Due to its geography, I can't think of any other country in the world where it would make sense to fly via the US. Mexico and Canada are the only two that would happen, and both have their own large international gateways.

The USA is a very common transit country for Europe-South America and Asia-South America. It's not uncommon for travel between Europe and New Zealand or the East coast of Australia either.

I travel from NZ, these days I choose to go through HKG (and visit the Shenzhen markets, in China) to Europe.

My normal experience of entering China is always fast and courteous, entering the US is frankly scary every time, lots of questions about what you're going to do - I show the same business APEC card at both borders (unlike China it's not a visa for the US border, the US is not a full member of APEC, but it does get me in the crew line, and identifies me as a frequent business traveller)

You're not the only person I've heard say that they avoid the TPAC route because they want to avoid the USA. But I've heard people complain that as much as they'd prefer to avoid the USA the flight schedules are far more convenient.

Have you tried the ANZ AKL-YVR connecting to ACA YVR-Europe flights? Canada is far happier about transiting passengers than the USA is. (And if you've tried it and didn't like it, I'm curious why.)

I don't avoid the US if I need to go there, after all I lived there for 20 years, half my adult life, it's home as much as NZ (and I'm currently near the end of a NZ->US->HK->CN->HK->CN->HK->NZ trip) - getting in is the problem, the process is as I said elsewhere a bit scary, once you are there it's generally a nice place to be

I haven't tried Vancouver, maybe next time - I do prefer long flights that are overnight so to Europe that means with a daytime (or two) somewhere in the middle

AKL-YVR-LHR is an overnight (13 hours, 8PM-noon, same day) TPAC followed by an overnight (9.5 hours, 6PM-11:30AM, next day) TATL. So it certainly fits your preference for having long overnight flights.

Emirates has an AKL-DXB flight now that works pretty well.

I might be bias here cause I am Canadian. But I am far happier transiting through Canada whenever I need to go back to that side of the world.

The whole 360 body scan and the random questioning by US border control is simply terrifying. I have been asked to spell my name and say my birthday to see my reaction. It’s just an uncomfortable experience in general. I can’t even imagine what treatment middle easterner will get if even I get that treatment.

I don't think the US is "too cheap" but there is a perceived higher incentive to get in and stay in in the US than many other countries. Not saying its actually true but that seems like a more rational reason than penny pinching by USCIS.

It causes all sorts of other problems too - because you don't pass thru immigration as you leave the US you don't get a stamp in your passport, if the system fucks up (it's the airlines who become responsible for processing your exit), the US still thinks you're there, many many people have been caught this way, suddenly found themselves in some detention centre for 'overstaying' because the INS's bookkeeping is out of whack last time they were there.

ALWAYS travel to the US carrying the boarding pass from your last departure

Aside from the inconvenience of clearing immigration on transit (and I can't say I've ever transited _through_ the US, despite clearing US immigration ~50), the airport experience is much nicer. International and domestic flights can leave from the same terminals, go through the same security, and use the same in-terminal facilities. You don't have to go through an outgoing passport control, so half the waiting time. I'm very happy with the system.

Canada does the same thing. Even if transiting you need to be admitted into the country before getting on your connecting flight.

> The US seems too cheap to build outgoing immigration booths

Alternately, it's none of the US government's business when people leave the country. It's always struck me as really weird that other countries make you effectively ask for permission to leave...

Then why do you bother people who overstay their visas? And people who don't but because you don't stamp their passports when they leave can't prove they acted legally when the INS screws up?

For people on a temporary visa, I guess exit passport control can make sense. For people holding the country's passport, it just doesn't.

As far as that goes, I've had my passport not be stamped plenty of times on leaving countries that _do_ have exit passport control (e.g. France), so the problem you describe is present even there.