American airline brings back very long flight to New Zealand

Over 6,500 miles from the West Coast of the U.S. in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the small island nation of New Zealand is seen by many as a dream holiday destination.

While the number of Americans visiting New Zealand saw a jump of over 43% between 2024 and 2023, the distance and cost of getting there is the main reason only a tiny percentage of tourists ever make it that far.

The main airlines providing service from the U.S. are flag carrier Air New Zealand and United Airlines and American Airlines from cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and Dallas.

The 8,813-mile and nearly 18-hour Air New Zealand flight between Auckland and New York takes its spot along the longest in the world.

Popular flight between Hawaii and New Zealand to return for 2026

Since acquiring Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024 in a deal worth approximately $2 billion, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines has kept the airline operating under the same brand and with much of its original network.

This week, the parent company shared that it will bring back a seasonal flight between Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Auckland Airport (AKL) that Hawaiian first launched in 2013.

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Taking just under eight hours and 30 minutes to reach New Zealand, the flight will run on an Airbus A330 plane with 18 of the 278 passenger seats lie-flat business and 68 premium economy known on the airline as Extra Comfort.

Designed as a seasonal flight during the months when New Zealanders like to travel during time off and Americans like to visit New Zealand when it's warmest and most verdant, the flight will launch on Nov. 16 and run until April 2026.

The flight to New Zealand will run three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays to depart at 1:15 p.m. local time and arrive at 9:20 p.m. the next day.

The flight back to Honolulu will, in turn, depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. New Zealand time to arrive at 9:20 a.m. the following day.

Auckland flight to "operate during the Southern Hemisphere summer"

"Our seasonal flights operate during the Southern Hemisphere summer, when New Zealand comes alive with warm weather and blooming nature — ideal for exploring vineyard havens like Marlborough and Hawkes Bay or tackling any of the country’s 11 iconic Great Walks — while also providing ample connectivity throughout the busy holiday season," the airline wrote of the route.

In acquiring Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines aimed to grow and cement its network of flying to non-mainland states as well as eventually expand its presence to more international destinations.

Earlier last summer, the airline announced flights from Seattle to the United Kingdom and Iceland that it is set to start running in May 2026.

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"We know Kiwi travelers have long awaited the return of our seasonal service, and our crews are thrilled to welcome them onboard once again [...]," Andrew Stanbury, regional director for the South Pacific for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, said in a statement on the route.

"Now, thanks to the strength of our combined global network, every guest flying from Hawai'i, the U.S. mainland, and New Zealand will have more options than ever to explore the world."

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