Qantas has raised the bar in New Zealand with the opening of its refreshed Auckland Lounge, complete with a dedicated Platinum Dining area that brings a ‘mini-First Class’ experience for high flyers.
Located airside at Auckland Airport, the new lounge is the latest pin on Qantas’ map of lounge renovations and new openings. Here’s what to expect the next time you’re flying out of Aotearoa.
Qantas Auckland Lounge location and details
The Qantas Auckland Lounge is located within the main bank of ‘non Air New Zealand’ lounges, upstairs from the sprawling shopping strip. After security, head through duty-free and look for the escalators on your right. If you’re transiting through Auckland instead, then turn left after emerging into the main terminal.
The lounge opens daily from 4:30am to 8pm, offering access across all of Qantas’ flights, as well as those of many other partner airlines such as Emirates and Cathay Pacific.
Qantas Auckland Lounge layout and seating
As I walk in, my first thought is that Auckland’s new lounge looks remarkably similar to Adelaide’s Qantas Domestic Business Lounge. It’s noticeably more spacious than its predecessor, with clearer zoning and a more contemporary design language.
Natural tones, timber accents and diffused lighting – the signature design palette of Qantas these days – give the space a calm feel. There are some windows offering natural light towards one end of the lounge, but most of the space is lit artificially. Even towards the evening, it doesn’t get too gloomy.
Seating is varied throughout the main lounge. Straight ahead of the entrance is the main relaxation area, with rows of benches and individual seats. A private area off to the side can be cordoned off for VIPs or used as a quiet working space when opened up.
Dining is the main feature of the rest of the space, starting with an expansive bar area on the left, accompanying a private Platinum Dining area with waitstaff service. On the right is a dining hall for everyone else, along with buffet stations offering a range of cold salads and hot bites.
Towards the rear of the lounge is a separate children’s play room, followed by shower rooms and toilets. Power points and USB ports are plentiful, and the layout does a good job of spreading guests across the space rather than funnelling everyone into a single central area.
Qantas Auckland Lounge Dining
The main buffet sits at the heart of the lounge, offering a rotating selection of hot and cold dishes, salads, soups, and lighter snacks. While the salad bar is impressive with its wide range of healthier options, the hot food selection looks a bit sparse with only four choices, one of which is a meat dish.
This is something that Qantas can easily fix to improve the lounge dining experience for guests who don’t have access to the lovely Platinum Dining area (more on that later).
The bar area offers a curated selection of New Zealand wines and local beers with producers such as Villa Maria, Parrotdog and Liberty. Naturally, barista-made coffee is available throughout the day.
On the spirits shelf, expect Finlandia vodka, Hayman’s London Dry Gin and Mount Gay Eclipse rum, alongside more standard drops such as Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky and St-Rémy VSOP brandy. The summer cocktail list has a strong emphasis on fruity flavours – I strongly recommend the passionfruit cooler.
Qantas Auckland Lounge Platinum Dining
The headline addition is the Platinum Dining area, reserved for Qantas Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members, as well as eligible oneworld Emerald guests. If you make the cut, then you’ll receive an invitation at the reception to hand to the waitstaff, similar to how the American Airlines Flagship Lounge access works.
Perhaps intentional in design, the Platinum Dining area is smack-bang in the middle of the lounge. With low wall partitions, it’s easy for other guests to look in (and maybe have a think about Platinum status themselves). Even during my off-peak visit, I witnessed more than one person being turned away.
Dining here is à la carte, with a First Lounge-inspired menu featuring more elevated dishes than the main buffet. Yes, the classic salt-and-pepper squid is present, along with the signature pav (fittingly, topped with kiwi fruit). Main meal picks include gnocchi, a braised beef cheek pot pie, and fish and chips.
Service by the waitstaff in crisp white coats is attentive without being intrusive, and it’s a noticeable step up. Laurent-Perrier Champagne makes a welcome appearance for those wanting a French alternative to Villa Maria sparkling wine.
As for the food, the local fish and chips is a standout dish – the crumbed fish is divine. I also tried the braised beef cheek pot pie, which isn’t bad, but the filling is on the bland side in my opinion.
Qantas Auckland Lounge amenities
15 shower rooms are available, which would be particularly welcome for passengers transiting to or from New York on QF3 or 4. The bathrooms now feature products from Grown Alchemist, also the supplier of creams and balms in the new Qantas × R. M. Williams Business Class amenity kits on long-haul flights.
Wi-Fi is fast and reliable, with download speeds around 30 Mbps. There are also ample charging points at most seats. Each outlet has two standard Australia/NZ AC ports and two high-speed USB-C ports. In a sign of the times, USB-A is now absent so make sure to bring a USB-C cable along.
How to access this lounge
The Qantas Auckland Lounge is an international Business Class-grade lounge when it comes to access. As long as you’re on the right flights, you can enter through quite a few ways:
- Eligible class of travel: Business Class on a Qantas or eligible partner airline flight
- Qantas frequent flyer status: Qantas Gold, Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members (+1 guest and two children) travelling on a Qantas, Jetstar or eligible partner airline flight
- Airline partner frequent flyer status: Emirates Skywards Gold and Platinum members (+1 guest) travelling on a Qantas or Emirates flight
- Alliance frequent flyer status: Sapphire and Emerald oneworld members (+1 guest) travelling on a Qantas or eligible oneworld partner airline flight
- Qantas Club membership: Qantas Club members, including from Points Club Plus (+1 guest and two children) and Annual Guest Card holders (in the company of a member), travelling on a Qantas or Jetstar flight
- Qantas Complimentary Lounge Invitations: Entry for one passenger (no guests, including children) when successfully linked to a Qantas or Jetstar flight
As mentioned earlier, invitations to the Platinum Dining area are only given out to Platinum (and higher) and oneworld Emerald status passengers. The usual guest allowances also apply.
Oneworld partner airline flights that align with the Qantas Lounge’s opening hours include Cathay Pacific and Emirates (though the 8pm closing time means Emirates passengers will need to leave early). Unfortunately, the 11:45pm departure of Qatar Airways to Doha is too late.
Qantas American Express Ultimate
Our verdict
The new Qantas Auckland Lounge is a meaningful upgrade, not just a cosmetic refresh. The addition of the Platinum Dining Area in particular gives Qantas’ most loyal flyers a tangible benefit that’s easy to appreciate – especially during busy travel periods.
While the main lounge remains functional and comfortable, it’s the clear tiering of experience that stands out here. For Platinum members, this is one of the better lounge experiences Qantas now offers outside Australia.
For everyone else, the Auckland lounge is still a pleasant place to relax in. But for better dining, eligible passengers (Qantas Business Class and Gold + higher, not flying to the USA) could also check out the neighbouring Emirates lounge for a better feed – as long as it’s around the same time as an Emirates flight.
Photography by Brandon Loo, who travelled at Point Hacks’ expense. Access to Auckland Platinum Dining was hosted by Qantas for the purpose of review.
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