New Zealand

I would love to go to New Zealand for a visit sometime, if I could afford to do so. Problem is that is one long ass flight(s) from the East Coast of North America. I have zero fear of flying, but I do get claustrophobic in a plane after a while. I can handle up to a 6 hour flight but the longest flight I’ve taken, 8 hours, was too long. I guess I’d have to island-hop my way there, like via California, Hawaii, and Fiji or something.