Air New Zealand reveals new flagship Auckland lounge

Air New Zealand has shared a first look at its all-new flagship Koru Lounge at Auckland International Airport, and laid out the timeline for when travellers on the Kiwi carrier will be able to enjoy the upscale space.

And as first reported by Executive Traveller earlier this year, there’ll also be an exclusive new ‘Elite’ lounge for business class passengers and top-tier frequent flyers, in what AirNZ’s Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy O’Brien described to us as “a two-tiered lounge proposition.”

“We want to be able to spread out our customers and not have the crowding in the flagship lounge that we’ve had over the last 12 or 24 months,” O’Brien told Executive Traveller earlier this year.

The move allows the Kiwi carrier to strengthen its appeal to premium travellers and super-loyalists – think high flyers and high spenders – while also alleviating over-crowding at the main international lounge.

Air New Zealand's new-look international lounge at Auckland.

The combined footprint of both lounges will almost double, from today’s 2,000m² to 3,700m2, with a 70% boost in capacity, from a current “430-odd people up to about 790,” according to Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran.

Foran says both lounges have been shaped by “what our customers told us matters most – more space, more seating, and the ability to choose how they spend their time.”

One wing of the lounge is being set aside as a quiet business area with high workbench-style tables, cafe-style nooks and sound-proofed private booths for 100% focus, phone calls and video sessions.

Air New Zealand's new-look international lounge at Auckland.

Also on the cards: an array of relaxed social spaces and a family room.

The popular barista bar is being relocated to closer to the entrance, for passengers who are short on time or desire a grab-and-go coffee.

Across both lounges, the airline promises a celebration of the sights and textures of Aotearoa will be brought to life through colours, materials, furnishings, and carefully curated lighting and art.

Air New Zealand’s Auckland Elite lounge

The entrance to the new Elite business class lounge will be situated to the left of the welcome desk, with everyone else turning right as usual.

And everything about it will be “elevated”, Air New Zealand says: from the meals and drinks to views across the tarmac and runway.

Airline boss Foran has confirmed the lounge offering will include “à la carte dining (and) some meeting rooms, some private space for them to be able to conduct their business.”

Frequent flyer access to the new Elite lounge will be restricted to passengers holding Airpoints Elite tier and the forthcoming above-Elite status, plus of course the invitation-only Elite Priority One program.

The Elite lounge is also expected to welcome business class passengers on partner airlines such as Star Alliance members Singapore Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada; however, Star Alliance Gold frequent flyers will have to make do with the Koru Lounge.

Lounge revamp timeline: early 2026 to late 2027

Construction on this multi-million dollar project is planned to begin in early 2026 and will take place in two stages.

The first stage will see the current Koru Lounge remain open at reduced capacity while work is completed on the new Elite lounge.

Air New Zealand's new-look international lounge at Auckland.

Once the Elite lounge opens, the current lounge will be redeveloped and is expected to open by late 2027.

Air New Zealand notes that throughout this 18-month period, travellers “will continue to be accommodated across different lounge spaces. Details of these spaces will be shared ahead of time and on the day of travel through the Air NZ app.”

We’re expecting “different lounge spaces” could include redirecting selected passengers to the independent Strata Lounge.

Crunch-time for crowding is likely to be in the first stage, when part of the main Koru lounge is closed to facilitate construction of the Elite lounge.

Once the Elite lounge rolls out the welcome mat to business class passengers and Airports Elite members, this will immediately free up a lot more space in the Koru lounge.

Meanwhile Qantas is forging ahead with the redevelopment of its own Auckland lounge, which is on track to open in early 2026 and feature “a new dining experience” featuring the best of NZ food and wine.