United Airlines alliance
Our alliance with United covers flights between mainland USA and New Zealand, including feeder flights within the US and New Zealand. The alliance is part of our strong Pacific Rim partner network, which includes Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Air China.
For our customers, it means easy access to more flights and more destinations.
Member benefits
Air New Zealand and United are Star Alliance members, so customers enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, such as earning and spending loyalty points.
United MileagePlus® members can earn award miles, Premier qualifying miles, Premier qualifying segments and Premier qualifying dollars on eligible Air New Zealand flights. To receive mileage credit, present your MileagePlus® number when you make reservations and make sure that it appears on your boarding pass at check-in.
Also, MileagePlus® members receive the following benefits on Air New Zealand-operated flights:
- Star Alliance Gold or Silver status recognition
- Use of Star Alliance Upgrade Awards
- Access to United Club locations
To learn more about United MileagePlus® benefits with Air New Zealand click here.
Star Alliance Gold members (Airpoints™ Elite and Gold) also receive frequent flyer benefits, such as lounge access and priority handling at the airport.
For Airpoints™ information, please visit the United Star Alliance page.
Seat select
We recommend that you pre-select seating on United operated flights to ensure you are seated together with family and travel companions. Seat select is not available whilst booking a United operated flight on the Air New Zealand website, however you can select a seat on United by doing either of the following:
- Once your ticket has been confirmed you will receive a notification from Air New Zealand that will enable you to click through to the United website and select your seat
- Alternatively, you can go to the United Manage Reservations page and enter your united confirmation number - also known as a Partner Ref. number - which can be found on your e-ticket. Then click on "view/change seat" to select a seat
Please note that it is possible to select both free and paid seating on United operated flights via the above channels.
Baggage allowance
If you are connecting to/from a United operated flight, please check your e-ticket for the baggage allowance that applies to each leg of your journey. Visit the United Star Alliance page for further information about baggage allowances for Airpoints™ Gold, Elite and Koru members on United operated flights.
Check-in, meals, entertainment, children and infants
At the airport, you check in with the operating airline. For check-in times and more, see Air New Zealand International check-in and United check-in.
For information on meals, entertainment, special assistance, travelling with children or infants, or children travelling alone, please contact the operating airline.
For further information about your United flight
Visit the United website.
You can also download the United app for on-the-go details about your United flight including flight status information and on-board amenities.
Earning miles on Air New Zealand flights
If your ticket was purchased directly from united.com, by calling the United Customer Contact Center (including a United specialty desk, such as United Groups, United Meetings or the Premier Priority Desk), from a United representative at the airport, or through a United ticket office, you'll earn miles based on the fare1,2and your MileagePlus status. Please reference the "Ticket number starts with 016" section below3.
Otherwise, you should reference the "Ticket number does not start with 016" section4. You'll earn miles based on flight distance5 and the purchased fare class and/or fare class flown2.
If you don't know how your ticket was purchased, in most cases your ticket number can be found on your confirmation email or receipt.
| MileagePlus status | Award miles earned (based on fare1,2) |
|---|---|
| Member | 5 x fare |
| Premier® Silver | 7 x fare |
| Premier Gold | 8 x fare |
| Premier Platinum | 9 x fare |
| Premier 1K® | 11 x fare |
Ticket Number Starts with "016"
Member
5 x fare
Premier® Silver
7 x fare
Premier Gold
8 x fare
Premier Platinum
9 x fare
Premier 1K®
11 x fare
| Class of service | Purchased fare class | Award mile earnings (including fare class) |
|---|---|---|
| Full fare business | C | 200% |
| Business | D | 150% |
| Discount Business | J,Z | 125% |
| Premium Economy | U,E,O,A | 100% |
| Full-Fare Economy | Y,B | 100% |
| Economy | H,M,Q,V | 75% |
| Discount Economy | W,T,L,S | 50% |
| Deep Discount Economy | G,K,X,P | 25% |
| No mileage credit | F,I,N,R | 0% |
Ticket Number does not start with "016" - For flights flown before March 30, 2019
Full fare business
C
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
200%
Business
D
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
150%
Discount Business
J,Z
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
125%
Premium Economy
U,E,O,A
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
100%
Full-Fare Economy
Y,B
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
100%
Economy
H,M,Q,V
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
75%
Discount Economy
W,T,L,S
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
50%
Deep Discount Economy
G,K,X,P
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
25%
No mileage credit
F,I,N,R
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
0%
| Class of service | Purchased fare class | Award mile earnings (including fare class) |
|---|---|---|
| Full fare business | C | 200% |
| Business | D | 150% |
| Discount Business | J,Z | 125% |
| Premium Economy | U,E,O,A | 115% |
| Full-Fare Economy | Y,B | 100% |
| Economy | H,M,Q,V | 75% |
| Discount Economy | W,T,L,S | 50% |
| Deep Discount Economy | G,K,X,P | 25% |
| No mileage credit | F,I,N,R | 0% |
Ticket Number does not start with "016" - For flights flown on or after March 30, 2019
Full fare business
C
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
200%
Business
D
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
150%
Discount Business
J,Z
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
125%
Premium Economy
U,E,O,A
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
115%
Full-Fare Economy
Y,B
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
100%
Economy
H,M,Q,V
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
75%
Discount Economy
W,T,L,S
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
50%
Deep Discount Economy
G,K,X,P
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
25%
No mileage credit
F,I,N,R
Award mile earnings
(including fare class)
0%
1 The fare is the base fare of the ticket plus carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding any government-imposed taxes and surcharges. For tickets purchased in a currency other than U.S. dollars, we will convert the purchase to U.S. dollars using an industry standard exchange rate and then calculate the number of miles you will earn. Please note that the price displayed when purchasing a ticket on united.com includes up to a 7.5% U.S. Federal Transportation Tax on the base amount of the fare on itineraries wholly within the United States. This tax also applies to certain itineraries between the United States and Canada or Mexico. You will not earn PQD or award miles for the full amount of the displayed price for these itineraries because the U.S. Federal Transportation tax is not eligible to earn PQD or miles. Fare classes A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z are eligible for accrual.
2 The award miles accrued on codeshare flights are based on the operating carrier and their equivalent fare class. This could result in differences between the purchased booking class and the booking class flown, which determines the number of base and Premier qualifying miles and Premier qualifying segments earned.
3 Ticket number starts with "016" and was purchased from United on united.com, through the United Customer Contact Center or at the airport, or from a travel agency or other travel website.
4 Ticket number does not start with "016" and was purchased from an airline other than United or from a travel agency or other travel website.
5 Flight distance is defined as the miles scheduled for a specific flight, as determined solely by United.