What Air New Zealand’s shift to ‘Koru’ means for Airpoints earners

Air New Zealand is retiring the Airpoints brand in 2026 as part of the biggest overhaul of its loyalty programme in nearly three decades. From April 2026, the entire programme, including tier status, lounge access and recognition benefits, will operate under a new name: Koru.

For travellers who earn Airpoints through credit card spending, supermarket partners, fuel partners or occasional flying, the natural question is:

“What happens to my Airpoints and how will earning work under the new system?”

The good news: Airpoints Dollars are not being discontinued, balances will carry over, and Airpoints earners will continue to earn and redeem in largely the same way, based on what has been announced so far.

This guide explains what’s changing, what isn’t, and what Koru may mean for the value of Airpoints–earning credit cards.

Will I still earn Airpoints Dollars on my everyday spending?

Yes. Air New Zealand has confirmed that you will continue earning:

• Airpoints Dollars (the currency you spend on flights)
• Status Points (used to qualify for tier status)

…even after the programme shifts to Koru in April 2026.

Your existing Airpoints Dollars and Status Points will transfer automatically. Nothing expires or resets because of the rebrand.

For credit card holders (especially those with high-earning cards from American Express) this means:

• You’ll keep earning Airpoints Dollars from spending on your card.
• Your Airpoints number will remain active.

Air New Zealand has also hinted at “more ways to earn and redeem”, suggesting partners may expand or earning rules may become more flexible.

The loyalty programme structure is changing (but not the currency)

Where Koru brings change is at the tier level, the part of the programme that affects frequent flyers through benefits like lounge access, upgrades and priority travel services.

For many Airpoints collectors who mainly earn through everyday spend, this tier overhaul may not affect day-to-day earning at all. But it could matter for those who combine credit card spend with semi-regular flying to reach or maintain Silver or Gold.

Here’s what’s changing:

A new tier structure

Airpoints Silver, Gold and Elite will become:

• Koru Silver
• Koru Gold
• Koru Platinum

and a new top tier, Koru Black, will sit above Platinum.

Why this matters for Airpoints earners

If you’ve ever reached Silver or Gold partly through flight spend, credit card spend (from some cards that award Status Points), or a mix of both, your tier will transfer directly into the new structure.

No one loses their status, and the qualification rules, while tweaked, remain broadly familiar.

However, a new top tier gives frequent flyers something new to aim for, and could influence the long-term demand for high-earning Status Points credit cards.

New tier: Koru Black

The introduction of Koru Black is the most significant update for frequent travellers.

To qualify, members will need to earn:

• 3,200 Status Points per membership year
• 1,920 of those Status Points from qualifying flights

That’s more than Elite currently requires and is clearly aimed at very frequent business travellers.

Benefits include:

• Access to the new Koru Premier Lounge at Auckland International Airport
• Additional Recognition Upgrades
• Valet parking perks
• Koru Circle, which allows members to share select benefits with friends or family

For status-focused travellers who also use an Airpoints-earning card, this new tier may offer more reason to combine credit card spending with regular flying.

Changes to Silver, Gold and Platinum

Air New Zealand has confirmed several improvements across the existing elite levels.

Koru Silver

• Receives 5 bonus Status Points for every 10 qualifying journeys, making progress toward Gold slightly easier for semi-frequent flyers.

Koru Gold

• Gains access to Status Point Top-Ups to help retain the tier at the end of the membership year.

Koru Platinum

• Remains the second-highest tier with largely the same recognition benefits.

While these changes don’t directly affect credit card earners, they do affect what your Status Points help you achieve, if your card awards them.

Airpoints → Koru: what’s changing?

What this means for Airpoints-earning credit card users

1. Your earn rate stays the same (for now)

There are currently no announced changes to how banks award Airpoints Dollars. If your card earns a set number of Airpoints Dollars per $100 of spend (sometimes more on premium cards or at specific categories like supermarkets and fuel) that continues as normal.

2. Your points are safe

Your Airpoints balance will move into the new programme with no loss of value. Airpoints Dollars and Status Points transfer across when Koru launches.

3. Status Points earning from cards remains relevant

Certain credit cards  (such as some premium Airpoints cards) award Status Points on spend (up to caps). These Status Points will still count toward:

• Koru Silver
• Koru Gold
• Koru Platinum

However, Koru Black will require a high amount of flight-based Status Points, so credit card spend alone will not unlock the top tier.

4. Future earning rules could change

Air New Zealand has signalled more ways to earn and redeem points under Koru. This could mean new retail partners, more flexible redemption options or potential changes to earn rates in future. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it’s an area for Airpoints earners to watch.

5. Credit card value may shift over time

If Air New Zealand improves redemption options or increases partner coverage, Airpoints-earning cards may become more valuable. If earn rates or redemption values change unfavourably, the reverse could be true. For now, there is no clear indication of devaluation.

When the changes take effect

The transition to Koru begins in April 2026. Throughout 2025, Air New Zealand is expected to release more detail on:

• New earning charts
• Updated partner information
• Finalised tier benefit tables

Banked will continue updating this guide as more information is released and as the impact on Airpoints–earning credit cards becomes clearer.