Air New Zealand opens the Lookout Lounge ahead of major Auckland lounge redevelopment

Located on Level 2, closer to the departure gates, The Lookout Lounge will open daily during peak travel times (5:00–10:00am and 3.30–9:15pm), giving customers more room to relax and enjoy the friendly Kiwi service Air New Zealand is known for.

The Lookout Lounge will operate alongside the Koru Lounge during the summer holiday season and during the construction of the new lounges at Auckland International Airport. Customers will be welcomed at either lounge depending on availability, with both serving up the same signature Kiwi hospitality, great food and drinks, and that unmistakable Air New Zealand warmth before take-off.

Air New Zealand General Manager Customer, Alisha Armstrong, says The Lookout Lounge offers a fresh take on the Koru Lounge experience.

Taking inspiration from New Zealand’s Great Walks, The Lookout Lounge nods to the spirit of exploration and discovery, with natural materials and an outlook that invites adventurers to pause and take in the view.

Guests can expect a full buffet, a chef station serving made-to-order dishes that change throughout the day, and a fully serviced bar and barista station, stocked with New Zealand beer and wine, and Coffee Supreme.

Construction of Air New Zealand’s new Koru Lounges at Auckland International begins in 2026 and will take place in two phases. The current lounge will remain open with reduced capacity while work is completed on the Koru Premier Lounge for Koru Platinum (currently Airpoints Elite), Koru Black, and Business Premier™ customers, due to open in 2027. The current lounge space will then be redeveloped, with the refreshed Koru lounge expected to open by late 2027.

Notes to editors:

The Lookout Lounge provides 200 additional seats to accommodate customers and operates 5:00–10:00am and 3:30–9:15pm daily during peak periods on Level 2, International Departures, Auckland Airport.

Air New Zealand recently unveiled a refresh of the Airpoints programme. From April 2026 the Airpoints programme will become Koru.

You can find a link to images and video of the Lookout Lounge here.

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand’s story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It’s a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 9.9 years. Air New Zealand’s global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2024, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2025 World’s Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline’s laser-focus on safety.

Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, the Pacific Islands, Asia and North America, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline’s efforts in tackling some of New Zealand’s and the world’s most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand’s loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.

About Star Alliance

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 16,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 186 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.

For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com