Hobart’s direct air link to Auckland and beyond is back after Air New Zealand’s seasonal service touched down at Hobart Airport on Sunday.
The Tasmanian government says the new service adds an extra 25,000 international seats to an otherwise domestic airport.
The airport recently upgraded its runways to accommodate larger aircraft as it looks at flights with Asia.
Tourism Minister Jane Howlett welcomed the return of the Auckland service.
“New Zealand is a crucial visitor market for Tasmania, with visitors from New Zealand spending about $39 million in the state last season,” she says.
“Throughout the five-month summer season, visitor numbers will be boosted by these flights which will help keep Tasmania’s tourism and hospitality sector.”
GATEWAY TO HOBART
She also points out that the service also opens Hobart directly to visitors from the United States.
“Travellers from the US take advantage of this route as it provides one-stop connectivity to Tasmania via Auckland from major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Houston, and New York,” she says.
The airline previously reported that their Canadian passengers were using the route to visit Tasmania directly.
In a statement to newscop.com.au, the airline’s Senior Manager Australia Airports Scott Smith says they are “thrilled” to be returning to Hobart Airport.
“Demand from both sides of the Tasman continued to grow and this year’s expanded schedule reflects that confidence,” he says, “with more flights and larger aircraft …”
Smith says the Hobart-Auckland route has gone “from strength to strength”.
“Whether travellers are discovering Aotearoa’s great outdoors or connecting onwards to destinations like Los Angeles, New York or the Pacific Islands, this service puts the world within easy reach.”
The Air New Zealand route from Auckland to Hobart will run Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and runs until March 29, 2026.
The state government says since this direct route first started in April 2021, over 80,000 passengers travelled between Hobart and Auckland.
“The return of the direct flights and increase in capacity shows just how successful these services have been, and the confidence Air New Zealand has in them for the future,” she says.
