Parity - for a limited time only

The strong kiwi dollar means exceptional value on Australian holidays for New Zealanders. Photo / Thinkstock

Flight Centre's currency exchange business is for a limited time offering a parity deal with the Australian dollar even if the kiwi currency is lower.

The travel agent's 11 Travel Money NZ stores will later this week offer one Australian dollar for one New Zealand dollar, commission free. It is currently trading at A98.24c.

The offer is available this Thursday and Friday after 4pm at Travel Money's branches in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Many branches are open until around 9pm on Thursday, some are also open late on Friday, and the Auckland Airport branch is open unil 11pm every night.

The maximum purchase is $1000. Customers can use cash or their eftpos card to make payment, and can also pay with a credit card but there would be a 2 per cent credit surcharge on those transactions.

The kiwi dollar neared parity over the Easter weekend, reaching a high of A99.78c before falling yesterday after the Reserve Bank of Australia left interest rates unchanged instead of cutting as many had expected.

Scott McCullough national manager, Travel Money NZ, said his firm's move was made in response to the "parity party" being called off.

We want our customers to have the time of their lives on their holidays to Australia and so [we] are ready to call it parity now.

Scott McCullough, Travel Money NZ national manager

"Travel Money NZ have decided enough is enough already. We want our customers to have the time of their lives on their holidays to Australia and so are ready to call it parity now," he said.

News of the kiwi nearing parity with the Australian dollar resulted in a double-digit increase in transactions for Australian dollars purchased through the firm yesterday, compared to the same day last year.

"The NZ dollar has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks and Kiwis are really making the most of this," said McCullough.

Historically one New Zealand dollar has been around A80c.

The strong kiwi dollar meant exceptional value on Australian holidays for New Zealanders, which was reflected in a 25 per cent increase in sales of fares to Australia in the last year by Flight Centre NZ.