Qantas has announced the launch of additional flights between Australia and New Zealand for the southern hemisphere summer peak, with the airline boosting capacity across the Tasman Sea by up to 20% throughout December 2025 and January 2026. According to the airline, the additional flights will “provide more options and greater choice for customers travelling between the two countries during the peak summer holiday period, with around 60,000 additional seats compared to the same time last year.”
According to the announcement made on May 28, 2025, seven key routes will see capacity and frequency increases over the same period in 2024/25, with the number of additional flights varying between each route.
Sydney to Auckland will see up to six additional weekly flights (35 per week), a 16% increase, while Sydney to Christchurch will receive up to seven additional flights per week (14 in total), representing a 47% increase. Sydney to Wellington will increase by five additional flights per week to 14, a 31% increase.
Yet, it is not just departures from Sydney that will see frequency increases. Melbourne to Auckland will rise by seven additional flights per week to 28, a 23% increase, while Melbourne to Christchurch will receive up to three additional flights per week to 11 in total, representing a 26% increase. Melbourne to Queenstown will see up to two additional flights per week to four, a 50% increase.
Lastly, turning to Queensland, Brisbane to Queenstown will see up to three additional flights per week, a 75% increase over the same period in 2024/25, taking the total to four per week in the peak.
More seats and more Boeing 787s
In total, the increases will see Qantas operate more than 3.3 million seats across the Tasman Sea between January 2025 and January 2026, aimed at supporting tourism growth in both New Zealand and Australia. Additionally, Qantas will soon introduce its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on flights between Auckland and Brisbane, bringing Qantas’ premium economy product to the route for the first time and increasing non-economy seat choices for customers by up to 80% over 2024/25.
The 787 Dreamliner service will initially operate three times per week from August 2025 and increase to daily from October 2025. The introduction of the airline’s 787 fleet on this route marks the airline’s second 787 service between Australia and New Zealand, in addition to flights between Auckland and Sydney as part of the airline’s QF3 and QF4 service that travels onward across the Pacific to New York-JFK Airport.
What the airline says
“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, “ said the CEO of Qantas International, Cam Wallace.
“Today we are 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.”
“It’s exciting to see even greater choice for Australian travellers who are heading across the Tasman over the holiday period,” added Andrew Waddel, Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Director – Australia. “With an increase across all four major ports, there are even more options for travellers to kick start their Aotearoa New Zealand getaway.”
“We know Australians are interested in exploring the country’s tranquil coastlines, world-class cycling trails, and unique food and wine, and the longer days and warmer weather make it a fantastic time of year to experience it all and more. We welcome the increase in capacity from Qantas and look forward to our Australian friends experiencing all Aotearoa New Zealand has to offer,” Waddel concluded.
