If you're planning a summer escape across the ditch, you're in luck.

Air New Zealand is adding more than 1.7 million seats between New Zealand and Australia from October 2025 to March 2026.

That includes 130,000 extra seats thanks to more frequent flights and bigger planes on popular routes.

Premium seating is also getting a boost to meet strong demand from business and leisure travellers.

It’s not just Australia seeing a bump.

Over 25,000 more seats are being added to Pacific Island destinations too, supporting growing holiday demand and regional connections.

The Auckland–Perth route will see nearly 30,000 extra seats, Auckland–Sydney gets 25,000 more (including 7,500 in premium), and Queenstown–Sydney is marking 30 years of direct flights with a 26% capacity increase.

Closer to home for Coasties, the increased flights from Auckland offer better access and flexibility whether you're heading to Melbourne, Rarotonga, or beyond.

More widebody aircraft, more premium seats, and more frequent departures mean travel planning just got easier.

Air New Zealand Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy O’Brien says it’s all about better options.

“We're stepping up our services across the Tasman… giving our customers more comfort, more choice, and more reasons to fly with us.”

With strong demand and more aircraft available, this summer is shaping up to be one of the busiest yet for trans-Tasman travel.

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