Air New Zealand - Smarter Commutes for 12,000+ Staff
Why Air New Zealand Chose Workride & Extraordinary
When Air New Zealand decided to bring employees back to the office four days a week, they knew they needed to back that decision with real, practical support. Commuting costs were a genuine, recurring pressure for their people, and a generic corporate perk wasn't going to cut it.
As Felicity Cammock, Senior People Specialist at Air New Zealand, put it:
"We wanted something that our employees would notice and value. Not just a benefit that looked good on paper, but something that actually changed something for them in their day-to-day lives."
They needed a solution that was practical, nationwide (not just Auckland-centric), and cost-effective. That’s where Workride and Extraordinary came in.
By partnering with Workride for bike salary sacrifice and Extraordinary for pre-tax public transport, Air New Zealand gave their people genuine choice: pedal, take public transport, or a mix of both.
The beauty of pre-tax salary sacrifice is that the value shows up directly in employees’ payslips every pay run, driving immediate engagement and real cost-of-living relief.
For Air New Zealand, the combined offering ticked every box:
Accessible nationwide: Available to 12,000+ employees right across Aotearoa.
No-brainer value: Savings hit employees' pockets directly while keeping program costs virtually neutral for the business.
Easy execution: Fully digital onboarding and simple management.
How They Brought It to Life
The business case went to Air New Zealand's executive team in June 2025 and was quickly approved as a "no-brainer." From there, legal, payroll, comms, and digital teams rallied together.
Air New Zealand seamlessly integrated the application process into Workday and synced it with payroll, eliminating manual admin entirely. After running initial pilots, they hosted nationwide, in-person activations from September through November to build excitement on the ground.
"We didn't feel like we were carrying the whole implementation burden on our own. Both providers have been super supportive and flexible right from the start."
The Impact: 700+ Riders within 6 months & Huge Savings
The response from Air New Zealand staff has been incredible:
700+ employees signed up for Workride (within 6 months), saving an average of $1,700 on the cost of their bike or e-bike.
11% of corporate employees jumped on the Extraordinary public transport scheme, saving an average of $650 per year.
By swapping fuel and parking costs for active and public transport, Air New Zealand isn't just easing financial pressure. They're supporting health, wellbeing, and lower carbon emissions across their workforce.
Want to See How They Did It?
Felicity shares how Air New Zealand rolled out both benefits to 12,000+ employees, why they did it, how implementation actually worked, and what the results have looked like.
Watch the full webinar here.
Air New Zealand - Workride
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Frequently asked questions
Can I salary sacrifice a bike in New Zealand?
Yes. Bikes, e-bikes, and scooters can be offered through salary sacrifice. Workride runs an Inland Revenue reviewed and approved programme via the official binding ruling process that effectively saves employees an average of 30 to 40% of a bike to work benefit with Workride.
Is public transport tax-free in New Zealand?
Yes. Public transport is exempt from fringe benefit tax in New Zealand. With Extraordinary, employees can pay for public transport from their pre-tax salary under an Inland Revenue binding ruling.
Can fixed-term or casual employees join?
It depends on your internal policy. Salary sacrifice works best for permanent employees with a steady salary. Many organisations limit bike benefits to employees on contracts of 12 months or more.
