Dec 24, 2015, 2:08 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
American Begins LAX - AKL / Auckland, New Zealand 788 Flights 23 June 2016
No flights 5 August 2017 and 5 October 2017 Refer to post 230 link.
American’s Los Angeles to Auckland flight will be suspended from August to October, and will then be upgraded from a 787-8 to a 787-9
Departs LAX at 10:45 p.m.
Arrives at AKL at 6:35 a.m., two days later
AKL-LAX
Departs AKL at 1:20 p.m.
Arrives at LAX at 6:20 a.m., same day
Enhanced service includes mattress pads, pajamas and new meals items in Business Class.
If tonight's sampling at the launch event was an accurate preview, then here's the menu they provided for LAX-AKL:
Canape:
Salmon Caviar Tartlet
Main Plates:
Grilled Beef Filet, balsamic butter, twice baked potato, baby squash
Eggplant Lasagne, pomodoro sauce
Pesto Grilled Shrimp
Dessert:
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Cheesecake)
Mid-Flight Snack:
Angus Beef Slider
White Wine:
Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury, NZ
Red Wine:
Opawa Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ
Canape:
Salmon Caviar Tartlet
Main Plates:
Grilled Beef Filet, balsamic butter, twice baked potato, baby squash
Eggplant Lasagne, pomodoro sauce
Pesto Grilled Shrimp
Dessert:
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Cheesecake)
Mid-Flight Snack:
Angus Beef Slider
White Wine:
Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, North Canterbury, NZ
Red Wine:
Opawa Pinot Noir, Marlborough, NZ
Nov. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines will add new nonstop service between its trans-Pacific gateway hub at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Auckland Airport (AKL) in June 2016, pending regulatory approvals. The route to Auckland provides American's customers direct access to a new destination and further strengthens the airline's joint business with Qantas Airways. American has added six new trans-Pacific routes over the last three years, nearly doubling its presence in the region...
...American plans to operate its new daily service between LAX and AKL with the newest addition to its fleet, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner features a state-of-the-art onboard travel experience including international Wi-Fi, as well as higher humidity and pressurization closer to sea level conditions, leaving customers more refreshed after their flight. Every seat has a touchscreen monitor equipped with up to 260 movies, 240 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 350 albums and 20 games, along with universal AC power outlets and a USB connection. The aircraft is configured with 28 fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with direct-aisle access. There are an additional 55 Main Cabin Extra seats with extra legroom, and 143 Main Cabin seats. Link
...American plans to operate its new daily service between LAX and AKL with the newest addition to its fleet, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Dreamliner features a state-of-the-art onboard travel experience including international Wi-Fi, as well as higher humidity and pressurization closer to sea level conditions, leaving customers more refreshed after their flight. Every seat has a touchscreen monitor equipped with up to 260 movies, 240 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 350 albums and 20 games, along with universal AC power outlets and a USB connection. The aircraft is configured with 28 fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with direct-aisle access. There are an additional 55 Main Cabin Extra seats with extra legroom, and 143 Main Cabin seats. Link
Link to Australian Business Traveller article.
AA: service to Auckland, N. Z. / LAX-AKL as of 23 Jun 2016 (master thd)
Nov 9, 2015, 6:10 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Posts: 27,730
Nov 9, 2015, 6:25 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF SG(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,771
Interesting that the announcement excerpt includes SYD-AKL - which I will assume will be flown by QF. (Oh that it would be a tag by AA 
).
Anyway I can only hope that the BNE/MEL/PER- AKL -BNE/MEL/PER flights will connect without silly layover times and perhaps finally justify ADL-AKL-ADL.
Is this yet another chance to solidify the reputation of QF as the SYD-centric airline?
But again I am wandering
Fred
). Anyway I can only hope that the BNE/MEL/PER- AKL -BNE/MEL/PER flights will connect without silly layover times and perhaps finally justify ADL-AKL-ADL.
Is this yet another chance to solidify the reputation of QF as the SYD-centric airline?
But again I am wandering
Fred
Nov 9, 2015, 6:28 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 7
i lived in australia for 2 years and was exec plat and qantas platinum at the same time and i can assuredly tell you $5k is a great deal for business from US<->AUS. i can also tell you that the best routing to get home by points is let the J availability calendar dictate your dates. i would never count on upgrades at the last minute (otherwise it's a 16 hour gamble to ride in the back).
you should really look at routing via asia. i frequently flew home via HKG, NRT and occasionally via PEK or PVG. its basically 10 hours redeye to those destinations then 13-16 hours to JFK (not that much less to LAX unfortunately from these destinations; maybe shave an hour or two except for NRT which is about 3 hours less). i never had any luck via HNL and would rather sit on a plane a bit longer on AA/QF/CX or US/NZ/UA/CA than fly Fiji (3 hops instead of 2).
you should really look at routing via asia. i frequently flew home via HKG, NRT and occasionally via PEK or PVG. its basically 10 hours redeye to those destinations then 13-16 hours to JFK (not that much less to LAX unfortunately from these destinations; maybe shave an hour or two except for NRT which is about 3 hours less). i never had any luck via HNL and would rather sit on a plane a bit longer on AA/QF/CX or US/NZ/UA/CA than fly Fiji (3 hops instead of 2).
Last edited by breakbeats1; Nov 9, 2015 at 6:34 pm
Nov 9, 2015, 6:34 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Australia
Programs: QF Gold, NZ *G, TK Elite *G
Posts: 186
Nov 9, 2015, 7:09 pm
#24
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
We're aware of Sydney non-stop from LAX: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...er-2015-a.html. This addition to AKL and on to SYD is good news; some of us used the QF LAX-AKL-MEL flight to get to New Zealand.
Nov 9, 2015, 8:22 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
You seem to be somewhat time sensitive, but if you can, try routing from YVR to take advantage of the weak CAD. For example, around the dates you're looking at, QF is ~$7K, but from YVR, it's possible to find something for ~$4.8K.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
You're basically routing through LAX, so you actually arrive in AKL the same time as you would if you had originated in LAX (you just have to leave in the morning rather than the evening).
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
You're basically routing through LAX, so you actually arrive in AKL the same time as you would if you had originated in LAX (you just have to leave in the morning rather than the evening).
Nov 9, 2015, 8:36 pm
#26
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,802
Second, put this trip into the context of other flying you'll be doing during 2016. Right now, because of the strong USD, Circle Pacific and RTW tickets originating in Japan are much cheaper at present than they have been, e.g. a 22K mile DCIR22 (business class) is around $5100 ex-Japan. You could stop in Japan (use miles to get there - much easier than Oz/NZ) and over the next year do something like this, "stopping over" at LAX for months. Note this includes AKL-LAX, which AA is expected to announce within the next couple of weeks.
Or, if your travel in North America and/or Europe is extensive enough, you could get a DONE4 RTW for around $6100++, which you could use for much more extensive travel, probably offsetting a number of flights you'd otherwise pay for, all in J or F depending on the route, something like this. Lots of flying for six grand. Lots of money, of course, but high yield on the FF front.
Nov 9, 2015, 8:49 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Since the BoSox and ChiSox won it, now it is the Cubs turn to take the Series. Go Cubs Go!
Posts: 3,685
With both AA & UA announcing AKL service and AA announcing LAX-SYD service, I would expect to see improved competition in the fare market and premium cabin fare sales in the future.
Nov 9, 2015, 10:42 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Columbus OH
Posts: 95
You seem to be somewhat time sensitive, but if you can, try routing from YVR to take advantage of the weak CAD. For example, around the dates you're looking at, QF is ~$7K, but from YVR, it's possible to find something for ~$4.8K.
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
You're basically routing through LAX, so you actually arrive in AKL the same time as you would if you had originated in LAX (you just have to leave in the morning rather than the evening).
https://www.google.com/flights/#sear...c=b;a=ONEWORLD
You're basically routing through LAX, so you actually arrive in AKL the same time as you would if you had originated in LAX (you just have to leave in the morning rather than the evening).
WP«
25AUG DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 15NOV/2359
BASE FARE EQUIV AMT TAXES/FEES/CHARGES TOTAL
1- CAD5286.00 USD3974.00 638.70XT USD4612.70ADT
XT 511.20YR 4.00ZP 11.00YC 14.00XY
10.00XA 11.20AY 19.50CA 15.00SQ
0.80XG 8.80IA 24.20KK 9.00XF
5286.00 3974.00 638.70 4612.70TTL
ADT-01 IWC1TJ IXC1TJ
YVR AA X/LAX Q11.31AA X/E/SYD AA AKL10M1775.64AA X/E/SYD AA X/
LAX AA YVR Q11.31 10M2190.71NUC3988.97END ROE1.32509 ZPLAX XF
LAX4.5LAX4.5
NONREF/RSTRTIONS APPLY
*IA«
1 AA5922I 25AUG Q*YVRLAX SS1 1200N 307P /DCAA /E
2 AA7364I 25AUG Q LAXSYD SS1 1030P 640A 27AUG J /DCAA /E
3 AA7377I 27AUG J SYDAKL*SS1 1010A 320P /DCAA /E
4 AA7411I 05SEP M*AKLSYD SS1 735A 915A /DCAA /E
5 AA 72I 05SEP M SYDLAX SS1 1115A 805A /DCAA /E
6 AA5939I 05SEP M LAXYVR*SS1 815P 1055P /DCAA /E
Nov 9, 2015, 11:26 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,024
American Airlines is shaping to begin services from Auckland to the United States in competition to Air New Zealand and its partner United Airlines.
American and Qantas say they will make a "major announcement for the New Zealand market" at a media conference tomorrow and the arrival of American is likely to result in cheaper fares across the Pacific as competition takes off
American and Qantas say they will make a "major announcement for the New Zealand market" at a media conference tomorrow and the arrival of American is likely to result in cheaper fares across the Pacific as competition takes off
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia (most from LAX) are
- United (LAX SFO – SYD MEL) [Star Alliance]
- AA (LAX SYD) from Dec 2015 [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Qantas (LAX JFK DFW HNL – SYD BNE MEL; SFO from Dec 2015) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Jetstar (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Delta (VA & AS partner) (LAX – SYD) [Skyteam Alliance]
- Virgin Australia (DL partner) (LAX – SYD BNE)
- Hawaiian, via Hawaii (AA & VA partner) (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Air NZ, via AKL [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui (last segments on codeshares) (AA & DL partner)
- Air Canada [Star Alliance]
And others via Asia & Middle East
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand are
- Qantas via SYD BNE & MEL [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Virgin Australia via BNE MEL & SYD (DL partner)
- United (SFO-AKL) from July 2016
- Hawaiian (AA & VA partner)
- Air NZ [Star Alliance]
- Fiji Airways, via Fiji (AA & AS partner)
- Air Tahiti Nui via Tahiti (AKL) (AA & DL partner)
And others via Asia & Middle East
Airlines that fly Australia (CNS BNE OOL SYD MEL ADL PER) to/from New Zealand (AKL WLG CHC ZQN) are
- Air New Zealand (codeshares with VA) [Star Alliance]
- Virgin Australia (codeshares with Air NZ) (Delta partner)
- Jetstar (a low cost low quality carrier with low-medium-high priced fares owned by QF)
- Qantas (codeshares with EK) [OneWorld Alliance]
- Emirates (codeshares with QF)
- LAN (SYD AKL) [OneWorld Alliance]
- China Airlines (BNE/SYD - AKL and SYD - CHC) [Skyteam Alliance]
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Nov 9, 2015 at 11:31 pm