Kiwis celebrate 28 years of rewards - and redeem the last of them.

It’s said that all good things must come to an end and so it is for Flybuys. Arguably New Zealand’s most popular and well-known loyalty programme, Flybuys goes to the great mall in the sky on December 31 – but for families all around the country its legacy of value will live on.

Among those families are self-described ‘Flybuys Queen’ Helen and her husband Grant. The bubbly couple reckon just about every appliance in their ‘home on wheels’ has come courtesy of the programme. “Oh, we’ve always been first with all the latest electrical gadgets, eh Grant,” beams Helen. “My electric toothbrush, flosser, my toaster, toastie maker – everything. I haven’t bought a jug for three decades.”

First introduced by Loyalty New Zealand in 1996, some 2.9 million Kiwis representing 74% of the nation’s households eventually became Flybuys members. Most flocked to the Flybuys Store, with nearly 90% redeeming their Points there as the go-to destination for everything from everyday essentials to luxury items.

The top 10 favourite rewards reflect the Kiwi lifestyle with items like House & Garden magazines, gift cards, portable speakers, and Apple AirPods. Kitchen items are perennially popular, especially air fryers and toastie makers. Since 2005, Flybuys has given out over 13 million rewards with a total value of $1.1 billion.

Members can earn Flybuys until 11:59pm on October 31, and they have until 11:59pm on December 31 to spend them before the programme officially closes. BNZ are continuing to reward customers with BNZ Rewards on the Visa Advantage card, and New World will continue to deliver savings and New World Dollars with Clubcard from November 1.

Loyalty New Zealand is keen for members to spend every last Flybuys Point before they expire, something Helen and Grant are very much on board with.

As they traverse the country in their fifth-wheeler – a huge caravan trailer they’ve called home for 10 years after ditching rates bills – Flybuys has been along for every metre of the journey. “Thanks to Flybuys, there’s always something coming in the mail. It’s been pretty decent over the years, including my possum socks!” Grant says in between packing up after wintering in the Manawatū.

Looking back, Helen says their engagement with the programme started after initially thinking it seemed too good to be true. “I remember discussing it with a mate over dinner. We agreed that you’d probably have to spend thousands and thousands before you got anything worthwhile. But after thinking about it a bit more and seeing another mate getting rewards, I realised we’re probably losing out. And you’ve got to shop somewhere, so you might as well make the most of it.”

It wasn’t just their household that saw the advantages of getting a little extra out of every dollar spent. Grant was managing a Computer City outlet around the time Flybuys got off the ground and says it helped pull customers in. “It was a point of difference and made people come to us. I’d have these special boosted nights where everyone would line up to buy a $5000 computer and walk out with triple Points.”

And, Helen adds, it became clear that running the household budget through Flybuys quickly stacked up for quality rewards. “I’d say the sandwich toaster and coffee grinder are probably our favourite rewards of all time, and after about 15 years we’ve just recently got a new toaster. We use those practically every single day, and I think the grinder’s been going strong for a good 20 years,” she smiles.

As the sun sets on their cherished programme, Helen and Grant are sanguine. “It’s a sign of the times I’m guessing,” he says. “But I’m pretty sure most folks love their Flybuys as much as we do, and many will also miss it just as much as we’re going to.” Grant says Loyalty New Zealand – the team behind Flybuys – can be proud. “It really worked, and it worked very well. The rewards were generous and have had a definite impact on people all over the country – including us, of course!”

Their advice to any members and those holding Points is simple: keep spending and earning while you can, then ‘use ‘em or lose ‘em’. Helen urges, “Get online or get on the app pronto to see how many Points you have and what you could get for them. Of course, you can also do something good for someone else by donating your Points to charity.”

Members who don’t have quite enough Points for the reward they want can still use the Points + Cash option to top up and redeem rewards. If you’ve got a lower Point balance, this is a great way to take advantage of the Flybuys Store’s wide range of items.

Or, chips in a cheeky Grant with a laugh, “Just give them to us!”

For their final Flybuys purchase this holiday season, the couple has lined up a bottle of gin as part of a long-standing Christmas tradition. “We’ll definitely raise a glass to the end of Flybuys. It’s been a pleasure,” Grant says.

It’s a sentiment of mutual appreciation. CEO at Loyalty New Zealand Lizzy Ryley says, “Flybuys would like to thank the 2.9 million New Zealanders who have embraced the programme. We are hugely grateful for the support we have received from Kiwis over the past 28 years.

“We want to give our members as much notice as possible, so they have plenty of time to redeem their Points, including over the busy Christmas period, we encourage them to spend them now, and not leave it until the last minute, as some stock may not last.”

Members are encouraged to use the Flybuys Store to redeem all outstanding Points before they expire at the end of the year, marking the close of this beloved chapter in New Zealand’s history.