New Zealand Offers Variety Magic Show

Air New Zealand is offering a variety of “Magic Season” discounts within that country, including hotel accommodations and car rentals during its off-season now through Sept. 30.

To get the discounts you must buy a round-trip ticket on the carrier. The air tickets and discount vouchers must be issued by Air New Zealand.

Through this program, economy-class passengers can get $150 off the cost of land arrangements in New Zealand booked through the airline. Business-class passengers get a credit of $400.

Air New Zealand is also offering “Magic Pass” vouchers for hotels and motor inns in New Zealand and Australia. There are three types, $26, $35 or $38 per voucher. These vouchers are for rooms on a per-person, double-occupancy basis. The $150 or $400 credits may be applied to the cost of the vouchers.

Air New Zealand also offers a “Freedom Pass” for air and motor-coach travel in New Zealand. Four coupons cost about $232, six coupons $324. Each coupon is good for a domestic one-way flight to 23 cities on Air New Zealand, two cities served by Mt. Cook Airlines and 19 cities covered by Mt. Cook Motorcoach Line.

This pass must be bought in the United States, with flights to New Zealand on Air New Zealand.

Mt. Cook also offers a “Kiwi Air Pass” for $499 that allows unlimited flights in New Zealand for 30 days. The pass must be obtained in the United States, but flights to New Zealand can be on any airline.

In conjunction with Mt. Cook, United offers a similar 30-day unlimited flight pass for use in New Zealand for about $399, but you have to fly United to New Zealand.

A tie-in between Mt. Cook, Air New Zealand and American Airlines allows passengers to buy a “Flyaway New Zealand Pass.” This program offers a minimum of three domestic-flight coupons for $249 until Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 through March 31, 1991, the price rises to $321.

Additional coupons can be obtained in New Zealand, but the first batch has to be bought in the United States. Transpacific flights have to be on American.

Ansett New Zealand offers a “New Zealand Airpass” of four to eight coupons for one-way flights. It costs about $275 U.S. for a minimum of four coupons and a maximum of eight for about $472 U.S. The coupons can be bought in the United States or New Zealand, but you have to fly to New Zealand on a promotional fare, such as an advance-purchase fare. The flight can be on any carrier.

Contact travel agents, Air New Zealand at toll-free (800) 526-0424, Mt. Cook Airlines at (800) 262-0248 and Ansett New Zealand at (800) 366-1300.