Travelling with AirNZ from PER to LAX (return) in Premium Economy and wondered about the benefits of Priority Pass Lounge access?

Travelling with AirNZ from PER to LAX (return) in Premium Economy and wondered about the benefits of Priority Pass Lounge access? Is it worth the money? I'm normally a Qantas FF with QC membership, but these fares were ultra cheap.

Hi Trevor

There are no prioty pass lounges at Perth so that sort of rules out perth but there are lounges in LAX and AKL.

The Auckland lounge is downstairs below the Air New Zealand one with no view and is called the Emperor Lounge - You are only allowed a max 3 hours in the Emperor Lounge so it really depends on your stop over time.

At LAX you will depart from Terminal 2 where the only proity pass lounge in the terminal is the Air Canada Lounge - Its right next door to the Air New Zealand Lounge

A priotiy pass costs AUD $270 and includes 10 free vists each extra visit is USD $27

Its also worth asking your self if you would rather go to the NZ Lounge. For 4 hours in the Koru club in AKL it costs $55 NZD and in LA a Koru Club day pass is $60 USD

That works out to be NZD $55 (Visit in AKL)(About $50 AUD) + USD $60 (Visit in LAX)(About $65) + NZD $55 (Another Visit in AKL)(About $50 AUD) totaling to about $165 AUD

Trevor, won't you be better off crediting your miles to Aegean's programme and hit Star Alliance Gold going forward?

If NZ is doing good deals and QF has pulled out of Perth for International flights, perhaps Star Alliance is the way to go for Asian, European and North American destinations.

Perhaps your best option for lounge access then is United Club, at least in the interim before you hit Gold.

Anyone with experience with United Club access for other Star Alliance airlines operated lounges? The United AND the Star Alliance websites both suggest access is allowed. 

Feedback from others would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately I don't think United Club's will be much use in this case, there's definitely no United Club in Auckland and for Terminal 2 (assuming you're travelling before 14 October when NZ is anticipated to move to TBIT) of LAX you've only got a choice of an AC Maple Leaf lounge and NZ.  

I'm not sure whether AC offers paid entry, but I've aways understood they're not quite as good as NZ anyway.

I think henrus' suggestion above is your best bet unless you want to see if you can find someone to guest you in on your travel dates.

NZL JC, did you check out the United and Star Alliance websites or was the post based on your experience of being denied access to the star alliance airline's managed lounges on the basis of your United Club mbership? I'm curious.

My experience is based on numerous NZ fights through AKL and LAX, where I know that there is no United lounge's (United has it's own set of terminals, which is not connected at all to T2 which NZ flies from).

It's also pretty clearly shown on the Star alliance website too (Three UC's in T6/7/8, but only NZ and AC in T2):  http://www.staralliance.com/assets/doc/global/pdf/airportmaps/LAX_map.pdf

I am totally aware of the rules with regard to Star Alliance Gold lounge access versus paid lounge programmes.  My point is that you can't get to UC's from the terminal that NZ flights depart from.

But the Star Alliance Lounge Finder tool on its website says a United Club member flying Air New Zealand in Economy can utilise the Koru  Club in the Auckland terminal.

I am in no doubt as to the accuracy of your statement regarding the lack of a United Club in the terminal that NZ departs from. That however is not the basis of my question to you.

The basis of my question is to corroborate the information provided by United and the Star Alliance website vis a vis your experience. Could you please advise.

NZL JC

Just to prove I'm not loosing my marbles... These screen shots taken from the Star Alliance LoungeFinder tool on the Star Alliance website.

The web address for TheRealBabushka's information.

http://www.staralliance.com/en/benefits/status-benefits/lounge-finder/

Nice findTRB! :-)

Trevor,

Do you have an American Express card? I have one that gives me complimentary Priority Pass membership with unlimited free visits. I think some other Amex cards give a membership with 2 free annual visits and subsequent visits at USD27.