Air New Zealand is cranking up the capacity on its short haul routes, announcing an increase in seats across the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands.
Between October 2025 and March 2026, the airline will operate 1.7 million seats between New Zealand and Australia cementing its position as the largest trans-Tasman carrier.
The airline is adding 130,000 seats as a result of increased flight frequencies and the deployment of more widebody aircraft on key routes. There will also be an uplift in premium seating to meet strong demand from both business and leisure travellers.
Additionally, the airline will add more than 25,000 extra seats to the Pacific Islands this summer, supporting continued growth and connectivity across the region.
Across the season, Air New Zealand will add 8 per cent more premium seats on its short haul network and it will have up to 42 flights each week on widebody jets to Australia.
Air New Zealand chief commercial officer Jeremy O’Brien says with demand growing, Air New Zealand is upping the ante across the Tasman.
“With more aircraft back in service and demand heating up, we’re stepping up our services across the Tasman. This isn’t just about flying more often. It’s about giving our customers better options, more comfort, and more reasons to choose Air New Zealand. We’re expanding our premium offering and strengthening our network across both Australia and the Pacific.
“Air New Zealand has a proud 85-year history of flying across the Tasman – our first flight to Sydney took off in 1940 and we’re incredibly proud of that longevity. Our commitment to keeping New Zealand and Australia connected is as strong as ever.
“We’re excited to see our new Christchurch–Adelaide route take off later this year, add 30,000 seats on our Auckland-Perth route, celebrate 30 years of flying directly between Queenstown and Sydney in July, and to keep delivering the uniquely Kiwi experience our customers love – on both sides of the ditch.”
Key highlights across the Tasman:
· Auckland–Perth: Nearly 30,000 additional seats, adding 29 per cent capacity and increasing from daily flights to nine services per week.
· Auckland-Sydney: An additional 25,000 seats including 7,500 premium seats, up 20 per cent with up to 13 widebody services per week.
· Auckland-Melbourne: 16,000 seats to be added, including up to 13 widebody services per week.
· Auckland-Brisbane: An additional 18,400 seats added with daily widebody flights and increase in services during peak periods.
· Auckland-Gold Coast: A 12 per cent increase in seats, adding 8,500 seats across the season with 11 weekly services over summer.
· Queenstown-Sydney: Celebrating 30 years of direct connection with a 26 per cent increase of 9,600 seats, going from daily to nine flights a week over the December-February period.
· Christchurch-Melbourne: A 14 per cent increase, adding 9,500 seats with more than 400 flights between the cities across the season.
Key highlights to the Pacific Islands:
· Auckland-Rarotonga: An additional 8,000 seats, with between 11 and 12 weekly services over peak summer period.
· Auckland-Nadi: 8,600 seats added, with up to 11 flights per week.
· Auckland-Papeete: An additional 1,600 additional seats, with a 37 per cent increase in premium seating due to strong demand.
