Kiwibank has launched three new credit cards in partnership with Air New Zealand, with both state-owned partners saying they want to 'shake-up' the credit card market.
Air New Zealand's long-term Airpoints credit card relationship with BNZ is being run in parallel; with the BNZ GlobalPlus card still offering AirPoints and Status points benefits. Air NZ also has Airpoints credit deals with both ANZ and Amex as well.
Today's launch of the new Air New Zealand Airpoints credit cards are an evolution of the Kiwibank Go Fly credit card.
"We also have a number of other new products in development with our other partners," said Air New Zealand.
"At the moment 20% of all credit card purchases in New Zealand earn Airpoints Dollars," Air New Zealand spokesperson Hamish Rumbold said.
The new Kiwibank/Air NZ cards have have been launched in three versions:
One is a "low-fee" Mastercard that has a 15.90% interest rate after up to 44 days interest free. The annual fee is $25. Cash advances attract 17.90% interest.
Another is their "standard" Mastercard, also with up to 44 days interest-free, but a base interest rate of 19.95% and a cash advances rate of 21.95%. The annual fee for this card is $65.
And there is a Platinum Mastercard in the Air New Zealand partnership as well that features the best rewards deal of the set, also with up to 44 days interest-free, but a base interest rate of 19.95% and a cash advances rate of 21.95%. The annual fee for this card is $150.
The Kiwibank Platinum card gets you complimentary overseas travel insurance for you, your spouse and your kids if they’re travelling with you, and two Koru membership discounts of $145 from Air NZ's annual fee (and the joining fee is waived).
In addition, Air New Zealand frequent flyers who earn Status Points get the best Status Point earn rate in the market – one for every $200 spent, on the Platinum MasterCard.
All credit card interest rates, including these new offerings, can be found in our comprehensive table here. Comparisons of credit card fees are here.
For a comprehensive comparison, see this Airpoints Direct Earn Credit Card comparison table.
These are three two head-to-head comparisons:
| Platinum AirPoints cards | Kiwibank | BNZ GlobalPlus | ANZ Airpoints |
| Mastercard | Visa | Visa | |
| Interest rates | |||
| - purchase interest rate, pa | 19.95% | 15.45% | 19.95% |
| - cash advance interest rate, pa | 21.95% | 15.45% | 22.45% |
| - balance transfer interest rate, pa | 2.99% | 4.99% | 2.99% |
| - balance transfer duration | 6 mths | 6 mths | 12 mths |
| Fees | |||
| - primary ($) | 150.00 | 200.00 | 150.001 |
| - additional ($) | 30.00 | 0.00 | 25.00 |
| - interest free days | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| 1 effective October 1, 2013 | |||
| Airpoints | |||
| - spend needed to earn 1 Reward point $ | 75.00 | 90.00 | 90.00 |
| - Airpoints Advance (pts) | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Insurance | |||
| - free days of int. leisure travel insurance | 40 | 90 | 90 |
| Status Points, spending required for 1 point | 200.00 | 250.00 | 250.00 |
| Koru Club discount $ | 145.00 | 145.00 | 145.00 |
For a comprehensive comparison, see this Airpoints Direct Earn Credit Card comparison table.
| Standard AirPoints cards | Kiwibank | BNZ GlobalPlus | ANZ Airpoints |
| Mastercard | Visa/MC/Amex | Visa | |
| Interest rates | |||
| - purchase interest rate, pa | 19.95% | 19.95% | 19.95% |
| - cash advance interest rate, pa | 21.95% | 22.20% | 22.45% |
| - balance transfer interest rate, pa | 2.99% | 8.95% | 2.99% |
| - balance transfer duration | 6 mths | 6 mths | 6 mths |
| Fees | |||
| - primary ($) | 65.00 | 55.00 | 65.00 |
| - additional ($) | 20.00 | 12.90 | 10.00 |
| - interest free days | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| Airpoints | |||
| - spend needed to earn 1 Reward point $ | 120.00 | 150.002 | 150.00 |
| - Airpoints Advance (pts) | 100 | 50 | 50 |
| Insurance | |||
| - free days of intl leisure travel insurance | n.a. | n.a. | n.a |
| Status Points, spending required for 1 point | n.a. | n.a | n.a |
| Koru Club discount $ | n.a. | n.a | na |
2 The spend required using an Amex-branded card is $100
For a comprehensive comparison, see this Airpoints Direct Earn Credit Card comparison table.
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