Air New Zealand boosts 2026 domestic capacity to help keep Kiwi travellers connected
The uplift is part of the airline's long-term focus on delivering for New Zealand by supporting domestic growth, business connectivity, and tourism.
Air New Zealand General Manager Short Haul and Domestic Lucy Hall says the airline is focused on ensuring its network meets the needs of its customers.
"We are constantly reviewing our network to make sure we are offering the best possible schedule and capacity for Kiwi customers. These updates are all about keeping New Zealanders connected, supporting regional growth, and making it easier for people to travel for work, to visit loved ones, or to explore more of Aotearoa."
The airline will increase seats across several of its busiest routes:
- Auckland–Queenstown up 9%
- Auckland–Christchurch up 4%
- Auckland-Rotorua up 7%
- Auckland–Blenheim up 7%
- Christchurch-Hamilton up 17%
The Auckland–Queenstown route will see significant uplift, growing by 9%, as the airline adds more flights to meet strong demand. In total, around 50,000 additional seats will be available to and from Queenstown over the year, giving customers more choice and flexibility when travelling to one of New Zealand's most popular destinations.
Christchurch will see an increase in regional capacity, offering around 25,000 more seats than the same period this year. From 9 February 2026, jet services will operate daily on the Christchurch–Hamilton route, increasing capacity by 17%. Additional growth is planned on services from Christchurch to Napier, Nelson, Rotorua, Tauranga and Invercargill, giving customers more options in and out of the city.
In the North Island, the Auckland–Rotorua route will be upgauged to an ATR aircraft, increasing capacity by 7% and providing more seats at business-friendly times.
A new weekday schedule includes a 6:50am Rotorua–Auckland departure and a 6:20pm Auckland–Rotorua return, designed to support same-day travel for business customers. The Wellington–Rotorua route will also benefit from a new timetable offering morning and afternoon flights at convenient times, while the Christchurch–Rotorua service will see capacity increase by 4%.
"We heard from the Rotorua community that better flight times for business travel were a priority, so we're adjusting the schedule to meet that request. These changes will make it easier for locals to travel to Auckland for a full day's work and return home the same evening," says Hall.
These schedule and capacity changes form part of Air New Zealand's broader commitment to deliver for New Zealand by increasing capacity to support customers, communities and the economy.
ENDS
Issued by Air New Zealand Communications
Email: media@airnz.co.nz │ Phone: +64 21 747 320
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 9.9 years. Air New Zealand's global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2024, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2025 World's Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline's laser-focus on safety.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, the Pacific Islands, Asia and North America, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand's loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Star Alliance
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.
The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.
Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 16,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 186 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.
For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com