Air New Zealand Air Points - Lounge Access and Showers in AKL, SYD, and SFO?

I'm flying PHL-SFO-AKL-SYD on Air New Zealand in Business Premier and then returning SYD-AKL-SFO-PHL. The PHL-SFO and SFO-PHL is on US Airways in First Class. I am Chairman Preferred on US Airways and therefore also *Gold.

Can you help me figure out the lounge options? I'd like to shower after my long haul flight and from doing thread searches it seems like both SYD and PHL don't have arrivals lounges with showers (or maybe I misread)?

But when I arrive in AKL since I have a connection to SYD will I have lounge access I can shower at and same thing when I return to SFO is there a lounge since I still have a departing flight and am on Business Premier/First the whole trip?

Also, what are the best lounges to use in each - in some cases I can choose between Air New Zealand, a different contract *A lounge, or UA RCC, etc. Sorry it's just sort of confusing b/c I haven't connected through these airports and am on US and NZ and connecting and not sure where there are arrivals lounges or showers able to be used.

Assuming SFO & AKL are transits (rather than stopovers) ...

No arrivals lounges anywhere

At SFO for SFO-AKL you can use UA international RCC - it has no shower (SQ lounge is shut at the time NZ flight departs - it may be an option if your connection is long enough).
At AKL for AKL-SYD you can use NZ lounge - it has showers. (NB if stopping over in AKL and do not have much luggage you may be able to use the showers at the domestic NZ lounge on arrival - this is not a published benefit and requires change of terminals and going through security to airside).
At SYD for SYD-AKL you can use NZ or SQ lounge (NZ lounge is better) - they have showers.
At AKL for AKL-SFO you can use NZ lounge - it has showers.
At SFO for SFO-PHL I am not sure which terminal and lounge is available. You arrive landside at international terminal (after immigration & customs processing).

I see 2 potential opportunities - can anyone confirm?

- I will be in AKL from 5:15am-7am and have a connection to SYD and am in First/Business Premier - can't I use the shower in AKL in the NZ lounge between my connection? If not, I read that there is a loophole to be able to get back to the lounge or domestic lounge in SYD to take a shower after going through customs/immigration even though it isn't an "arrivals" lounge?

- On the return trip, I'm landing in SFO at ~1pm and taking off ~10:30pm. Are there no arrivals lounges or ability to use a shower? Since my connection is domestic to Philly (even though I am on a First Class US Airways ticket and am Chairman/*G) is there any option to get into the RCC or SQ lounge? I might have a US Airways club complimentary pass from becoming Chairman but that might not work in a contract lounge?


And are there lockers in AKL and SFO to leave my luggage so I can go see the city since on the trip back I have 7hr and 9hr layovers?

You have an int->int connection at AKL to SYD. Stay in the AKL international terminal and use the showers in the AKL international lounge. There is no point wasting all of your transit time in queues for immigration. At SYD you have no access to a lounge on arrival.

NZ has no arrivals lounges. You can access *A business class lounge in SFO, provided you have access to the terminal. On arrival you immediately clear immigration. You will need to pass through security to get to any lounge (at SFO they are all airside). Further, I am not sure if there is an airside connection between international terminal and whatever terminal US uses (there is a connection to the UA terminal). Note UA RCC at SFO has no showers. SQ lounge does have showers but I am unsure if it is open at the time NZ flight arrives and also unsure whether you can actually reach it.

AKL international terminal has lockers landside for a nominal fee. Don't forget to allow plenty of time to get back to the airport (traffic gets bad from 3pm) and get through long immigration queues (lots of evening flights).

Connecting in SFO coming back for SFO-PHL..

As already stated, no arrivals lounge. US is in Terminal 1 with no lounge option at all. UA and the RCC is in Terminal 3, and T3 has a walkway to the international terminal with the International RCC and SQ lounge - but again, US isn't in that terminal. US lounge network stinks.

You have plenty of time to wander into the city though. BART from the airport to Embarcadero and downtown takes about 25 minutes. Lots to see and do, depends what you're interested in.

Have you considered a cheap airport hotel? Get another stay towards hotel status/promo earning, included free transfers, shower, somewhere to do some work if you need to, etc.

From the SFO airport FAQ:

Are there shower facilities available in the terminals?

Shower facilities are available at Freshen Up! located on the Departures/Ticketing Level of the International Terminal, near the entrance to Gates G91-G102. Freshen Up! is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. For additional information call 650.877.0798.

From the SFO airport FAQ:

Can you post a link to that thread? I didn't see it searching the NZ or Travel and Dining forums

I don't think Quokka grabbed that from forums. It's on the FlySFO site.

http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/orphan/faq/#11

Has anyone used Freshen Up at SFO? I tried looking them up but there is no website and phone number listed on the SFO website goes to a fax. The only thing I could find was a 2008 article in the Examiner. I'll need a shower facility this weekend at SFO so wanted to make sure they're still in business and see if anyone had any reviews of the facilities.

Has anyone used Freshen Up at SFO? I tried looking them up but there is no website and phone number listed on the SFO website goes to a fax. The only thing I could find was a 2008 article in the Examiner. I'll need a shower facility this weekend at SFO so wanted to make sure they're still in business and see if anyone had any reviews of the facilities.

yeah i used it about a month ago. like $11 for a 30min shower and right next door you can check your luggage as well. ripoff but i didn't want to afflict SFO with my BO after 20hrs of flights.