Air New Zealand Air Points - Why Do Air NZ Flights to the US leave so late

Why do Air New Zealand flights bound for the US leave so late.

Looking at a flight from Brisbane to Philadelphia, there is an option via SFO but it only has less than 1hr 50 minutes to transit.

NZ008 arrives 12:25pm and the UA flight out leaves at 2:15pm.

There are other options but then that means 2 overnight flights in a row.

Why can't NZ0006 bound for the USA leave a few hours earlier, that would allow the option of another connection at a UA hub in Denver or Chicago.

Is 1hr 50 minutes connection time in SFO enough.

A flght departing SFO to the East coast would not be an overnight flight, arrival should be late the same evening? 1hr 50 mins would be fine for aconnection in SFO.

The US flights leave AKL in the evening to maximise connections across NZ, Australia and south pacific. There are also scheduling constraints in that the return from USA cannot arrive back in AKL any earlier and then they need the time for the aircraft to do a trans-tasman run plus margin for maintenance, cleaning etc.

I cannot recall the SFO minimum connection time for NZ->US. Assuming it is on single ticket then it ought to be long enough. SFO is much easier arrival port than LAX.

I cannot recall the SFO minimum connection time for NZ->US. Assuming it is on single ticket then it ought to be long enough. SFO is much easier arrival port than LAX.

LAX arrivals at NZ's terminal 2 are excellent. Never waited more than 2 minutes to clear immigration, 10 minutes for luggage in the past dozen or so international T2 arrivals.

A quick and easy walk T2-to-T7 across the U in 5 minutes for UA connections or 2 minutes to T1 for US connections or same terminal AC connections.

LAX arrivals at NZ's terminal 2 are excellent. Never waited more than 2 minutes to clear immigration, 10 minutes for luggage in the past dozen or so international T2 arrivals.

A quick and easy walk T2-to-T7 across the U in 5 minutes for UA connections or 2 minutes to T1 for US connections or same terminal AC connections.

You either have a US passport or exceptionally lucky. My last transit (a couple of weeks ago) was quick, but before this in dozens of transits at LAX arriving on Air NZ I haven't made it through in less than an hour, and sometimes it is 2+ hours. 1:50 is not a legal connection at LAX and I wouldn't risk it there.

Even at SFO 1:50 minutes is not enough. I have been to both LAX and SFO multiple times. 1:50 connection time too risky and no margin. Your aircraft to PHL is probably operated by US airways. I would say, try LAX you might get a better connection or else stay the night in SFO.