This Content Is Only For Subscribers
Air New Zealand is preparing for one of its busiest travel periods of the year, with more than 745,000 customers expected to take to the skies over the July school holidays.
Between Friday, June 27, and Sunday, July 13, the airline is set to welcome 465,000 domestic and 280,000 international travellers, as families across Aotearoa jet off on winter adventures both at home and abroad.
To meet this demand, Air New Zealand has added around 18,000 extra seats across more than 200 additional domestic flights.
Air New Zealand general manager airports Kate Boyer says the airline’s airport teams around the country are geared up to support the surge in travel.
“We’ll see the school holiday rush begin this Friday, with 48,000 customers travelling across our network. The following two Fridays are shaping up to be even busier, with 49,000 customers expected each day.”
Outside the main centres, Queenstown tops the list of domestic destinations, followed by Dunedin, which is set for a visitor spike over the weekend of July 5, as the All Blacks take on France. More than 8000 customers are expected to travel to and from Dunedin over that weekend alone.
Internationally, Australia remains the most popular school holiday destination, with Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne leading the way. Singapore and Fiji round out the top five.
This year’s school holidays also coincide with a special milestone: July 1 marks 30 years since Air New Zealand’s inaugural Queenstown to Sydney flight – the resort town’s first international service, launched in 1995.
The anniversary comes as Air New Zealand cements its position as the largest trans-Tasman carrier, having announced it will add 130,000 seats between New Zealand and Australia from October 2025 to March 2026.
With airports expected to be bustling over the next two weeks, Air New Zealand is encouraging customers to plan ahead, especially those travelling with children or bulky winter gear.
“We know winter weather can sometimes cause disruptions, so we recommend downloading the Air NZ app to stay informed about your flight,” Kate says. “Travel insurance is also a smart way to cover the unexpected.
“But above all, our teams are looking forward to welcoming everyone and helping everything run smoothly.”
