Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend

Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Edited by Travel Weekly


    Air New Zealand is gearing up for a chock-a-block period of travel, with more than a million customers expected to fly over Easter weekend and the April school holidays.

    Easter will start even earlier this year for the 54,000 customers hopping on board on Thursday 28 March, which is set to be the busiest day for travel. Over the weekend, Air New Zealand will welcome 227,000 customers in total.

    Most of these customers (147,000) will be making domestic trips, with the regions of Queenstown, Wānaka & Central Otago, Nelson-Tasman, and Hawke’s Bay emerging as the top destinations for a long weekend getaway.

    The last day of the school term is Friday 12 April, which will be another busy day for travel. Air New Zealand will be welcoming around 52,000 customers onboard that day, and the same number again the following Friday.

    Over the two weeks, Air New Zealand is expecting 790,000 customers in total (up 13 percent from the 2023 April school holidays) – 519,000 travelling within Aotearoa, and 271,000 jetting off to international destinations. The most popular overseas spots for the school holidays are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Singapore and Los Angeles.

    Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty says even though Easter and the school holidays are separate this year, customers are still making the most of both opportunities to travel.

    “Easter is early this year, but we’re seeing plenty of appetite for travel, with many of our customers setting off on Thursday to maximise the long weekend. We’ll be sweetening things up by serving hot cross buns and Easter eggs in our lounges.

    “With 227,000 customers travelling over the weekend, it will be busy, so we recommend allowing a little extra time at the airport to get through security. If your carry-on is filled to the brim with extra egg-shaped cargo, remember, you can always add a checked bag before you depart.

    “Looking forward to the school holidays, our team will be working hard to ensure our customers receive the best flying experience – including the more than 4000 unaccompanied minors and 250 pets travelling with us during this time.”

    Featured Image: Leanne Geraghty – Supplied

    Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

    air new zealand

    Latest News

    • Destinations
    • News

    APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

    APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

    • Cruise
    • Luxury
    • News

    Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

    Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

    • Luxury

    Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

    Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]