Auckland is one of just five airports around the world which is home to both a Qantas Business Lounge and a Qantas First Lounge.
Unfortunately, the Qantas First Lounge in Auckland doesn’t live up to its name – it’s small, run-down and doesn’t offer most of the special services you’d expect at all the other Qantas First Lounge locations. Some AFF members even nickname it the “cupboard”.
The neighbouring Qantas Business Lounge in Auckland isn’t much better, either.
I don’t think it’s particularly controversial to say that the Qantas lounges in Auckland are tired, run-down and overcrowded. That’s precisely why Qantas announced back in 2018 that it would refurbish the space to create a single Qantas International Lounge at Auckland Airport.
Unfortunately, Qantas never got around to starting that refurbishment before the pandemic, so it got delayed. The airline re-announced that it was building a new Auckland lounge in 2022. But as of now, December 2024, work still hasn’t even started.
Once completed, the new Qantas Auckland Lounge should be really nice. It’s set to feature more seating, a staffed bar, a herb wall and showcase the best of New Zealand wine and produce.
But until then, if you’re flying Qantas out of Auckland and have lounge access, here are some tips to enjoy a better lounge experience…
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The saving graces of the current Qantas Auckland lounges
Admittedly, there are some nice things about the current Qantas Business and First Lounges in Auckland. One of the best features is the Kāpiti ice cream freezer in both lounges, stocked with tubs of delicious New Zealand ice cream.
Both lounges are also stocked with L&P (Lemon & Paeroa, a classic Kiwi soft drink), as well as spirits, and you can find proper Champagne in the fridge in the First Lounge. On my most recent visit, this was H. Lanvin & Fils Brut champagne – which was quite nice.
The buffet food selection in both lounges is usually not too bad, and there is proper barista coffee in the Business Lounge (but not the First Lounge). Sometimes the staff offer around special drinks or “plates of the day”. And if you’re visiting at an off-peak time – such as mid-morning or late in the evening, you can usually find a seat.
On a personal level, I also find the Qantas Auckland lounges quite nostalgic because I regularly travelled there as a kid, and the lounges have barely changed at all since then.
Having said all of that, there are much better lounge options at Auckland Airport – especially if you’re travelling in the evening!
The Strata Lounge
If you want a better lounge experience in Auckland, one option is to go across the hallway to the Strata Lounge.
The Strata Lounge is bigger than the Qantas lounges and has a better buffet food selection. It has showers and bathrooms, and it’s typically less crowded than the Qantas lounges – especially if you’re flying early in the morning or mid-afternoon, which are the busiest times for the Qantas lounges.
The Strata Lounge accepts Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass. You can also purchase access to the Strata Lounge online or at the door.
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The Emirates Lounge
If you can, the best option by far is to instead go to the neighbouring Emirates Lounge.
Emirates welcomes Qantas Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers into its Auckland lounge, as well as Qantas Business passengers, when flying Qantas to Australia. There’s just one main catch: the Emirates Lounge is only open for a few hours in the evening.
As of now, the Emirates Auckland Lounge is open daily from 5.10pm until 8.10pm:
There are currently only two Qantas flights that depart Auckland at times that would make it possible to visit the Emirates Lounge:
- QF148 to Sydney at 7pm, and
- QF158 to Melbourne at 8.55pm
That said, if you are eligible for Emirates Lounge access and book one of the above Qantas flights, you can enjoy a vastly better lounge experience!
The Emirates Auckland Lounge has a very extensive food buffet, as well as a wide selection of drinks including good Champagne and spirits.
The Emirates Lounge also has clean bathrooms and showers, as well as lots more seating, a designated dining area and a business centre.
All four of these lounges – Qantas Business, Qantas First, Strata and Emirates – are located up the same escalator in Auckland’s international terminal. So, you can always start with the Qantas lounge and then move elsewhere if it’s not to your liking.
When will Qantas start building its new Auckland Lounge?
In May 2024, I asked the staff at the Qantas Auckland lounge when the construction was due to start. At that time, they had been told “late September”.
When I visited again in November, and noticed that there were no signs of any work having started, I asked the staff again. This time, they just said that the answer keeps changing and they didn’t know.
Australian Frequent Flyer understands that Qantas is still having ongoing consultations with its airport partners about the lounge redevelopment. We hope to have an update on the construction start date in due course.
