Air New Zealand will boost capacity on its Hobart–Auckland route by 28 per cent when seasonal flights return in October.
The airline will operate three flights a week for most of the season. It will increase services to four a week between 27 February and 20 March.
The expanded schedule begins on 25 October 2026 and runs until the end of April 2027.
It will deliver up to 170 flights and more than 33,000 seats this season. That represents an increase of 36 flights and 7,268 seats compared with last year.
Strong demand drives expansion
The expansion marks the sixth season of the direct trans-Tasman service, which launched in April 2021.
Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter said strong demand had helped secure additional capacity for the next three years.
The expansion is supported by the Tasmanian Government’s Aviation Attraction Fund.
“This is a great result for Tasmanians and reflects the strong demand we’re seeing for direct travel between Tasmania and New Zealand,” Carter said.
“The service will now run from 25 October through to the end of April, which is great for Easter and will also capture more school holiday traffic.”
The direct flight takes around three and a half hours. Passengers can also connect through Auckland to New York, Los Angeles and Vancouver without transiting through Melbourne or Sydney.
Air New Zealand general manager short haul and domestic Lucy Hall said the route had attracted strong support over successive seasons.
“We look forward to welcoming more Tasmanians on board and bringing more New Zealanders across to experience everything Tasmania has to offer,” Hall said.
