Looking at flights for Nov 2016 from JAX-NZ South Island, with a couple of days in Sydney on the way. Traveling with 2 elementary aged-kids. Flying on one ticket. Best options are Qantas JAX-DFW-SYD outbound and trying to figure out if we can make the connections for ZQN-SYD-DFW-JAX. Connection time in SYD is 1:25. The other option takes us from CHC-SYD-DFW-JAX but we have a 6:25 connection time, adding 5 more ours onto our already very long day.

Flights are:
ZQN-SYD QA/Jetstar 220,
CHC-SYD QA/Jetconnect 138
SYD-DFW Qantas Airways 4381

Thanks!