Information on Air New Zealand Flights

Air New Zealand is an innovative, and dare I say it, slightly quirky, airline that serves the South Pacific nation. This is the airline that launched entertaining onboard safety videos, including one featuring Richard Simmons and another where the flight crew were nude except for cleverly painted clothing concealing their bodies. These bold moves earn a lot of attention and help set it apart from the competition. When flying this Star Alliance airline, prepare for friendly staff and a solid dose of Kiwi culture and cheekiness.

Where the airline flies

Air New Zealand offers an impressive domestic network connecting cities of all sizes on both the north and south islands of the country. It also flies on trans-Tasman routes from many of these cities to Australia.

Other routes connect passengers to parts of Asia as well as tropical destinations like the Cook Islands and Tahiti. The airline flies to North American cities like Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, but has cut its flights linking New Zealand with London (its last remaining European destination).

The differences between Air New Zealand flights and fares

Travelers can choose between different fare types, depending on the flight destination, which come with different included perks like checked bags, seat assignments or change restrictions.

I recommend reviewing what is important to you (seat assignments or checked bags, for example) and adding up if it is cheaper to buy them one by one or a more expensive bundled fare. Often, the latter will make more sense, especially in economy class.

Domestic fare classes and ticket types

For narrowbody flights, Air New Zealand does not offer business class. Instead, the fare types vary by destination. Tickets labeled as “seat” are literally just the seat itself, one carry-on bag, and a choice of coffee, tea or water. Turboprop flights only offer water.

More inclusive fares like “seat+bag” start adding other amenities like a checked bag. “Flexirefund” fares are the most expensive, but have the most perks like an assigned seat, two checked bags and fewer change restrictions.

An important tip: Star Alliance Gold members redeeming miles for Air New Zealand domestic flights are given the perks of higher fare classes (like a checked bag).

Fare types on longer flights

Trans-Tasman, Pacific Island and long-haul flights have different fare types with similar restrictions or inclusions. But, on these flights, the cheapest fares still include food and drinks (the more expensive fares receive a full meal), unlike on domestic flights that only serve a light snack plus either water, coffee or tea.

Pay close attention to what you buy as the higher fare classes with bundled perks like checked bags can sometimes be a better value rather than paying for things a la carte. If you elite status (including Star Alliance Gold), you may receive perks like lounge access or bonus points on the lowest fare classes anyway.

Premium economy provides some perks for less than business

On widebody Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, Air New Zealand sells a premium economy cabin with more legroom, 50% more recline and upgraded food and drinks. All long-haul flights have this cabin as do a subset of regional flights to Australian and South Pacific cities.

Business Premier is where Air New Zealand shines

The carrier has an impressive business class with seats that turn into a bed, multi-course meals and larger entertainment screens. My favorite features are having two pillows and a memory-foam mattress with duvet.

Seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access instead of having to step over a neighbor like in some economy or premium economy seats on the same plane. Passengers, however, dub them “coffin” seats since they are so narrow and close to the neighboring seat. To me, it looks likes sardines in a can.

For years, Air New Zealand seats received some criticism because they faced away from the window and towards the center aisle. It is hard to see out the window, and when you want to turn the seat into a bed, I find the process to be clunky. Luckily, the airline is undergoing a huge update to overhaul what is really an older-model seat.

This project will take some time, but for now, I advise flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner when possible. It has a more narrow fuselage, which means the seats are in an unusual 1-1-1 layout, offering more privacy to passengers in the “A” seats on the left side of the plane than those on the opposite side.

Upgrade with OneUp program

This offering allows travelers on any Air New Zealand international flight to make a bid for a one-cabin upgrade (for example, from economy to premium economy or from premium economy to business class).

This is a great way for me to score a cheaper upgrade, but you will want to check and see how many open seats are in the higher cabin (you can call or check online to see if there is still availability). Your elite status also gives you higher priority if someone else has a similar bid.

Air New Zealand innovations

For years, Air New Zealand has done things its own way. From pioneering clever airline safety videos (you can watch all of its past versions on its website) to unique aircraft livery. It has had planes painted with imagery from The Lord of the Rings, which was filmed in New Zealand, and now has a black livery honoring the national rugby union team, the All Blacks.

Special onboard service touches

One of my favorite touches is getting a mini wine tasting at your seat with flight attendants opening multiple bottles for you to try in Business Premier.

I also like the ability to order food and drink directly from the screen whenever you feel peckish. Even the lavatory boasts special mood lighting and the latest hits from the airline’s boarding music playlist.

Here’s a special tip if you fly in the late afternoon on weekday flights. Look for Koru Hour-labeled flights because they come with free soft drink, wine or beer and a larger complimentary snack instead of the coffee, tea or water option on most other flights.

SkyCouch

Air New Zealand created the Skycouch for its long-haul economy class cabin. This concept includes three seats that convert to a flat bed by adding a fold-up section at the base inflight. It is designed for one adult or an adult and a child although two adults can purchase it at a fraction of the cost of business class.

This idea made fully-flat rest on ultra-long journeys more accessible to the general public, and it has now been copied by other airlines. SkyCouch is also eligible for a OneUp upgrade bid for economy class passengers.

Skynest, the world’s first bunk bed in the sky

Another new product coming soon is the Skynest, six bunk beds in a small, private cabin that can be rented for four-hour blocks during the flight. The charge will vary based on demand, but will still be substantially lower than a traditional business class seat.

Business Premier Luxe Suites

In business class, the new Business Premier Luxe Suites will be in the front of the Boeing 787 aircraft and cost more than standard business class. In exchange, travelers will have a privacy door, extra seating space and a partner seat for dining together.

Other travel amenities

From lounges on the ground to inflight entertainment, there are numerous things to look forward to when flying with the national carrier, especially for Star Alliance Gold members, who receive extra benefits.

Lounges

Air New Zealand has a network of lounges for business class, top elite status tiers or annual membership dues. These include both domestic and international lounges with buffets, an open bar and plentiful workspace.

Passengers with premium cabin tickets or elite status on international Air New Zealand or Star Alliance flights can use more elaborate lounges.

My favorite features of these lounges, especially in airports like Sydney and Auckland, are taking a shower after a long flight and ordering a barista-made coffee before my connecting flight. These lounges usually have great views of passing planes, and I always order an extra takeaway coffee for the walk to my next flight.

Wi-Fi and entertainment

The airline is rolling out free Wi-Fi on its planes, but it will take time for every aircraft to have it. I always double check my flight on the Air New Zealand app or website to see if it is featured. I recommend booking the newest Airbus 320neo planes for the best chance to use free Wi-Fi. By 2025, more of these planes (and ATR72-600s) will have it.

Seatback screens on most planes come with free movies, TV shows and music, but are usually not available on domestic flights. I always enjoy the curated Spotify playlists, especially because many of the artists are local and new to me. The moving map is another favorite feature to follow along the flight’s path.