Air New Zealand To Fly Year-round To Popular Queensland Destinations

Air New Zealand is moving to year-round direct flights on its Auckland-Cairns, Auckland-Sunshine Coast and Christchurch-Gold Coast routes under an agreement with the Queensland Government.

The boost in flights, announced today by Queensland’s Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, will see existing April through October seasonal services move to year-round flights through to May 2022.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says the new flights will see an additional 26,000 seats available across the three Queensland destinations and marks the first time Kiwi holidaymakers will be able to travel with the airline to the Sunshine Coast year-round.

“Queensland has long been a popular destination for Kiwis looking for a little winter sunshine, and Air New Zealand flew around half of the 500,000 trips taken from New Zealand to Queensland in 2019. Extending to year-round operations means all the experiences Queensland has to offer, be it theme parks, shopping, white sand beaches or the Great Barrier Reef, are now viable options for New Zealanders no matter the month.

“We know Queenslanders also love to visit New Zealand, with nearly 400,000 crossing the Tasman in 2019 to take advantage of the winter ski season or visit friends and relatives. The additional services and good connections onto our domestic network mean Queenslanders will be able to explore more of New Zealand during the shoulder season.”

Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said Queensland was Good to Go for an unforgettable holiday experience.

“Whether it’s catching up with family and friends or visiting the iconic Queensland destinations you’ve seen on TV, now is time to start planning your trip across the ditch,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

"We’ve been able to move to year-round direct flights across the Tasman because we’ve followed the expert medical advice to make Queensland a safe destination.

“To make it even easier for Kiwis to enjoy a world-class Queensland holiday experience, Air New Zealand’s extended season flights will be landing on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, and the Tropical North to get your holiday started sooner.

“Year-round flights mean Queensland is always Good to Go.”

© Scoop Media