US transit situation (Houston IAH/San Fran SFO), plus also AMEX Bonus Airpoints

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › US transit situation (Houston IAH/San Fran SFO), plus also AMEX Bonus Airpoints

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Mad Scientist
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#3342908 14-Feb-2025 16:48

Jaxson:

danielparker:

As your Kids are under 18, they also don't count as guests in AirNZ lounges.. So if you are Koru, or Gold, Your wife becomes your guest.. and your Kids get in as well. (I have done this a few times as Koru / Gold)

Borderline considering paid Koru (rather than the status game) with the ANZ/AMEX waver of the joining fee and $145 discount.
This one time that might cover the whole family a few times as they're under 18, with AirNZ specifically.

If AMEX was status points I'd be all over that, but that's not the case.

Koru (and status) only gets your kids for free into Air NZ owned lounges. Make sure they own the lounge in whereever you go, otherwise every head counts as one guest and the guest allowance is different in each partner lounge.

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Jaxson

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#3342924 14-Feb-2025 17:28

Batman:

Koru (and status) only gets your kids for free into Air NZ owned lounges. Make sure they own the lounge in whereever you go, otherwise every head counts as one guest and the guest allowance is different in each partner lounge.

Yep understood thanks.

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#3343053 14-Feb-2025 21:23

Note Koru only gives you access to lounges on Air NZ routes where they operate their own flights. There are a few exceptions where they co-operate with other airlines e.g. Singapore Airlines AKL-SIN as long as you meet certain conditions e.g. you fly on the NZ flight number.

SFO-LHR on BA means you won't get access at SFO. BA is not a partner so basically zero benefits flying on BA.

LHR-IAH on UA means you won't get access at LHR. You can see more information about Koru benefits on United here where it is clear Koru only get access when flying either NZ or UA flights between AKL-LAX, AKL-SFO or CHC-SFO only (in other words only on routes they co-operate on).

For your trip Koru doesn't really make sense as you'd only get access for two out of four long haul flights. Priority Pass may be a better option possibly -- unless you think you'll also make good use of Koru from other trips and don't mind missing out on access at SFO/LHR.

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#3343096 15-Feb-2025 08:49

What’s the transit time between flights ?
- that will help you decide if you want or have the time to figure out lounge access…

Recently on the various travel shows I hear on linear radio….everyones saying allow at least 2 hours to navigate baggage and border security between flights.

edit; and you might find the lounge is too far away from your gate…

I remember being 17 back in 1996 transiting through Washington and LAX…. I thought it was pretty cool sitting at BK or the bar in the departure lounge areas watching football. Mind you, back then…you were free to roam outside to the roadside enterance for a cheeky cigarette too.

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#3343103 15-Feb-2025 09:39

On this particular trip I’m only envisaging lounge use at the start of each journey.

transit times in America San Francisco and Houston is around 3 or 3:45 hours only, so suspect that will mostly be taken up by the US customs shuffle now.

Asteros

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#3343123 15-Feb-2025 12:37

Would you be able to access the London lounge via Koru when your flight leaving London is on United?

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/partner-lounge-directory

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#3343132 15-Feb-2025 13:00

Asteros:

Would you be able to access the London lounge via Koru when your flight leaving London is on United?

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/partner-lounge-directory

Doesn’t look like it

Basil12

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#3343227 15-Feb-2025 16:04

Jaxson:
Borderline considering paid Koru (rather than the status game) with the ANZ/AMEX waver of the joining fee and $145 discount.
This one time that might cover the whole family a few times as they're under 18, with AirNZ specifically.

If AMEX was status points I'd be all over that, but that's not the case.

You can earn status points with Amex, example below. Also with Amex you get a couple of Priority Pass invites per annum; more can be bought but it not exactly cheap. Priority Pass can be used with most airports around the world.

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#3344142 18-Feb-2025 13:02

For future reference anyone traveling via the USA to Europe should consider booking at ITI flight though an ITI airport such as DFW

https://www.americanairlines.it/content/images/jp/ti/pdf/iti_en.pdf

You could book AKL DFW LHR on American Airlines (or Qantas Code Share) and you would not need to collect baggage

You still need an ESTA, still need to go through Immigration, but your bags are automatically checked into our next flight without collecting and rechecking which saves a ton of time.

Obviously, this is not an issue if you go via Asia but that can be significantly more expensive,

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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#3344145 18-Feb-2025 13:31

Yeah this has been a wake up call for me. I think we'll be fine, and stupidly after booking I recalled this situation from discussions years ago, but definitely the Asia/Middle East routes are way easier. Get off one plane and find the gate for the next.

For future reference for anyone who finds this thread:

Essentially flying by most airports in America is akin to doing two separate flights. You collect your bags after the first and drop them for the next. The bags are tagged all the way through though and similarly you should already have your boarding pass for the next flight too, so you essentially don't have to go to the public check in desk and start the whole procedure all over again. After immigration should be able to dump your bag for the next flight and proceed straight through the TSA inspection, then on your way to the next flights gate.

Issues are going to come if your plane is delayed or the lines are crazy when you arrive for any reason. Hopefully they have 'transit' lanes or perhaps even one where you've done your entry details on an app or something. Will see how that whole aspect plays out in practice...

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#3344149 18-Feb-2025 13:42

Jaxson:

Issues are going to come if your plane is delayed or the lines are crazy when you arrive for any reason. Hopefully they have 'transit' lanes or perhaps even one where you've done your entry details on an app or something. Will see how that whole aspect plays out in practice...

Travel insurance will protect you from this as long as you didn't make two separate bookings and the whole lot is on wone booking.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

elpenguino

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#3344151 18-Feb-2025 13:50

nztim:

Obviously, this is not an issue if you go via Asia but that can be significantly more expensive,

A bit off topic, but is going by Asia more expensive? It used to be that there were only a few airlines going via the US compared to ~dozens via Asia, hence there were deals to be had via Asia.

Not to mention Asia offers cheap stopovers to break the trip up.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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#3344221 18-Feb-2025 14:52

elpenguino:

A bit off topic, but is going by Asia more expensive? It used to be that there were only a few airlines going via the US compared to ~dozens via Asia, hence there were deals to be had via Asia.

Not to mention Asia offers cheap stopovers to break the trip up.

Here you go (all searches 19th of Feb to 6th fo march) $1969v vs $3880 vs $3121

AA ITI Via DFW

Emirates

Singapore

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#3344224 18-Feb-2025 15:21

nztim:

Here you go (all searches 19th of Feb to 6th fo march) $1969v vs $3880 vs $3121

AA ITI Via DFW

Emirates

Singapore

You got it. That's indicative (in my case base price was a lot higher due to school holidays period) but they were all higher in same proportional spread.

Air NZ was actually quite competitive in this regard, by looping with British Airways and United Airlines, both via US and yes all on one ticket.

Usual Air NZ sale though, cheap one way and nothing even close on the way back!

wellygary

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#3344226 18-Feb-2025 15:34

nztim:

elpenguino:

A bit off topic, but is going by Asia more expensive? It used to be that there were only a few airlines going via the US compared to ~dozens via Asia, hence there were deals to be had via Asia.

Not to mention Asia offers cheap stopovers to break the trip up.

Here you go (all searches 19th of Feb to 6th fo march) $1969v vs $3880 vs $3121

and the EK flight dumps you at Stanstead to boot. :) ... -

also expect the flight out of DXB to be full too :), EK alone have 10 daily flights on the route, 8 LHR 1 LGW 1 STN

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