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Auckland Airport will welcome more than 207,000 extra international seats this summer, lifting total capacity to 5.8 million seats and providing direct connections to 43 global destinations.
Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker says capacity is up close to 4 per cent on last summer, with several clear travel patterns emerging.
“Kiwis continue to embrace overseas travel. In the year to September, more than 2.4 million New Zealanders departed Auckland Airport for overseas adventures, with Australia, Fiji, China, the US and Cook Islands our top five destinations.
“What’s particularly interesting is that leisure travel is leading the way – up 5 per cent over the year to September – and Kiwis are taking longer trips. Travel between 15 and 27 days has grown 12 per cent, while shorter breaks have declined slightly,” Scott says.
“While we’re still short 526,000 seats – or 8 per cent – on summer 2018/2019, the last period not impacted by COVID, we’re working hard to bring that connectivity back. Every additional international aircraft touchdown at Auckland brings a further $1.4 million in economic value.”
North America sees expanded choice and premium travel
Scott says the growth in direct services to North America is providing both more options for New Zealand travellers and more opportunities for visitors to spend a Kiwi summer.
“With seven competing airlines – Air New Zealand, Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines and Qantas – flying direct to seven cities, plus Fiji Airways and Air Tahiti Nui offering one-stop links to the US, we’ve never had more choice or more seats to North America.”
He says year-round flights to New York and Houston, and seasonal services to Dallas/Fort Worth, are shifting demand patterns.
“These flights are bringing a 40 per cent increase in visitors from states east of the Mississippi for the summer peak. Those long-haul and ultra-long-haul services open up a whole new group of travellers whose next stop after a short domestic hop to a large US hub is a touchdown in Auckland.”
Scott says seasonal carriers are also extending operations into autumn.
“That’s a great result for tourism. The autumn months are still an amazing time to visit New Zealand while it can be cold and unsettled in the Northern Hemisphere spring.”
Premium cabins are also increasing on North American routes, reflecting demand for higher-comfort travel.
“There are now 11 per cent more premium seats, with around a quarter of aircraft typically business or premium economy. These are great travellers for our tourism and hospitality sector – they stay longer, spend more and seek high-quality food, accommodation and cultural experiences. A strong US dollar, currently trading around 17 per cent higher than 2019, is also helping.”
Australian connections remain the strongest
Australia remains the number one international destination from Auckland, representing around 35 per cent of departures.
“We’re still missing just under 12 per cent capacity on the Tasman compared with 2019, but airlines are adding flights to meet demand,” Scott says.
“There’s around 6 per cent more capacity than last summer, including Qantas Group adding 32 flights per week, Jetstar putting on more services on the Brisbane and Sydney routes, Qantas’ seasonal Adelaide connection, and the soon-to-launch year-round Perth service.”
Asia continues to grow
Asian destinations remain increasingly popular. One in four international travellers – around 662,000 people – headed to Asia in the past year, an increase of nearly 15 per cent.
“That’s 89,000 more Kiwi travellers, with the biggest growth to China, Indonesia including Bali, and Japan,” Scott says.
Six airlines now fly between Auckland and eight mainland China destinations. December brings the return of Sichuan Airlines’ non-stop Chengdu–Auckland service, expected to add around 22,000 visitors each year. China Eastern Airlines will also launch its twice-weekly Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires service on Thursday, December 4, 2025, positioning Auckland as a strategic link between Asia and South America.
Visa-free access for eligible Chinese visitors transferring from Australia is also expected to stimulate more demand.
Nearly 250,000 Chinese visitors arrived in the year to September 2025, making China New Zealand’s third largest tourism market. Up to 50,000 more could arrive annually via Australia under the new arrangements.
“It’s shaping up to be a solid summer for our local tourism industry and for New Zealanders heading overseas,” Scott says. “With more capacity, extended seasonal flights and growing choice across our global network, it’s another step forward in connecting New Zealand with the world.”
