Flew LAX-AKL last year with Qantas. Be sure to get listed on the flight, even if done on the same day of travel. They won't check you in without a stand-by listing. Boarding passes are issued half hour before departure at checkin counter, so its a dash to the gate once accepted. As to the 14 hour flight, lets say I won't rate it as among my better flying experiences. On the other hand, Air New Zealand have on some days 3 daily flights. And I would rate the NZ product higher. Buyer beware, NZ's ZEDs are in the high zone and they do double check to ensure you're ticket is issued as such. Aukland is a beautiful city with a good range of accommodation options in the city centre. Touring outside the city would however require a car rental. Motor homes are a popular choice for visiting the rest of the country