Air New Zealand plans to spice up its widely loathed frequent flyer programme with what is explained as the biggest loyalty shake-up in nearly three decades. From April 2026, Airpoints will be rebranded as Koru, with Airpoints Dollars simply renamed Airpoints, and the introduction of a new super-elite tier called Koru Black.

The Koru launch is more of a cosmetic rebrand, and with the exception of the new Koru Black tier, not much is actually changing. At least the Koru branding seems cool, and is unmistakably Kiwi.

Like every airline on the planet, Air New Zealand insists the refresh is driven by member feedback. That’s all well and good, but most frequent flyers don’t care about a loyalty program's name, and Koru Black is targeted at a small subset of ultra-frequent travellers. Unfortunately, the most complained-about aspects of Airpoints/Koru, like the revenue-fixed redemption value and lack of lifetime status, have not been addressed.

Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar says Koru represents a significant evolution.

“Koru symbolises care, connection, and renewal…We've listened to what matters most to our members. We're proud to be introducing a more rewarding experience that feels simpler, more personal, and unmistakably Kiwi. Koru builds on everything our five million members love about loyalty, shaped and inspired by their feedback."

New Koru Black Status Tier

The biggest part of this whole announcement is the introduction of a new Koru Black tier, which sits a the top of the status ladder, above Koru Platinum. To qualify, members must earn over 3,200 Status Points, including 1,920 from qualifying flights in a year.

For those who reach Koru Black between now and April 2026, Air New Zealand is offering some special gifts:

• An additional Recognition Upgrade and short-haul Recognition Upgrade
• Access to an Express Lane trial (19-28 November) for airport security screening at Auckland Domestic Airport
• Additional Valet Parking Vouchers delivered on 8 December

From April 2026, Koru Black members gain access to some more serious perks:

• Koru Circle: allowing you to share your perks with family or friends
• Status Rewards: reaching Status Points milestones will be recognised with special rewards like a Koru Black banked year, or curated gifts and experiences
• Koru Premier Lounge access at Auckland International
• Additional Recognition Upgrades, valet parking vouchers, enhanced OneUp (paid upgrade) priority
• All Koru Platinum perks

Minor Changes To Other Status Tiers

The transition to Koru brings renamed tiers, plus a few extra perks.

• Koru Bronze: new base tier.
• Koru Silver (was Silver): access Status Points Bonus, with 5 bonus Status Points for every 10 Air NZ flights
• Koru Gold (was Gold): new benefit of Status Points Top-Up to retain status
• Koru Platinum (was Elite): enhanced Status Rewards, AKL Koru Premier Lounge access
• Koru Black: new super-elite status tier

New Koru Lounge For Auckland

Air New Zealand has officially confirmed that it will upgrade its lounge experience in Auckland, nearly doubling overall space by creating two brand new lounges. Air New Zealand says the new lounges will offer more space, more comfort, and an Aotearoa-inspired design.

There will be a Koru Premier Lounge for Koru Platinum (and Elite partners travelling with the member) as well as Air New Zealand Business Class passengers. The new Koru Lounge will accept Koru Gold, Star Alliance Gold, and Elite Partners.

Construction begins in early 2026, with the current lounge remaining open at a reduced capacity until the first new space is opened. Then the current Koru Lounge will be closed and redeveloped, with a reopening expected by the end of 2027.

More Updates To Come For Koru

Air New Zealand says that these announced changes are just the beginning of Koru’s transformation.

"There's more on the horizon including introducing new partners, delivering new and exclusive ways to fly with Air New Zealand using Airpoints, and new opportunities to earn Airpoints and Status Points to ensure our members get even more value from every journey," says Ravishankar.