The 150K Points Challenge: India to Australia & New Zealand (20 Days of Luxe Stays for Less!)

Dreaming of koalas and kangaroos, the vibrant cities of Australia, or the stunning landscapes of New Zealand? An epic 20-day adventure to the Land Down Under and Aotearoa is within reach, and you don’t need to break the bank! For our next ‘150K Points Challenge,’ we’re setting our sights on this incredible dual-country journey, focusing on a crucial strategy: using cash for economical flights and deploying your valuable points for luxurious hotel stays. We’ll show you how to maximize ~150000 worth of points for an unforgettable experience for two adults and one child.

The Challenge: 150K Points to Australia & New Zealand (2 Adults + 1 Child, ~20 Days)

Our mission: Design a 20-day itinerary from India to Australia and New Zealand, ensuring comfort and value for two adults and one child, all while leveraging approximately 150000 points equivalent. We’ll explore smart ways to cover flights and, crucially, how to secure premium hotel accommodations that elevate your trip from ordinary to extraordinary.

Flight Strategy: Cash is King for Economy!

When planning a multi-country trip to a distant region like Australia and New Zealand, especially in Economy Class, a critical first step is to analyze cash fares. Our research indicates:

• Round-Trip Economy to Australia (from India): You can often find excellent cash deals for ₹45,000 – ₹55,000 for a round-trip ticket. This is incredibly competitive and often beats the value you’d get from redeeming points for the same Economy experience.
• Multi-City Itineraries: For more complex routes like Chennai-Sydney-Auckland-Chennai, cash fares can still be reasonable, around ₹85,000.

Recommendation: For Economy Class travel from India to Australia/New Zealand, we strongly advise prioritizing cash bookings for international flights. This preserves your valuable points for higher-value redemptions, primarily hotels.

Points Options (If Cash Fares are Unfavorable or for Business Class Aspirations):

While cash is preferred for economy, here are some points options if you find better value or are aiming for a premium cabin:

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer:
  • Route: Chennai to Australia (e.g., Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane) one-way in Economy.
  • Cost: Approximately 43,500 KrisFlyer points + taxes one-way. This can be an option if cash prices are exceptionally high, but generally less ideal for the Economy than cash.
• Qatar Airways Avios (via connecting hubs):
  • Strategy: Fly a low-cost carrier or a separate cash booking from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) or Hong Kong (HKG) (e.g., Chennai to KUL return for ~₹15,000). Then use Avios:
    • KUL to Sydney/Auckland/Christchurch (Malaysian Airlines): 25,800 Avios + ~₹6,000 taxes one-way.
    • HKG to Sydney/Auckland (Cathay Pacific): 31,000 Avios + ~₹5,000 taxes one-way.
  • Why it’s interesting: This multi-segment strategy using Avios can sometimes be a points sweet spot, especially if you have Avios to spare and can get to the connecting hub economically.

Our Verdict for this Challenge: Given the attractive cash prices, we will allocate zero points from our 150K challenge budget towards international flights, reserving them exclusively for maximum hotel luxury. Allocate approximately ₹50,000 – ₹85,000 from your cash budget for international flights per person, depending on your chosen itinerary and booking timing.

Hotel Strategy: Where Your 150K Points Truly Shine! (Leveraging Accor ALL Value!)

This is the core of our strategy! With the international flights covered by cash, our full 150,000 points budget can be brilliantly deployed to secure fantastic hotel stays for two adults and one child across Australia and New Zealand.

Crucial Insight: Accor Live Limitless (ALL) Points at ~₹2.00/point! A key advantage for this challenge is the current redemption value of Accor Live Limitless (ALL) points, where 1 ALL point is typically worth approximately ₹2.00 (or 2 Euro cents) when redeemed for hotel stays. This is an exceptional fixed value and makes Accor properties incredibly attractive.

Our 150,000 points budget, if primarily in Accor ALL points or transferable to them, translates to a massive ₹3,00,000 in hotel value (150,000 points * ₹2.00/point)! This dramatically expands your options for luxury stays for 2 adults + 1 child.

Let’s look at some stellar Accor hotel options for 3-night stays, keeping this incredible value in mind:

Australia Hotel Options (3-Night Stays for 2 Adults + 1 Child, in Accor ALL Points):

• Melbourne:
  • Novotel Melbourne Central: Cash equivalent ~₹42,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~21,000 ALL points (₹42,000 / ₹2.00 per point).
  • Sofitel Melbourne on Collins: Cash equivalent ~₹65,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~33,000 ALL points.
• Sydney:
  • Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour: Cash equivalent ~₹65,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~33,000 ALL points.
  • Swissôtel Sydney (part of Accor): Cash equivalent ~₹90,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~45,000 ALL points.

New Zealand Hotel Options (3-Night Stays for 2 Adults + 1 Child, in Accor ALL Points):

• Auckland:
  • Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments (Accor): Cash equivalent ~₹65,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~33,000 ALL points.
• Queenstown:
  • Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (Accor): Cash equivalent ~₹85,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~43,000 ALL points.
• Christchurch:
  • Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square (Accor): Cash equivalent ~₹85,000 for 3 nights. This would require ~43,000 ALL points.

Strategic Allocation of 150,000 ALL Points (Hypothetical 18-Day Itinerary Example):

With 150,000 ALL points (worth ₹3,00,000 in hotel value!), you can truly indulge. Here’s a sample 18-day itinerary (6 x 3-night stays):

1. Melbourne: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins (3 nights): ~33,000 ALL points
2. Sydney: Swissôtel Sydney (3 nights): ~45,000 ALL points
3. Auckland: Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments (3 nights): ~33,000 ALL points
4. Queenstown: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (3 nights): ~43,000 ALL points
5. Christchurch: Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square (3 nights): ~43,000 ALL points
   • Total Points for 15 Nights (5 cities): 33,000 + 45,000 + 33,000 + 43,000 + 43,000 = 197,000 ALL points.
   • Total Cash Equivalent Value: ₹65,000 + ₹90,000 + ₹65,000 + ₹85,000 + ₹85,000 = ₹3,90,000!

While this example exceeds our 150,000 ALL points budget slightly (by 45,000 points), it clearly demonstrates the power of Accor points. You could easily substitute one high-end hotel for a mid-range Novotel (e.g., Swissôtel Sydney for Novotel Sydney) to fit comfortably within the 150K points, or earn those extra 45K points.

Key takeaway: Leveraging Accor ALL points at their ₹2.00/point value is an incredibly powerful strategy. Your 150,000 points, when focused on Accor hotels, can cover a very significant portion, or even all, of your premium accommodation needs for this 20-day, two-country adventure!

Inter-City Travel within Australia & New Zealand:

Once you’ve arrived in Australia and are ready to explore, or when you transition between Australia and New Zealand, efficient and cost-effective inter-city travel is crucial.

• Flights: For longer distances between major cities (e.g., Melbourne to Sydney, or between Australia and New Zealand), low-cost airlines like Jetstar, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand’s domestic/trans-Tasman routes are often the best and most time-efficient option. We recommend booking these well in advance for the best cash fares.
• Trains/Buses: For shorter inter-city travel in Australia (e.g., Melbourne to Adelaide, or within a state), trains or comfortable bus services can offer a scenic and economical alternative. In New Zealand, scenic train journeys (like the TranzAlpine) are attractions in themselves but might not be the most practical for rapid transit; domestic flights or rental cars are often preferred.
• Our Recommendation: Budget approximately ₹30,000 – ₹35,000 per person for internal flights/trains between your chosen cities in Australia and New Zealand. This will ensure comfort and efficiency, allowing you to maximize your sightseeing time.

Sample Itinerary (20 Days, Leveraging Cash Flights & ALL Points for Stays):

(This is a suggested itinerary based on hotel data and the ALL points strategy. It’s flexible!)

Here’s a possible 20-day itinerary, showcasing how your cash for flights and 150,000 Accor ALL points (worth ~₹3,00,000 in hotel value) could be utilized for two adults and one child:

• Day 1-2: Travel from India to Melbourne (Cash Flight)
  • Arrive in Melbourne, settle in.
• Day 3-5: Melbourne Exploration
  • Stay: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins (3 nights) – ~33,000 ALL points equivalent.
  • Explore Federation Square, Laneways, Queen Victoria Market. Day trip to Great Ocean Road.

• Day 6: Travel Melbourne to Sydney (Cash Flight)
  • Arrive in Sydney, check into your hotel.
• Day 7-9: Sydney Icons
  • Stay: Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour (3 nights) – ~33,000 ALL points equivalent.
  • Visit Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach. Explore Darling Harbour.

• Day 10: Travel Sydney to Auckland (Cash Flight)
  • Cross the Tasman Sea. Arrive in Auckland, New Zealand.
• Day 11-13: Auckland Adventures
  • Stay: Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments (3 nights) – ~33,000 ALL points equivalent.
  • Explore Sky Tower, Viaduct Harbour, take a ferry to Waiheke Island.

• Day 14: Travel Auckland to Queenstown (Cash Flight)
  • Fly to New Zealand’s adventure capital.
• Day 15-17: Queenstown Thrills
  • Stay: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside (3 nights) – ~43,000 ALL points equivalent.
  • Bungee jumping, jet boating, Milford Sound day trip.

• Day 18: Travel Queenstown to Christchurch (Cash Flight)
  • Scenic journey or short flight.
• Day 19: Christchurch Exploration
  • Stay: Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square (1 night) – ~14,000 ALL points equivalent (prorated from 3 nights).
  • Explore the Botanic Gardens, Re:START Mall, Canterbury Museum.
• Day 20: Depart Christchurch for India (Cash Flight)

Total Estimated Points Used: 33,000 + 33,000 + 33,000 + 43,000 + 14,000 = ~156,000 ALL points. (This fits perfectly within your 150K points challenge, with minor adjustments or an extra 6k points, making those 5-star experiences entirely point-funded for most of the trip!)

How to Earn Your 150,000+ Accor ALL Points:

Reaching 150,000 Accor ALL points (worth ₹3,00,000 in hotel value) might seem daunting, but it’s very achievable through a combination of strategies:

1. Credit Card :
   • Bank Transfer Partners: Many premium credit cards in India (e.g., HDFC Infinia, Axis Atlas & Magnus for Burgundy,HSBC Travel One) allow transfers to various hotel and airline partners, including Accor ALL. Keep an eye out for transfer bonuses, which can further amplify your points.
2. Accor ALL Promotions: Accor frequently runs global and regional promotions offering bonus points for stays, or points for dining and experiences. Keep an eye on these.
3. Paid Stays: Naturally, staying at Accor properties (even in India) will earn you points. Elite status with Accor (achieved via stays or credit card benefits) can boost your earning rate significantly.

Important Considerations for Your Trip:

Before embarking on this incredible journey, keep these practical tips in mind:

1. Visa Requirements: Ensure all travelers (adults and child) have the necessary visas for both Australia and New Zealand. Start this process well in advance.
2. Booking Hotels: Always book your Accor ALL points redemptions as far in advance as possible, especially for popular hotels and during peak season, to secure availability for 2 adults + 1 child.
3. Dynamic Pricing for Flights: While we’re recommending cash for economy flights, prices fluctuate. Book your international and inter-city flights as soon as your dates are firm.
4. Travel Insurance: For a 20-day international trip, comprehensive travel insurance for everyone is non-negotiable.
5. Currency & Budgeting: Budget for food, activities, local transport, and any hotel costs not covered by points. Australia and New Zealand can be expensive, so plan accordingly.
6. Child Accommodations: Always double-check hotel policies for children, especially if they require an extra bed. Accor properties are generally family-friendly, but confirm specifics.
7. Flexibility: While a sample itinerary is provided, remain flexible. Award availability and cash flight prices can change.

Conclusion: Your Epic Australia & New Zealand Adventure Awaits!

The 150K Points Challenge for an India to Australia & New Zealand adventure proves that aspirational travel doesn’t have to break the bank. By strategically using cash for your international economy flights (around ₹50,000-₹85,000 per person) and expertly deploying 150,000 Accor ALL points (worth a phenomenal ₹3,00,000 in hotel value!) for luxurious hotel stays for 2 adults and 1 child, you can craft a truly unforgettable 20-day journey. This strategy allows you to experience the best of both worlds – economical long-haul travel and indulgent, premium accommodations. Start accumulating those ALL points today, and get ready to explore the stunning landscapes and vibrant cities Down Under!