This is the flagship lounge of Air New Zealand at their home hub. It is finally time to head home and despite that, I was still keen to check out the lounges at Auckland Airport. It is always nice to check out new products and visit new airports that I have not flown out from before. I make sure to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to check out the Air New Zealand lounge. This is their best flagship lounge. Airlines will frequently keep their best product at their home hub and this goes for Air NZ as well. Seeing that both of them are under the same alliances, I can access the lounge even when flying on Singapore Airlines.

Access Requirements

The Air New Zealand International Lounge Auckland opens daily from 4.30am till the last departure flight. Access is offered to all Airpoints Elite, Gold, Elite Partner and Koru members departing on Air New Zealand flights or Star Alliance flights. Typical Star Alliance access rules for guests follow. Premium cabin passengers are also offered access. I was flying back to Singapore on Singapore Airlines business class and was accorded entry to the lounge.

Arrival & Location

The Air New Zealand International Lounge Auckland is located a level above the main terminal and after passing the immigration hall. It is just a short walk away from security. You can then head up the elevators past The Loop Duty-Free shops. I love the views as you head up the elevators. I was then greeted by a polite staff and accorded entry after scanning my boarding pass at the counter.

Air New Zealand International Lounge Auckland Airport

The lounge is pretty spacious. It measures more than 2100 Sqm and has a capacity for 437 passengers. It is handy for Auckland traffic. The lounge looks modern and well-maintained. It felt open and once you enter you are greeted with the amazing tarmac views. I am quite a fan of the open concept and the tons of natural light. It makes the place bright and welcoming.

The lounge is rather busy when I was here in the afternoon but it never felt crowded. There are a couple of various seating areas. You also have the bar in the main space that makes up the centrepiece of the lounge. Here are some pictures of the lounge.

I love those huge large window panels. Check out the views! They are great for tarmac views and plane spotting. This is great for AVGeeks. I can even spot the A350 that is coming to send me home. Grabbing one of the seats here by the window will be my preferred spot.

The bar is gorgeous and popular in the day as well as in the evening. They have some high-top seating here with bar stools.

Toilets and Showers

The lounge comes with toilets and showers. This will be handy for guests before flying back home or out. A majority of the traffic here is long flights and it will be great to have a shower beforehand. Showers are in individual rooms with a toilet inside. It is pretty lovely and comes with all sorts of amenities. It is equipped with hairdryers and hangers.

The showering room is very spacious with both a handheld shower head as well as a rainforest one. The water pressure and temperature control are excellent and with how high the ceilings are it felt like rain cascading down on you. Toiletries are from Antipodes in large pump-size bottles. The toilets are well maintained constantly!

Food and Drinks

Let me share the refreshments in the lounge which in my opinion is a step above other airlines’ business class lounges. In fact, except for Champagne, this might be even better than Singapore Airlines flagship SilverKris Lounge in Changi. Drinks and snacks are self-served. Near here you can find dining tables.

The main buffet line is located to the left and had a good range of items. You can find all sorts of fresh salads, cakes, pastries and various hot food.

They also had a live station where a chef is on hand to whip up some freshly cooked Mt Cook Salmon right on the spot. This is awesome! I had countless portions. The salmon was cooked perfectly with a crispy skin. The chef was a really lovely guy. Upon knowing that I am looking for the belly cuts, he specifically went to find them and cook them on the spot! From the reviews that I read, the menu changes from day to day. Great way to showcase one of the best products from the country.

Around the lounge, you can also find various drink stations. There are all sorts of self-served alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks here. You can find spirits, three different types of beer and cider and all sorts of canned drinks. There are coffee machines and tea here too. But please head to the bar for the good stuff.

One of my favourite thing about Air NZ lounges is their barista coffee. They often have it all day long and you can get a freshly brewed barista coffee anytime you want with all sorts of customization. I enjoyed Flat White! They do it so seamlessly. You simply make your order on the Ipad and come back once your drink is ready. The bar also comes well-stocked with all sorts of wines and spirits. I did not see any cocktail menu when I was here. Perhaps it will be on offer in the evening.

Conclusion

This is one of the better ones out there and I can say that it is one of the top few airline business-class lounges in the network. There are certainly some strong points and touches that I love in this lounge. I appreciated the design and decor, barista coffee and live station food. The lounge is of a good size for the traffic that Auckland sees. It is pretty busy at the time of my visit but never gets too uncomfortable. The lounge staff are excellent, especially the cook. I will recommend spending some time here. They have solid food and drink options. I can’t wait for SQ to implement a barista coffee offering like what Air NZ does. I love how they have soft mellow music in the background. The tarmac views from the lounge make it attractive for AVgeeks!