes^

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Car rental voucher will be issued (if the member has an unused Car rental voucher at the time of going on Status Hold this may continue to be used during the Status Hold period)

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional Car rental voucher will be issued (if the member has an unused Car rental voucher at the time of going on Status Hold this may continue to be used during the Status Hold period)


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Complimentary valet parking

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

No additional valet parking eVouchers or extension of original expiry date of eVouchers (if the member has unused valet parking eVouchers at the time of going on Status Hold these may continue to be used during the Status Hold period up until the expiry date of the eVouchers)


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Elite Partner membership

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes - but the member may not change their Elite Partner while on Status Hold, and there is no extension of the Elite Partner benefit beyond the original expiry date


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Status Point roll over

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Elite banked year

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Elite threshold gifts

Gold

-

Gold Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

-

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


 Benefits

Extra benefits - Frequent Flyer Status Boost

Elite

Yes

Elite Benefits while on 12 month Status Hold

Yes


^ Airpoints Gold members may choose between either a hotel or car rental voucher as part of their membership benefits. 

Status Hold - Parental terms and conditions apply.