Air New Zealand will restart three non-stop international routes from Christchurch from late October, restoring Perth, Singapore, and Tokyo (Narita) services it had paused over the past decade, the airline confirmed today at TRENZ26 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
The first Christchurch-Singapore service departs on 28 October, followed by Christchurch-Narita on 28 November, and Perth-Christchurch on 30 November. Flights are on sale from today, with services subject to regulatory approval.
All three routes are restorations rather than entirely new services for Air New Zealand. The carrier last flew Christchurch-Singapore in 2020, Christchurch-Perth in 2019, and Christchurch-Narita in 2015 before each route was withdrawn.
The Perth-Christchurch revival lands weeks after Jetstar confirmed its own non-stop Perth-Christchurch service launching in October 2026, setting up direct competition for Western Australian travellers heading to the South Island.
The Christchurch additions also build on Air New Zealand’s Adelaide-Christchurch service, which launched in October 2025 as the only non-stop link between South Australia and the South Island.
The relaunches are enabled by Air New Zealand’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft returning to service after global engine maintenance delays grounded part of the widebody fleet, alongside new 787s entering service. The same platform will carry Air New Zealand’s Economy Skynest sleep pods on the Auckland-New York route from late October.
Air New Zealand and Christchurch Airport have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to align long-term planning and network development across the South Island.
Air New Zealand Chief Executive Nikhil Ravishankar said the routes were a deliberate move to reconnect Christchurch with major global hubs.
“As New Zealand’s national airline we think about connectivity at a country level, where we can help open up the greatest value and opportunities for customers, for regions, and for the economy. With aircraft returning to service, we’re now in the fantastic position of being able to grow again, and we are delighted this is going to happen in the South Island,” Ravishankar said.
He said the additions were intended to reshape how the South Island connects internationally.
“The three new routes are a deliberate step to reconnect Christchurch directly to major global hubs in Asia, strengthen links into Australia, and change how the South Island connects to the world, including where visitors arrive and how they move through the country,” Ravishankar said.
Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson said the new services reinforced Christchurch’s position as a long-haul hub and gateway to the South Island.
“This is a landmark moment. Seeing multiple new international widebody services launch from Christchurch builds on the growth already happening across our international network and creates major opportunities for freight exporters, the tourism sector and our wider economy,” Watson said.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the announcement followed the Prime Minister’s recent Singapore mission, on which Air New Zealand and Christchurch Airport were both represented.
“This agreement between Air New Zealand and Christchurch Airport reflects a collective focus on long-term practical growth, strengthening direct connections and opening up more opportunities for the South Island,” Upston said.
The MOU extends beyond the three new routes, with the airport and airline committing to ongoing alignment on network development, customer experience and sustainable growth into and out of the South Island.
KARRYON UNPACKS: The three Christchurch routes are restorations rather than market firsts, with Perth, Singapore and Narita all having featured on Air New Zealand’s network within the past decade. What’s different this time is the competition: the Perth revival lines up head-to-head with Jetstar’s own Perth-Christchurch service starting six weeks earlier, turning a corridor that had no direct service a year ago into a contested route by November.
