Before our 2012 trip to South Africa, it was my favorite place on earth--and it's still a very close number two. I suppose that's obvious, though, seeing as we've taken the trouble to get there six times, visiting all but one state. We've been there enough times to see it change, and we still love it.
If you're flying from the U.S., you will have to fly from the west coast. From Chicago, we flew to Los Angeles. We booked this itinerary separately so that we could have bookends in LA. From there, your best options are Qantas or Air New Zealand. Scroll down to New Zealand to read more about its airline.
Getting around Australia will more than likely involve flying between major cities. An exception is the Indian Pacific train, which we took from Sydney to Adelaide. It's an experience in itself--the kind of old-school train that would appear in an Hercule Poirot mystery. If your schedule isn't hurried, I highly recommend it.
The first year I met my husband, I took him to Auckland for his birthday. Twice in the last two years, we returned to Auckland, again for his birthday. In between the birthday trips, we did a visit to the south island. Each time we've gone, we've loved it. It's beautiful, it's mellow, and it's New Zealand. What's not to love?
Air New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Air New Zealand. If you even think about taking a U.S. carrier from the west coast, you are making a horrible mistake. Wait for Air New Zealand to have a sale, then splurge for Premium Economy (unfortunately they got rid of their Spaceseats). They also allow you to bid on an upgrade to the next class of service. We put in close to the lowest bid possible and still got Business Premier on our way in (we opted to only bid on one of the legs). An endless selection of movies and TV shows, video games, and great food--for Business and Premium Economy.
It's not just the long-haul service that's commendable. We flew a quick 45-minute flight from Wellington to Auckland and found out it was a "Koru Hour" flight (kind of like happy hour), meaning we each got a complimentary cheese tray and wine. It was fantastic.
In general, while you might find a cheaper deal on another carrier--and I said might--you will not find a better deal for what you get with Air New Zealand. They have not forgotten what customer service means.