Air New Zealand Air Points - Lounge access in AKL at 4:25am

I fly on NZ5 in a few weeks from LAX-AKL connecting to MEL. NZ5 lands in AKL at 4:25am and then NZ123 departs for MEL at 7:50.

I'm flying in Y, and am BD*G. The NZ website says that the Koru lounge opens at 6am, is this correct?

I think that's right might be a bit earlyer Kiwiflyer will know.

Are you sure you have arrive at 4.25am? I catch NZ5 twice a year and it usually arrives at 5.25am by which time the lounge has just opened. It usually opens for the first NZ arrival.

NZ5 right now is indeed scheduled to arrive at 04:25. And it's been arriving significantly earlier as of late. By the next time I fly it (June) it will be arriving at 06:40.

But the AKL lounge is supposed to open at 05:00 according the NZ's website.

There is a brief period when it arrives really early because US is on daylight saving and NZ is.

AKL lounge doesn't open until 0500, and they are quite strict about it (if I'm early I use the QF lounge opposite which opens earlier, thanks to my QF status). You'll still have plenty of time for a shower, iron a shirt, breakfast and coffee and check emails.

Thanks people. It shouldn't be too bad then, gives me time to shower and have breakfast before heading to Melbourne in what will be the most comfortable part of my RTW, since with the new NZ config I am in premium economy on my Y ticket.

This will be my fourth RTW in two years and I've only once had an upgrade, that was ANA from LHR-NRT from Y to PE. If only my company would pay for C class!

Thanks people. It shouldn't be too bad then, gives me time to shower and have breakfast before heading to Melbourne in what will be the most comfortable part of my RTW, since with the new NZ config I am in premium economy on my Y ticket.

This will be my fourth RTW in two years and I've only once had an upgrade, that was ANA from LHR-NRT from Y to PE. If only my company would pay for C class!

You are aware that PE is not offed on the Trans Tasman, The seats are marketed as Space+, and you will not get anything extra than Y class expect more leg room.

Space+ is now on all short haul flights.

744: PE Cabin used 40" seat pitch + Footrest
772er: PE Cabin used 40" seat pitch + Footrest
763er: Froward Y Cabin Used 36" seat pitch
320: Y Class froward of over wing exit 36" seat pitch.
733: Y Class froward of over wing exit 36" seat pitch.

As an earlier poster mentioned, there have been a lot of pre-4:00am arrivals for NZ5 recently (perhaps due to favorable winds). Is there anything open at AKL during that time? Restaurants, shops, etc.? I know we can't get into the Koru Club until 5:00. I also assume it is best if we remain in the sterile area (so as not to have to go through the hassle of clearing immigration and customs and going back through security).

It isn't due to favourable winds - blame daylight savings starting/ending on different dates USA & NZ (& Australia). Tough to schedule for.

If your onward flight is international then you can stay airside. You may need to use the phone on the wall to get transfer security to open up, or it may already be open by the time you arrive.

The shops should all be open by 0500, they start opening around 0430.

If your onward flight is domestic then you'll need to clear immigration. Duty free will be open but not much else. Domestic terminal opens around 0500 but security not until 0600.

Domestic terminal opens around 0500 but security not until 0600.

There are worse travel experiences than an early arrival on NZ5 or NZ7, and having to hang around Auckland International until the domestic terminal opens. But that still doesn't make it fun.

When the Beijing flight got retimed to 2-something am arrival time I changed by AKL-CHC flight to the "international" one purely because I didn't want to hang around landside for several hours. Much better airside - waited for QF lounge to open at 4am (accessed through my QF status) and then grabbed a shower & breakfast.

On a slightly different but similar note does anyone know when the lounge closes.

I'm on SQ282 in Business from AKL which has been rescheduled to 0110. Will the lounge be open then or does it remain open until the final departure?

Thx

Depends on when the reschedule was made. If short notice then the lounge may close before boarding, if not then it may stay open (depending on arrangements SQ has made). It also may depend on whether any late night NZ flights have been delayed - the lounge stays open for all Air NZ delays.

At any rate it should be open until close to midnight at least.