More seats, cheaper fares: 58% growth in seats brings 12% cheaper airfares to North America from Auckland.
US airlines boost competition: 300 million loyalty program members create easier access to New Zealand.
Air New Zealand impacted: Despite success, increased competition affects bottom line for the airline.
The southern hemisphere 2023/24 summer has been a stunning success for Auckland Airport, primarily driven by the unprecedented surge in airline seats flying across the South Pacific from North America. From October to March, six airlines have been flying nonstop to seven mainland North American cities, carrying more than half a million passengers, with half of those from the United States.

More seats lead to cheaper fares
The six airlines are Air New Zealand, Qantas, American Airlines, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines on routes from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Chicago, and New York JFK.

A Qantas Boeing 787-9 Flying in the sky.
Photo: Austin Deppe | Shutterstock
Yesterday, Auckland Airport Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker said the mix of exciting new routes and additional carriers has cracked open the North American market, creating airfare competition and driving the demand.

"Off the back of a 58% growth in available seats compared to last summer, we've seen an incredible response from travelers. There's been 20% more New Zealanders and a whopping 56% increase in Americans and 14% increase in Canadians flying the North American routes over summer. The market is now bigger than it was in 2019."

As the recovery took off in 2023, the lack of seats and high fares bothered customers the most, but this surge in available capacity has boosted competition, with some fares down 12% on last year. There have never been more seats available between Auckland and North America, and the increased competition on nonstop services has attracted even more demand.

A United Airlines Boeing 787 just above a runway.
Photo: United Airlines
For many Kiwis and Australians, a trip to North America started in Los Angeles, and over the summer, more capacity on the AKL-LAX route has been a standout success. In the 2022/23 summer, there was only Air New Zealand flying one daily service to Los Angeles compared to this summer when it was joined by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, together flying up to four services a day, leading to a 180% increase in US nationals on the route in 2023/24.

Powerful airlines and loyalty programs
Tasker added that there is enormous underlying power in having those three US airlines, plus Air Canada, connect with Auckland, as they collectively have around 300 million people in their loyalty programs. "That provides great brand and consumer reach, and domestic network coverage that makes a long-haul destination like New Zealand that little bit easier to get to."

Air Canada Boeing 787
Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying
Around 21% of inbound passengers connect through Auckland to destinations across New Zealand, which will be a quicker and simpler process when the proposed new integrated terminal is completed. The only downside to all this good news is that the increased price competition on transpacific routes has already impacted home airline Air New Zealand's bottom line.