Air New Zealand Introduces Economy Skynest, Offering Long-Haul Guests the Opportunity to Sleep
- Joe Breitfeller
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Air New Zealand has today announced the launch of ‘Economy Skynest,’ six lie-flat pods in a bunk-style layout that will give customers the opportunity to stretch out, lie flat and get a few hours of proper rest in the air.
On Wednesday (April 15, 2026), Air New Zealand announced the launch of ‘Economy Skynest,’ with booking available from May 18, 2026, for travel starting November 2026. The new onboard product will be available on the carrier’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, and features six lie-flat pods in a bunk-style layout between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins. For a fee of $495 NZD (around $295 USD) for a four-hour session, this will allow customers the opportunity to stretch out, lie flat and get a few hours of proper rest in the air. With some of the world’s longest commercial flights to and from New Zealand, Skynest is designed to make a real difference to the guest journey.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Air New Zealand’s CEO, Nikhil Ravishankar, said,
“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters. Tourism is a $46 billion NZD industry, but growth depends on travellers’ willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here. Skynest is designed to help make that easier. It reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience. By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.”
Air New Zealand’s new Economy Skynest offering was developed over two years and tested with more than 200 customers. Each Skynest pod provides a quiet, private space with a full-length mattress, bedding, ambient lighting, ventilation and charging ports. Customers who book an Economy or Premium Economy seat will have the option of adding on a four-hour session. The sessions have been designed around natural sleep cycles to allow time to settle, sleep and wake gradually. Initially, two sessions will be offered on each flight.
A First Look at Air New Zealand's New Economy Skynest Product on the Carrier's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Fleet for Long-Haul Flights - Courtesy Air New Zealand
Each Skynest session includes a lie-flat sleeping pod with full-length mattress, fresh bedding including pillow, sheets and blanket, changed in between sessions, and a privacy curtain. The pods also include ambient lighting designed for rest and wake, personal stowage and charging (USB-A and USB-C), a reading light and ventilation outlet, a crew call button and in-pod seatbelt, and a ‘Nestcessities’ kit including eye mask, ear plugs, socks and Aotea skincare. To learn more about Air New Zealand’s Economy Skynest, please click here.
Source: Air New Zealand
