Air New Zealand Announces Plans for Two-Tier AKL Flagship Lounge
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Air New Zealand has unveiled the first details about its new flagship lounge at Auckland International Airport (AKL), which is expected to begin construction early next year before opening in late 2027.
The Air New Zealand Koru lounge will be split into two separate spaces: one for Airpoints Elite and Business Premier customers; and another for Airpoints Gold, Star Alliance Gold, Airpoints Silver and Koru members.
Reaching 3,700-square-meters in total, the new space will be almost double the size of the carrier’s existing offering at AKL, which spans 2100-square-meters and can accommodate 437 guests.
“Across both lounges, total seating capacity will increase by 70 percent, providing a significant boost in comfort and capacity for international travelers passing through Auckland,” said Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran.
The airline said it will release more details later this year, but has promised that each new lounge will celebrate the sights and textures of Aotearoa while featuring dedicated spaces catering to passengers’ different needs. These include improved business areas equipped with private rooms and single-seating booths for those needing quiet to focus. There will also be a dedicated family area.
Air New Zealand has also confirmed that its barista bar will be moved closer to the entrance for the benefit of passengers short on time.
Throughout construction, customers will continue to be accommodated in spaces shared ahead of time and on the day of travel via the Air NZ mobile app. The current lounge will remain open with reduced capacity while work is completed on the new lounge for Airpoints Elite and Business Premier customers.
The news is the latest in a range of passenger experience upgrades being carried out by the airline, which debuted its all-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner experience in May, before announcing in June that it was testing Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi service on two domestic aircraft and an ATR turboprop.