{"id":8664,"date":"2024-07-20T18:00:23","date_gmt":"2024-07-20T18:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=8664"},"modified":"2026-04-08T13:59:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T13:59:52","slug":"best-points-and-miles-australia-new-zealand-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/best-points-and-miles-australia-new-zealand-flights\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Points and Miles for Flights to Australia and New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Finding tickets with points and miles to Australia and New Zealand often takes time and effort. Flights in business and first class can usually cost hundreds of thousands of miles, premium economy availability can be limited, and the lack of flights available compared to flying to Europe and Asia can make it seem almost impossible to use miles on a dream vacation to the South Pacific. However, sweet spots are available for flying to this part of the world in premium economy, business class, and first class &#8212; especially if you book in advance or last minute.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Best_Premium_Economy_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best Premium Economy Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#55000_Alaska_Airlines_Atmos_Rewards_points_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">55,000 Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#From_50000_American_AAdvantage_Miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">From 50,000 American AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#70000_United_MileagePlus_Miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">70,000 United MileagePlus Miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Best_Business_Class_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best Business Class Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#85000_Alaska_Atmos_Rewards_points_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">85,000 Alaska Atmos Rewards points from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#65000_American_Airlines_miles_from_the_US_to_Australia\">65,000 American Airlines miles from the U.S. to Australia<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#75000_Air_Canada_Aeroplan_from_the_United_States_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">75,000 Air Canada Aeroplan from the United States to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Bonus_85000_American_Airlines_AAdvantage_Miles_from_Europe_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Bonus: 85,000 American Airlines AAdvantage Miles from Europe to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Best_First_Class_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best First Class Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#From_75000_miles_American_Airlines_AAdvantage_miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">From 75,000 miles American Airlines AAdvantage miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"Best_Premium_Economy_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best Premium Economy Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"55000_Alaska_Airlines_Atmos_Rewards_points_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">55,000 Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Alaska Airlines has a solid mileage program and partnerships with multiple airlines in Oceania, including American Airlines, which flies nonstop to Auckland and Sydney. As a result, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/alaska-atmos-rewards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards<\/a> offers great deals on simple itineraries to Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>Nonstop premium economy flights will generally cost 55,000 points, regardless of whether you are departing from the East Coast or West Coast or arriving in a specific country in the region. That's because nearly every flight falls within Alaska's 7,001 to 10,000-mile distance band in its <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/alaska-award-chart-changes-are-rolling-out\/\" rel=\"noopener\">new award chart<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Alaska Airlines also charges relatively cheap surcharges for partner awards, often ranging from $39 to $59 on nonstop routes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/insurance-and-perks-on-award-travel\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Which Credit Card Should You Use to Pay Award Taxes and Fees?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Alaska Airlines only has one transfer partner: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/bilt-rewards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Bilt Rewards<\/a>. If you do not have Bilt Points, the only way you can accumulate Atmos Rewards points quickly is by opening a personal or business credit card and meeting the minimum spend. Alternatively, you can <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/alaska-atmos-rewards\/buy-alaska-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">buy Atmos Rewards points<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"4048132\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Atmos\u2122 Rewards Ascent Visa Signature<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CardArt-AtmosRewardsAscent.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Atmos\u2122 Rewards Ascent Visa Signature\u00ae card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-learn-more\" data-ccid=\"4048132\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/alaska-atmos-rewards\/alaska-airlines-credit-card\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Limited-Time Online Offer:<\/strong>\r\nEarn 50,000 bonus miles plus buy one, get one ticket for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, spend $2,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Atmos\u2122 Rewards Ascent Visa Signature<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Limited-Time Online Offer:<\/strong>\r\nEarn 50,000 bonus miles plus buy one, get one ticket for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, spend $2,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$95<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The Atmos\u2122 Rewards Ascent Visa Signature<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> card offers cardholders 3 miles per dollar on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and 2 miles per dollar on everyday purchases like gas, local transit including ride share, cable, and select streaming services. Other benefits include Alaska\u2019s Famous Companion Fare\u2122 annually from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $6K in the previous anniversary year, priority boarding, a free checked bag, a 10% reward bonus on miles for Bank of America account holders, and a $100 discount on Alaska Lounge+ Membership.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases<\/li>\r\n<li> Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/AlaskaVisa\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-5-29d74ed799#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"From_50000_American_AAdvantage_Miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">From 50,000 American AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to flights on American metal to Oceania, you may find them cheaper using American's miles instead of Alaska's. For example, you can fly in premium economy from Chicago to Sydney for as few as 50,000 miles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170981\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/236\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170981 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-300x95.png\" alt=\"Mileage cost in economy premium economy, business, and first class with AA miles from ORD to SYD. Main cabin is 40k, premium economy is 50k, business is 65k, and first is 134k\" width=\"750\" height=\"236\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-300x95.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-1024x323.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-768x242.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-1536x484.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM.png 2012w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Partner awards will be slightly pricier. Flying Qantas nonstop from New York to Auckland will cost 65,000 miles for premium economy \u2014 10,000 more miles than booking via Alaska for the same flight.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170982\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/184\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170982 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM-300x73.png\" alt=\"AA redemption from JFK to AKL on Qantas. 40k miles in economy, 65k miles in business. Each has $45.80 in fees\" width=\"750\" height=\"184\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM-300x73.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM-1024x251.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM-768x188.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM-1536x376.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.18.18-PM.png 2018w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/news\/american-aadvantage\/bilt-partnership\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines ended its partnership with Bilt in June 2024<\/a>. As a result, you cannot transfer points from any credit card to American Airlines. The simplest way to earn American Airlines quickly is by meeting a minimum spend on one of their credit cards. However, there are myriad strategies to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/earn-american-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">earn American Airlines miles<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Aviator<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Red World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/CardArt-AAdvantageAviatorRedMasterCard.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"AAdvantage\u00ae Aviator\u00ae Red World Elite Mastercard\u00ae\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> No longer accepting applications<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Aviator<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Red World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> No longer accepting applications<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$99<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Aviator<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Red World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> is one of the few rewards cards offering a sizeable welcome bonus after making your first purchase. For those with limited monthly spending, this card is an outstanding option to increase your American Airlines mileage balance.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles on American Airlines purchases<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 1X miles on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/AviatorRed\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-5-29d74ed799#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/redeem-miles-australia-new-zealand\/?preview=true&qs\" rel=\"noopener\">How To Use American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Miles to Fly to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"70000_United_MileagePlus_Miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">70,000 United MileagePlus Miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to premium economy availability, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/united-mileageplus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United Airlines MileagePlus<\/a> is a solid mileage program due to its wide network across the United States. In addition, the airline does not charge extra for one-stop flights to Oceania as long as the ticket originates in the United States, making United a great option for premium economy seats if you are not traveling from a city with nonstop flights to the South Pacific.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170608\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/325\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170608 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-300x130.png\" alt=\"United Airlines mileage availability from Austin to SFO to SYD. Costs 70k miles plus $34.40 in fees\" width=\"750\" height=\"325\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-300x130.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-1024x444.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-768x333.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-1536x666.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-10.26.21-PM-2048x888.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: United Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Unlike Alaska Airlines, United Airlines has two transfer partners: Bilt and Chase. As a result, its miles are relatively easy to accumulate and redeem.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"2061159\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/7e0262fd-5b61-413b-8b01-c8feec5b1d04.png\" alt=\"Chase Sapphire Preferred\u00ae Card\" width=\"150\"\/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='Chase Sapphire Preferred\u00ae Card' data-ccid=\"2061159\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/ChaseSapphirePreferredCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><span class=\"qs-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"2061159\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005147&type=3&subid=081da04486e280f7c8301dae39b2ebb81&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$95<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">Our <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/best-beginners-rewards-card\/\">#1 recommended beginners rewards card<\/a> featuring a 75,000-point signup bonus after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This card comes with great benefits and earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><?xml version=\"1.0\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ??>\n<html><body><ul><li>Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/li><li>Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel&#x2120;, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases<\/li><li>Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel&#x2120;<\/li><li>10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.<\/li><li>Count on Trip Cancellation\/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.<\/li><li>Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12\/31\/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.<\/li><li>Member FDIC<\/li><\/ul><\/body><\/html>\n<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027<\/li>\r\n<li>5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel\u2120<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on eligible streaming services<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)<\/li>\r\n<li>2X points on all other travel<\/li>\r\n<li>1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/SapphirePreferred\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-5-29d74ed799#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/transfer-chase-points-to-united\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How To Transfer Chase Points to United MileagePlus<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Best_Business_Class_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best Business Class Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Given how long flights are from America to Australia and New Zealand, it is no surprise that many travelers want to save their points for an ultra-long-haul business or first-class ticket. Unfortunately, lie-flat tickets between these two parts of the world can feel nearly impossible to get. However, there still are sweet spot redemptions, especially if you book last minute &#8212; or almost a year in advance.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"85000_Alaska_Atmos_Rewards_points_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">85,000 Alaska Atmos Rewards points from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Alaska Airlines offers solid redemption options on nonstop business class tickets between America and Oceania. Nonstop flights can be found for just 85,000 points plus fees.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"65000_American_Airlines_miles_from_the_US_to_Australia\">65,000 American Airlines miles from the U.S. to Australia<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>American Airlines has the same flights as Alaska available for even cheaper, starting at just 65,000 miles in business class. American's network is also expansive across the United States compared to Alaska Airlines, meaning you can fly from a wide variety of airports in the United States to Sydney on one ticket for relatively cheap.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170981\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/236\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170981 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-300x95.png\" alt=\"Mileage cost in economy premium economy, business, and first class with AA miles from ORD to SYD. Main cabin is 40k, premium economy is 50k, business is 65k, and first is 134k\" width=\"750\" height=\"236\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-300x95.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-1024x323.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-768x242.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM-1536x484.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.06.52-PM.png 2012w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Business class awards on <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/american-airlines-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines' partner airlines<\/a> will cost slightly more than flights on its own metal. The Qantas New York to Auckland nonstop will cost 80,000 miles. Even though it is more expensive than flying American to Australia or New Zealand, it is still 5,000 miles cheaper than Alaska's price for the same flight.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170983\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/216\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170983 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-300x86.png\" alt=\"Qantas pricing on AA for JFK to AKL. 40k in main, 65k in premium, 80k in business. Each has $45.80 in fees\" width=\"750\" height=\"216\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-300x86.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-1024x295.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-768x221.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-1536x442.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.21.56-PM-2048x589.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h3><span id=\"75000_Air_Canada_Aeroplan_from_the_United_States_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">75,000 Air Canada Aeroplan from the United States to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Like Alaska and American Airlines, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/air-canada-aeroplan\/air-canada-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Air Canada has a few partnerships for flights between North America and Oceania<\/a>. Unlike American, each flight will cost the same, regardless of the airline you are traveling on. For example, a flight from Los Angeles to Auckland on Air New Zealand will cost 75,000 miles based on where these flights fall in the airline's region- and distance-based award chart.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_170984\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"900\/475\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-170984 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-300x158.png\" alt=\"Airfares from LAX to Auckland in business class with Air Canada Aeroplan miles. Two flights with 75k miles plus $132 CAD in fees\" width=\"900\" height=\"475\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-1024x541.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-768x406.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-1536x811.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-27-at-7.28.39-PM-2048x1082.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Air Canada<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Although this price is limited to just nonstop flights, your departure airport in the United States or arrival airport in Australia does not matter. Both the Air New Zealand flight from Houston to Auckland and the United flight from San Francisco to Sydney cost 75,000 miles in business class. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/air-canada-aeroplan\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Air Canada Aeroplan<\/a> also has the most transfer partners of any airline in this post: American Express, Capital One, and Chase points can all be transferred to Aeroplan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3006151\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/dfed8cb4-d376-4c8b-aed4-1997afa3d66a.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"3006151\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-COV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$95<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">Following the revamp of Capital One's rewards program and the addition of airline transfer partners, the Capital One Venture has catapulted into our list of top travel rewards cards. The ability to earn at least 2X miles on every purchase provides a decent return on spending. Plus the card offers some great perks.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><ul><li>Earn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles on all other purchase<\/li>\r\n<li>Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre\u2714<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> (up to $120)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>No foreign transaction fees<\/li>\r\n \t<li>$95 annual fee<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment <\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/Venture\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-5-29d74ed799#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"Bonus_85000_American_Airlines_AAdvantage_Miles_from_Europe_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Bonus: 85,000 American Airlines AAdvantage Miles from Europe to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you live in Europe or want to make a worldwide trip, it might be worth flying from Europe to Oceania. Not only is mileage availability easier to come by, but if you use American Airlines miles, you can find flights on partners such as Qatar Airways.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_171147\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/275\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-171147 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM-300x110.png\" alt=\"Business class flight from CDG to DOH to PER, 85k miles plus $176 in fees\" width=\"750\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM-300x110.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM-1024x376.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM-768x282.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM-1536x563.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-7.55.36-AM.png 2018w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Best_First_Class_Awards_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">Best First Class Awards to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As airlines opt for better business-class products to replace first-class seats, the options for flying in first class from the United States to Australia and New Zealand have significantly decreased. However, there are still a couple of airlines that have a first-class option on these routes.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"From_75000_miles_American_Airlines_AAdvantage_miles_from_the_US_to_Australia_and_New_Zealand\">From 75,000 miles American Airlines AAdvantage miles from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While American Airlines first- and business-class tickets can often cost hundreds of thousands of miles, you can typically find some saver availability either a couple of days from departure or almost a year out from travel. American Airlines first-class tickets to Australia and New Zealand start at as few as 75,000 miles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_171116\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/225\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-171116 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM-300x90.png\" alt=\"First class ticket from LAX to SYD on American Airlines, which starts at 75,000 miles\" width=\"750\" height=\"225\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM-768x230.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM-1536x461.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-6.36.11-PM.png 2026w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>First-class flights on Qantas will set you back slightly more with American Airlines miles versus flying on American itself, but both Oneworld carriers offer solid first-class products.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While it may seem that deals on award flights to Australia and New Zealand may be extinct or rare compared to flights to Europe and Asia, there are quite a few sweet spots on American carriers, Qantas, and Air New Zealand, depending on the mileage program you use to book flights.<\/p>\n<p>You can even spend a similar amount of miles to fly from Europe to Australia or New Zealand in business class. By planning your travel early or having flexible travel plans that enable a last-second booking and following the tips above, you can fly in style while redeeming a ticket at an excellent price.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flying to the South Pacific using points and miles can be one of the most difficult challenges a points and miles enthusiast can encounter. There is a limited selection of flights operated by a limited number of airlines, and it takes a long time to get there. However, there are still sweet spot redemptions out there, especially if you book in advance or at the last minute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":173070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12067],"tags":[12521,12629],"coauthors":[36397],"class_list":["post-8664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-booking-travel","tag-oceania","tag-using-points"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8664"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256451,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8664\/revisions\/256451"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/173070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8664"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=8664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}