Air New Zealand ready to fly 745,000 customers over the July school holidays
Between Friday 27 June and Sunday 13 July, the airline is set to welcome 465,000 domestic and 280,000 international travellers, as families across Aotearoa jet off on winter adventures both at home and abroad.
To meet this demand, Air New Zealand has added around 18,000 extra seats across more than 200 additional domestic flights.
Air New Zealand General Manager Airports Kate Boyer says the airline's airport teams around the country are geared up to support the surge in travel.
"We'll see the school holiday rush begin this Friday, with 48,000 customers travelling across our network. The following two Fridays are shaping up to be even busier, with 49,000 customers expected each day."
Outside the main centres, Queenstown tops the list of domestic destinations, followed by Dunedin, which is set for a visitor spike over the weekend of 5 July, as the All Blacks take on France. More than 8000 customers are expected to travel to and from Dunedin over that weekend alone.
Internationally, Australia remains the most popular school holiday destination, with Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne leading the way. Singapore and Fiji round out the top five.
This year's school holidays also coincide with a special milestone: 1 July marks 30 years since Air New Zealand's inaugural Queenstown to Sydney flight – the resort town's first international service, launched in 1995.
The anniversary comes as Air New Zealand cements its position as the largest trans-Tasman carrier, having announced it will add 130,000 seats between New Zealand and Australia from October 2025 to March 2026.
With airports expected to be bustling over the next two weeks, Air New Zealand is encouraging customers to plan ahead, especially those travelling with children or bulky winter gear.
"We know winter weather can sometimes cause disruptions, so we recommend downloading the Air NZ app to stay informed about your flight," Boyer says. "Travel insurance is also a smart way to cover the unexpected.
"But above all, our teams are looking forward to welcoming everyone and helping everything run smoothly."
Air New Zealand's top tips for school holiday travel:
· Download the Air NZ app to check in, receive updates and manage your trip.
· Update your contact details in your booking and Airpoints account so we can keep you informed.
· Prepay for extra baggage online if you've packed more than planned – it saves time and money at the airport.
· If you need to make a last-minute booking for an unexpected medical emergency or bereavement, you may be eligible for compassionate fares – find out more here.
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