On May 2, 2023, Air New Zealand’s partner Air China will touch down in Auckland from Beijing for the first time in three years. The following day, Air New Zealand will resume daily service between Auckland and Shanghai.
On Sunday (April 30, 2023), Air New Zealand announced the resumption of service to/from China. On May 2, 2023, Air New Zealand’s partner Air China will touch down in Auckland for the first time in three years, and will operate four weekly flights from Beijing. On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, Air New Zealand will resume daily service between Auckland and Shanghai. The combination of the two services will deliver around 6,500 daily flights between Auckland and China. The resumption of the Beijing-Auckland route is part of Air New Zealand’s strategic Alliance with Air China.
In Sunday’s announcement, Air New Zealand’s Chief Customer and Sales Officer, Leanne Geraghty, said,
“We’re thrilled to welcome our alliance partner Air China back to New Zealand and extend our Shanghai route to daily. China is a key market for us and the New Zealand tourism industry. The return of this route will help connect even more Chinese visitors with the amazing experiences New Zealand has to offer.
“China is an incredibly important inbound visitor markets, and we expect interest in visiting New Zealand to continue to grow among Chinese travellers. Our strategic alliance with Air China provides additional capacity and improved connectivity, helping us to meet demand and showcase New Zealand as a world-class tourism destination.
“We can't wait to welcome back even more Chinese visitors to our shores and show them the warm and friendly hospitality that New Zealand is known for.”
With Air New Zealand and Air China’s strategic partnership, guests of both airlines enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including earning and spending loyalty points and lounge access. Customers of Air New Zealand also have access to Air China’s comprehensive network of over 300 routes, while Air China customers have access to Air New Zealand’s domestic and Pacific networks.
Source: Air New Zealand