Trans-Tasman air travel is set to soar as Jetstar, Qantas and Air New Zealand boost seating capacity for summer and beyond.
Jetstar expects to add almost 500,000 more seats on its trans-Tasman routes, including adding another aircraft to its NZ fleet, while parent Qantas says it is boosting capacity.
Their move follows a June announcement by Air New Zealand that it will add 1.7 million seats on its seasonal short-haul trans-Tasman and Pacific services in December.
The Kiwi carrier intends to boost capacity on its flights from Auckland to Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast and on its Queenstown–Sydney and Christchurch–Melbourne routes.
QUEENSLAND TO QUEENSTOWN
Jetstar says a new ‘snow’ service from Brisbane to Queenstown will start next year, flying fly three times a week from June–October using an Airbus A320ceo that will add more than 17,000 seats.
The Qantas subsidiary is also boosting its Brisbane–Auckland service (from 10 flights a week to twice daily) that will add 99,000 more seats.
It will add 206,000 more seats from Auckland–Brisbane (twice daily flights or 99,000 more seats), Auckland–Sydney (from eight to 12 flights a week or 79,000 more seats), and Christchurch to Melbourne (a new daily permanent service or 26,000 more seats).
For Brisbane Airport, New Zealand remains its largest passenger market; 1.34 million passengers crossed the Tasman in the last financial year (2024–25).
Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff says they have become a “rapidly expanding hub” for the low-fare carrier and are connected to nine countries.
“Jetstar rocketed up the charts, faster than an Ed Sheeran hit, to become the second-largest carrier at Brisbane Airport for international passenger numbers,” he says.
Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully says the new trans-Tasman seasonal route “reflects growing demand for direct, low fares travel from Australia”.
“This is the fifth trans-Tasman service launched or announced this year (and our seventh new international route out of Queensland) making 2025 Jetstar’s biggest Queensland and Tasman expansion yet,” she says.
In its NZ domestic operations, Jetstar NZ will add another, and ninth, aircraft (A320) to its fleet as it prepares to launch a daily service from Hamilton to Christchurch from December 1 (135,000 more seats).
On its other NZ domestic routes, Auckland–Christchurch flights will increase from eight up to 11 daily (290,000 more seats) and Auckland–Dunedin flights will go from seven a week up to 10 a week from October 26–May 17, 2026 (24,000 more seats per year).
QANTAS BOOSTS CAPACITY
As of February, Qantas will deploy its new Airbus A220 on a Brisbane–Wellington service, the airline says.
The 137-seat A220 will initially fly up to three times a week and replaces the 94-seat Embraer E190 aircraft as well as some Boeing 737 services.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace says the decision to use the new aircraft on the route is “a significant milestone” for the Aussie airlines.
“The A220 is our newest aircraft and has some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the fleet,” he says.
Qantas says it has advanced its Christchurch–Cairns departure time to 7am (NZ time) to allow for North Queensland passengers to connect with its Tokyo (Narita) service.
It will add two more seasonal flights (5000 more seats) on Christchurch–Sydney route during February and March.
AIR NZ TARGETS AUSSIE CAPITALS
Air New Zealand is also cranking up capacity on its short haul routes across the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands.
The airline says it will add 130,000 seats across the Tasman with more flights (42 a week on widebody aircraft) with 8% more premium seating to meet strong demand from business and leisure travellers, it says.
Additionally, the airline will add over 25,000 extra seats to the Pacific Islands this summer.
Air NZ chief commercial officer Jeremy O’Brien says demand is growing and they are “upping the ante”.
“We’re excited to see our new Christchurch–Adelaide route take off later this year, add 30,000 seats on our Auckland–Perth route and celebrate 30 years of flying directly between Queenstown and Sydney in July,” he says.
SERVICE UPGRADES
The Kiwi air carrier had earlier outlined its plans for its Australian services:
- Auckland–Perth: Almost 30,000 more seats (29% greater) capacity as it increases its flights from daily to nine times a week.
- Auckland–Sydney: An extra 25,000 seats (including 7500 premium seats), up 20% with up to 13 widebody jet flights a week.
- Auckland–Melbourne: 16,000 more seats with up to 13 widebody flights a week.
- Auckland–Brisbane: An extra 18,400 seats with daily widebody flights and more peak services.
- Auckland–Gold Coast: 12% increase in capacity (8500 more seats) with 11 weekly services over summer.
- Queenstown–Sydney: a 26% increase (9600 seats) as the service goes from daily to nine flights a week from December–
- Christchurch–Melbourne: A 14% increase in capacity (9500 more seats) during summer.
- Christchurch–Adelaide (new): 15,000 seats (October–March 2026) twice a week.
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