AIR - Air NZ.

[theace]

Virgin reaffirms guidance for return to profitability in 2015/16 ... all looking good

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...ity-in-201516/

[Beagle]

You definitely cannot have an amex as an only card, you'll generally need a visa or mastercard for some locations that don't accept amex. But they have the best incentives around to join.

The current deal for amex air nz platinum is frankly just money for jam.

You pay a $395 annual fee, you spend $2000 in first three months. You earn at the usual $75/ APD i.e $26 APD. But then they give you $800 APD. you also get a return seat + bag domestic flight in NZ, Travel insurance, status points, etc etc

So to me the value is at least $800 + $200 (dom flight) - 395 + 26 = $631, assuming you normally would spend $2k in 3 months, most people proably could do this with supermarket plus fuel/utilities. You could then cancel before next years fee or negotiate directly with amex an incentive to stay on beyond the 1st year.

Nice analysis and agree 100% and I'd take Auckland to Queenstown and probably get more than $200 value from the return flight. Effectivly AMEX and / or AIR are handing out Christmas presents. This is a much improved offer from what I originally received and if I could turn the clock back ten days I would apply for this card instead of the regular one I did....worth doing the paperwork online for $631. Hard offer to ignore, what with it being splashed all over the front page and inside front page of the Herald...two full pages. Surely Amex and AIR cooperated on this as on the face of it, it looks like money for jam. Good advertising for AIR I reckon. Plenty of people earn over $65,000 per annum so Amex will get a huge boost in numbers from this promotion in my opinion.

[dobby41]

How does the free flight work?
Don't you have to be in it for a year to get the flight therefore you can't easily cancel before next years fee?

[Beagle]

Appear's not dobby41. Have a look through here for all the details and fine print. http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpo...erican-express
Disc: I don't work for American express or have any financial interest or relationship with them, just pointing out the buffet appears to be open for those who care to enjoy

[Traderx]

Nice analysis and agree 100% and I'd take Auckland to Queenstown and probably get more than $200 value from the return flight. Effectivly AMEX and / or AIR are handing out Christmas presents. This is a much improved offer from what I originally received and if I could turn the clock back ten days I would apply for this card instead of the regular one I did....worth doing the paperwork online for $631. Hard offer to ignore, what with it being splashed all over the front page and inside front page of the Herald...two full pages. Surely Amex and AIR cooperated on this as on the face of it, it looks like money for jam. Good advertising for AIR I reckon. Plenty of people earn over $65,000 per annum so Amex will get a huge boost in numbers from this promotion in my opinion.

Yeah I think air NZ will have to be helping out Amex here with a cheaper acquisition rate on APD or the like, would be interesting to know the split of the "cost". Qantas are making a bit more of a push on their frequent flyer program in NZ recently, with some billboards, launching travel money, guaranteed earnings on Jetstar flights, 20k CC sign-up bonus through ANZ etc so think this is probably just Air NZ seeking to really lock in that more wealthy >$65kpa demographic into airpoints.

[Beagle]

Yeah I think air NZ will have to be helping out Amex here with a cheaper acquisition rate on APD or the like, would be interesting to know the split of the "cost". Qantas are making a bit more of a push on their frequent flyer program in NZ recently, with some billboards, launching travel money, guaranteed earnings on Jetstar flights, 20k CC sign-up bonus through ANZ etc so think this is probably just Air NZ seeking to really lock in that more wealthy >$65kpa demographic into airpoints.

Agreed mate, trying to put golden handcuffs on those customers that actually do the spending. As always, AIR N.Z. marketing department are very clever and innovative.
I am sure they have an extensive database to assess the likelihood of people retaining the cards after one year and it must be worth it to AIR and Amex otherwise the apparently too good to be true offer wouldn't exist would it

[Beagle]

Virgin reaffirms guidance for return to profitability in 2015/16 ... all looking good

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...ity-in-201516/

Thanks, looks good. Virgin was a $29m drag on earnings last year, maybe a $29m contributor this year for a $58m overall improvement for Fy16 ?

[brend]

Competition hotting up

Best Wishes
Paper Tiger

to bad AIR doesn't fly to Suva ah

[Joshuatree]

Craigs adding AIR to their Private wealth Research Australasian high conviction list
"flexibility and and responsive to changes in competitive dynamics and AIR successfully filling extra seats it has created; undemanding price to earnings and offers an attractive gross D/Y. etc

[Beagle]

Craigs adding AIR to their Private wealth Research Australasian high conviction list
"flexibility and and responsive to changes in competitive dynamics and AIR successfully filling extra seats it has created; undemanding price to earnings and offers an attractive gross D/Y. etc

A list of Australasian stocks that usually numbers no more than ten and they note that AIR trading on an all time low PE of only 4.8 and a gross dividend yield of in excess of 10%.
Valuation of $3.40. Usually when a company upgrades so early in a financial year like they did at the annual meeting it's seldom the last upgrade and signals strong confidence.