Hibiscus Coast locals heading overseas for a summer getaway will have more choice, with Auckland Airport adding 207,000 extra international seats and lifting total capacity to 5.8 million seats across 43 global destinations.

Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker said overall international capacity is up close to 4 per cent on last summer, with Kiwis embracing overseas travel.

In the year to September, more than 2.4 million New Zealanders flew out of Auckland, mainly to Australia, Fiji, China, the United States and the Cook Islands.

Leisure trips are leading the recovery. Holiday travel is up 5 per cent, and journeys of 15 to 27 days have jumped 12 per cent, while shorter breaks have dipped slightly.

Although summer capacity is still down 8 per cent, or 526,000 seats, on 2018/2019, each extra international aircraft touchdown brings around $1.4 million in economic value.

North America is a major growth story, with seven airlines flying direct to seven cities and more premium seats on long-haul routes.

Asia is also on the rise, with strong growth to China, Indonesia including Bali, and Japan.

Six airlines now link Auckland to eight mainland Chinese cities, with new and returning services expected to bring tens of thousands more visitors.

“It’s shaping up to be a solid summer for our local tourism industry and for New Zealanders heading overseas,” Mr Tasker said.

“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.”

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