What happens to your loyalty points?

It is business as usual for Fly Buys and it's customers, Loyalty NZ says.

Fly Buys and Air New Zealand have reassured customers they won't be losing out after the two companies parted ways.

Current Airpoints and Fly Buys points would still be valid with the schemes continuing separately from October 17.

Stephen England-Hall, chief executive of Loyalty New Zealand, the company which runs Fly Buys, said it would be business as usual for Fly Buys and it's customers, adding that it was a good thing for the company and less confusing for customers.

"You'll be able to use your Fly Buys points to purchase any seat on any Air New Zealand flight, but the proposition in a nutshell is giving consumers a choice of multiple carriers," England-Hall said.

"They also have the ability to spend points or cash or any combination thereof on their travel and with any airline not just Air New Zealand."

England-Hall said there had been confusion around Fly Buys and Airpoints cards with the Airpoints card also featuring a Fly Buys logo.

"Customers aren't losing out," England-Hall said. "If you're an Airpoints member you'll continue to earn Airpoints and be rewarded by that programme, so there shouldn't be any loss there."

Now:
• If a Fly Buys member wants to earn Fly Buys points at a participating retailer, they scan their Fly Buys card.
• If an Airpoints member wants to earn Airpoints Dollars at a Fly Buys retailer, they scan their Airpoints card.

From October 17:
• Airpoints Dollars can no longer be earned through the Fly Buys.
• Instead, Airpoints members can now earn Airpoints Dollars at a range of new direct Airpoints partners.

"There has been confusion as I say about the cards so this should clear things up."

The loyalty programme has been partnered with Air New Zealand for six years.

Mark Street, GM Loyalty at Air New Zealand says Airpoints' focus is on making it simpler for customers to earn Airpoints Dollars at a growing number of direct retail and travel partners.

"The current arrangement worked well for both organisations, but has come to its natural end point in its current form. Over the past 18 months we have been focused on expanding our own partner network to better meet the needs of our membership base.''

Airpoints membership has doubled in size in four years to 2.2 million and Fly Buys has about 2.5 million members.