Qantas has announced that it will significantly increase capacity on its trans-Tasman services to New Zealand over the summer peak season. The airline says that it will boost capacity on several route, adding up to 20% more seats between December 2025 through January 2026.
Qantas will be adding 60,000 seats compared to last summer. The additional flights will cover a range of key routes giving passengers greater flexibility.
Flights will be added to a range of routes as follows:
- Sydney – Auckland: Up to six additional flights per week, 16 per cent increase.
- Sydney – Christchurch: Up to seven additional flights per week, 47 per cent increase.
- Sydney – Wellington: Up to five additional flights per week, 31 per cent increase.
- Melbourne – Auckland: Up to seven additional flights per week, 23 per cent increase.
- Melbourne – Christchurch: Up to three additional flights per week, 26 per cent increase.
- Melbourne – Queenstown: Up to two additional flights per week, 50 per cent increase.
- Brisbane – Queenstown: Up to three additional flights per week, 75 per cent increase.
In addition, if you’re flying between Brisbane and Auckland, you will soon have the 787 Dreamliner to look forward to. The 787 Dreamliner service will initially operate three times per week from August 2025. From October this will increase to a daily service.
In announcing the additional service, Cam Wallace, CEO Qantas International said:
This year has already seen huge growth in New Zealand for Qantas Group, from the announcement of two new Qantas routes to the refurbishment of our Auckland lounge well underway and the upcoming launch of three more new trans-Tasman routes for Jetstar.
Today we’re so pleased to offer even more Tasman flying for customers, which will mean Qantas will have the most frequency between Australia and New Zealand at one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
This capacity boost represents almost 60,000 more seats compared to last summer, giving our customers additional choice and more convenience as well as supporting tourism and economic growth in both markets.
