Hostels, savings and peace of mind
Join the world's first and largest independent travel community and be assured of access to high quality, affordable hostels in over 4,000 locations worldwide. From modern inner city havens to castles, yachts, treehouses and ski resorts, each hostel offers a unique glimpse into local life and a relaxed place to meet other travellers.
Not only does YHA membership save you money on accommodation, it also entitles you to over 2,000 travel discounts worldwide on transport, activities, equipment and entertainment.
If you're a Kiwi heading overseas, we can hook you up with 15% discount on Mike Henry travel insurance, 20% off Lonely Planet guidebooks and a free Kathmandu Summit Club membership for big savings on all your backpacking necessities.
Alternatively you can join by calling our Customer Services Team on (NZ) 0800 278 299, email, or visiting any YHA New Zealand hostel, AA Service Centre, i-SITE Visitor Centre or STA Travel Centre nationwide.
Membership categories:
*Available to New Zealand Residents only
Please be advised that the Life Membership category has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase. Any printed material referring to the Life Membership is now out of date and no longer accurate or valid. For current information on our membership categories, please refer to the Membership Options chart above.
What do I receive when I join?
YHA Membership card
Your access card to thousands of hostels and discounts worldwide
- Subscription to Hostelling HorizoNZ
YHA New Zealand members’ magazine
- New Zealand Backpacker Map
Full travel map of New Zealand including details on all YHA New Zealand hostels and discounts nationwide
- 15% off Mike Henry Travel Insurance
Call our Customer Services Team on 0800 278 299 for a free consultation
- 20% discount on Lonely Planet Guidebooks
Order online from our Travel Shop
- 20% discount on Travel Maps and Culture Smart! Guides
Order online from our Travel Shop
- FREE Kathmandu Summit Club Membership
Up to 25% off travel gear at Kathmandu nationwide
- Invitations to exclusive YHA member events
Upcoming events
Joint Membership
Specially designed for couples and families, the joint membership is available to adults living together in a couple relationship at the same residential address. Each person must be a New Zealand resident.
For a family with children under 17 years of age, this means that a whole family could be members of the YHA network for the low price of just $60. (Youth membership is free, but each youth must have his or her own membership card, particularly if your family will be travelling overseas. Be sure to complete an application for them, too, before you leave!)
This offer is available to New Zealand residents and can only be purchased through our National Office - Join online now
Gold Membership
Permanent membership to the YHA network and available to New Zealand residents only - Join online now
YHA Endorsed Group - New Zealand based
Endorsed Group status is available to any bona-fide New Zealand based organisation; participants must be New Zealand residents. YHA Endorsed Group status is issued on an annual basis. To be considered as a group, there must be 10 or more members travelling. All group members are covered by a single group membership. Information on YHA group accommodation.
For all groups travelling into New Zealand, you will also be required to hold a current group membership from your home country. Please contact your home association for more information - Join online now
Non-members
In New Zealand non-YHA members are welcome to stay at any of our hostels by paying an additional $3.00 per person per night. Many countries have a similar system in place but some operate on a member-only basis.
Membership renewal
Available to New Zealand Residents only. Membership renewals are discounted by $10. You can renew up to one month after your membership expires.
The joint membership renewal rate is only available to members with a current joint membership -
Renew now!
Down Under Card
If you'd like to try before you buy, you can pick up a Down Under Card from any YHA New Zealand hostel. Each time you stay at a YHA hostel in New Zealand, pay the $3 non-member fee and collect a stamp. 15 stamps can be exchanged for a full one year YHA membership.
What does my membership fee support?
Through YHA New Zealand you are supporting both grass roots and national environmental protection and conservation programmes.YHA New Zealand has a strong relationship with the Department of Conservation (DOC), acting as sponsor to the YHA Young Conservationist Awards and working on local programmes.DOC rangers are based at YHA Opoutere while monitoring Dotterel breeding colonies and in Arthurs Pass Hostel guests help monitor Kiwi populations through night-time listening surveys.
We are also committed to minimising our own impact on the environment we live in. We’ve embarked on a programme to make our hostels ‘Sustainable Living Centres’. We look for smart ways of reducing our energy consumption, minimising our waste and recycling everything from food scraps to plastic. See some of our initiatives.
Frequently asked questions
View membership FAQs