Airpoints status tiers and Status Points thresholds
Star Alliance · Status Points
Tier thresholds cited to the programme’s own pages as read on 26 September 2026. Calculate your Status Points ↓
Airpoints at a glance
- Airpoints has 4 elite tiers, from Koru Silver at 450 Status Points to Koru Black at 3,200 Status Points.
- Rolling 12-month window — only points earned in the past year count.
- Koru Gold (900 Status Points) is the lowest tier with Star Alliance Gold lounge access.
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 90 Status Points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. That is 5 returns to Koru Silver from zero by Status Points alone; Koru Silver also has conditions beyond the threshold, listed under the tier ladder.
Elite tiers
| Tier | Status Points required from zero | To retain |
|---|---|---|
| Koru Silver | 450 | 405 |
| Koru Gold Star Alliance Gold | 900 | 810 |
| Koru Platinum | 1,500 | 1,350 |
| Koru Black | 3,200 | 3,040 |
Koru Gold confers Star Alliance Gold — the lowest tier in this programme with alliance-wide lounge access. Alliance mapping last verified 12 July 2026. Conditions beyond the threshold: At least half the Status Points must come from qualifying flights. Compare lounge access across programmes →
Keeping a tier is a different bar from reaching it. The last column is what Airpoints publishes for a member who already holds the tier, over the same qualification window as the reaching figure. A dash means no retention figure comparable with the reaching one is shown for that rung, not that renewal is automatic; where the programme publishes one over a different window, its note gives it.
Requirements beyond the threshold
- Koru Silver — At least 225 Status Points from qualifying flights — Air New Zealand operated, partner airline or eligible Star Alliance.
- Koru Gold — At least 450 Status Points from qualifying flights — Air New Zealand operated, partner airline or eligible Star Alliance.
- Koru Platinum — At least 900 Status Points from qualifying Air New Zealand flights (Star Alliance flying does not count).
- Koru Black — At least 1,920 Status Points from qualifying Air New Zealand flights (Star Alliance flying does not count).
These apply in addition to the Status Points figure, so reaching the number alone does not confer the tier.
Every rung is conjunctive: Silver 450 Status Points with at least 225 from qualifying flights, Gold 900 / 450, Platinum 1,500 / 900, Black 3,200 / 1,920. At Silver and Gold, qualifying flights include eligible Star Alliance flights alongside Air New Zealand-operated and partner-airline flights; at Platinum and Black, Star Alliance flying is excluded from that sub-minimum, though it still counts toward the total. Status Points are absolute points per sector, never a percentage of distance, and own-metal earning depends on route group, fare group, booking class and fare product — leave the fare product unset to get the rate Air New Zealand publishes when none is specified. Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Aircalin and Virgin Atlantic earn no Status Points on Air New Zealand's calculator, and Qantas earns them only on NZ7000-series flights within Australia connecting to an Air New Zealand international flight. The table covers 86 city pairs, so a route Air New Zealand does not fly is priced at its region-mates' rate rather than refused.
How we checked this
Checked against airnewzealand.com, August 2026; the Qantas page and rates were read again on 27 September 2026.
Publisher pages read: airnewzealand.co.nz.
Programmes change their rules without notice — confirm a figure with Airpoints before you rely on it.
Part-way up this ladder? See how to reach your next tier in Airpoints to see how far you are from your next tier and ways to close the gap.
What a return earns
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 90 Status Points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight.
- LHR–CDG: no figure — no rule captured. No published rate captured for this carrier pair in any of the cabin's booking classes — not a statement that it earns nothing.
| Tier | Status Points | Economy returns |
|---|---|---|
| Koru Silver | 450 | 5 by Status Points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder |
| Koru Gold | 900 | 10 by Status Points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder |
| Koru Platinum | 1,500 | 17 by Status Points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder |
| Koru Black | 3,200 | 36 by Status Points alone, plus the conditions under the tier ladder |
Computed by the same engine as the calculator, on the reference routes behind the lowest status thresholds. Your own fare, class and route will differ: the calculator below prices them.
Airpoints: questions and answers
- How many Status Points do I need for Airpoints status?
- From a standing start: Koru Silver 450 Status Points, Koru Gold 900 Status Points, Koru Platinum 1,500 Status Points, Koru Black 3,200 Status Points. The number alone is not always enough. Koru Silver: At least 225 Status Points from qualifying flights — Air New Zealand operated, partner airline or eligible Star Alliance. Koru Gold: At least 450 Status Points from qualifying flights — Air New Zealand operated, partner airline or eligible Star Alliance. Koru Platinum: At least 900 Status Points from qualifying Air New Zealand flights (Star Alliance flying does not count). Koru Black: At least 1,920 Status Points from qualifying Air New Zealand flights (Star Alliance flying does not count).
- Which Airpoints tier gives lounge access?
- Koru Gold, at 900 Status Points, is the lowest tier that confers Star Alliance Gold, with lounge access across the alliance. Conditions beyond the threshold: At least half the Status Points must come from qualifying flights.
- How many flights does it take to reach Airpoints status?
- On the reference route LHR–NYC (JFK or EWR), flown by United Airlines, one economy return earns 90 Status Points in booking class Y, the highest-earning economy class we hold for that flight. On that basis, the economy returns needed from zero are: Koru Silver 5 (plus conditions), Koru Gold 10 (plus conditions), Koru Platinum 17 (plus conditions), Koru Black 36 (plus conditions). Tiers marked with conditions also need more than the points; see the tier ladder. Other cabins, classes and routes earn differently; the calculator on this page prices your own trip.
Calculate your Status Points
Add further segments and adjust detail in the full builder after calculating.
Earning reference
Booking classesEvery Status Points rate, by booking class
The full reference table for Airpoints: each operating carrier crossed with each booking class, the rate we hold, and the earning model behind it. Only classes with a rate we have captured from the programme are listed — nothing is filled in with a guess.
Open the booking-class table →Airpoints status matches out
Into Kenya Airways — Asante Rewards
- Black or Platinum → Platinum Elite Plus (Status match)
- Gold → Gold Elite Plus (Status match)
- Silver → Silver Elite (Status match)
Into KM Malta Airlines — KM Rewards
- Black, Gold or Platinum → Pioneer (Status match)
- Silver → Explorer (Status match)
Into Air Astana — Nomad Club
- Black, Gold or Platinum → Gold (Status match)
- Silver → Silver (Status match)