Air New Zealand’s nonstop Brisbane–Auckland flight connects Queensland and New Zealand in around three hours – that’s less time than your inflight movie! Karryon slid into an Economy seat to review the trans-Tasman service.
With 19 weekly flights from Brisbane to Auckland, Air New Zealand offers convenient and regular connections for Queenslanders to visit New Zealand’s largest city and beyond.
Air New Zealand operates its ‘Seats to Suit’ product for trans-Tasman flights where passengers can choose from just a seat and a carry-on bag to pay for a full business fare.
I’m travelling on theworks (economy) ticket, which includes 1x 23kg checked baggage and 1x carry-on bag up to 7kg along with a meal and drinks and inflight entertainment. You’re also able to select your seat before flying on this fare.
Check-in and boarding
There are no check-in counters for Air New Zealand at Brisbane International Airport and check-in is only available three hours before your departure. I’m early so I clear my emails in the Departures Hall while waiting for the kiosks to open.
I’ve already completed online check-in via the Air New Zealand app (available 24 hours before the scheduled flight), so I proceed to the bag drop unit to print a boarding pass and bag tag.
Then it’s on to the bag drop to weigh and scan my suitcase to be loaded onto the plane. It’s a quick and seamless process. Even better, BNE does not require passengers to remove items such as laptops from your cabin baggage and the security scan and automated SmartGate passport control have me on my way – so quick and so easy.
NZ146 departs from Gate 80, so passengers can use all the amenities in the main open-plan International Terminal before boarding. Air New Zealand also has an International Lounge at Brisbane Airport for eligible business class passengers and Airpoints members.
Due to a previous late-running AKL-BNE flight, our departure from Brisbane is delayed by 16 minutes.
Onboard comfort
Air New Zealand has 263 economy seats on its B787-9 aircraft with a 3x3x3 configuration in the main cabin, divided into two sections by bulkheads and toilets. The toilets are not your standard plane loos either – these have Air New Zealand wallpaper and NZ-made Antipodes products.
In the cabin, slimline economy seats have a seat pitch of up to 33” (83cm) and a seat width of 17.2” (44cm) with flexible headrests (including a replaceable cloth cover). If you stow any baggage under your seat, you’ll be squeezed for space but it’s fine for those of short to average height.
Each economy seat has a 9” personal seatback touchscreen with USB ports and two AC power outlets for every three seats. Passengers also receive reusable earbud headphones made from recycled plastic – part of the airline’s commitment to ditch single-use plastics and embrace a circular economy.
The fun stuff
Economy passengers on theworks tickets can take advantage of gate-to-gate seatback inflight entertainment, including 51 movies and TV shows. The curated entertainment offering also features kids’ content, music and radio shows, games and seat chat options.
This particular flight also provided free inflight Wi-Fi, accessible after take-off, and a copy of the airline’s free inflight Kia Ora magazine.
Air New Zealand’s safety videos are justifiably famous as entertainment in their own right with an approach that has been copied by countless other carriers.
The current Tiaki & The Guardians video weaves Maori storytelling into its safety message to encourage visitors to “care for our place, our culture and our people”.
The movie I chose, 2022’s Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, clocks in at almost 2.5 hours and still wasn’t finished by the time we touched down in Auckland. In all, there’s plenty of diversions to keep me busy on the short flight over.
Inflight food
Via the Air New Zealand app, I pre-selected a special meal, served about one hour into the flight on eco-serviceware and birchwood cutlery.
My vegan-vegetarian meal consisted of ginger-soy tofu with vegetables and rice plus a bread roll with vegan spread and a packaged citrus cake.
Main cabin passengers on this flight had a choice of two hot meals: a beef and mushroom pie or chicken with polenta and green beans in a tomato sauce, along with a packaged white chocolate and cherry slice and bread roll.
Water, tea and coffee are available at any time and you can request free drinks during and after your inflight meal from your seat. Guests can also order from the inflightbites menu, direct from your seatback screen.
A nice touch – part of Air New Zealand’s legendary onboard service – is the boiled lolly basket, usually distributed by a young passenger on the flight. This flight had a cheeky sign letting guests know they didn’t have to dig for their fave flavour – every lolly was blackcurrant!
It’s been a while since I’ve flown Air New Zealand, so I’m thrilled the signature service and tailored elements continue to reflect the airline’s uniquely Kiwi character and drive towards sustainability.
The details
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
- Seat: 51C (aisle)
- Flight time: 3hrs 01min
- Luggage allowance: 1x 23kg checked luggage and 1x 7kg carry-on baggage
- Arrival in Auckland: 5:15pm (scheduled)/ 5:32pm (actual)
Air New Zealand operates thrice-daily Brisbane–Auckland direct flights during the week and twice-daily flights on weekends all year round.
Cassie was a guest of Tourism New Zealand on Air New Zealand.
