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The fascinating reason why Air New Zealand's US flights will stop in Hawaii during the pandemic
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Jan. 05, 2021
•
3 min read
The fascinating reason why Air New Zealand's US flights will stop in Hawaii during the pandemic
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The coronavirus has upended airline route networks as we know them.
In addition to adding new leisure-focused destinations for passengers, airlines have redrawn their route maps to minimize the chance that crew members contract the virus.
The latest modification comes from Air New Zealand. Beginning Feb. 2, 2021, the carrier's U.S. flights will operate with a stop in Honolulu for a crew change.
Air New Zealand explains that the Hawaii stop will allow "our crew members to overnight in Honolulu rather than Los Angeles" in an effort to reduce the risk of crews catching the virus on the mainland, where positivity rates have climbed as high as 15% and up.
While flights will stop in Honolulu, passengers won't be able to get off the plane for an island excursion. The crew that operates the Auckland to Honolulu flight will layover there before returning to New Zealand a few days later.
A new crew will fly from Honolulu to the mainland and back, where they'll rest for a few days. Finally, a third crew will fly from Honolulu to Auckland.
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Though New Zealand is closed for tourism, returning citizens and others with pre-approved visas can travel to the country on an Air New Zealand flight.
Due to the significantly reduced demand, the airline has cut its U.S. operations to just two weekly Los Angeles flights, Cirium schedules show. The airline continues to operate multiple cargo-only flights to both Los Angeles and San Francisco. One Mile at a Time reports that the carrier's cargo flights will also stop in Honolulu.
The new Honolulu stop will add about 500 miles to the Los Angeles flights, which represents an additional two hours or so of travel time.
Air New Zealand isn't the only airline to redraw its route network to accommodate its crewmembers.
More: United has an intricate plan to repatriate COVID-positive pilots
American, Delta and United aren't flying directly to China, citing the lengthy waits crew face on arrival, as well as the other coronavirus-related restrictions placed upon them during layovers. Instead, they've added stops in Seoul, South Korea to avoid staying over in China.
United, for its part, has even detailed a new repatriation process for pilots that test positive for the virus during a work trip. The Chicago-based carrier has promised to ferry infected or possibly infected crewmembers back to the United States on non-passenger flights.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.