Sunshine Coast Airport has welcomed the return of Air New Zealand’s seasonal Auckland service with flights set to kick off sooner and a significant increase of 16.8 percent capacity compared to last season.
Flights will commence from today until 30 October 2026 – three weeks earlier than last year with a total increase of more than 2,890 seats.
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Chris Mills said the earlier start to the season and increased capacity would deliver more flights and greater connectivity for travellers.
“We’re delighted to welcome Air New Zealand back for its 13th year connecting the Sunshine Coast and Auckland.
“Starting three weeks earlier than last year and with increased capacity, the service strengthens connectivity during the peak winter travel period, providing more opportunities for visitors to experience the Sunshine Coast and for local travellers to access New Zealand and onward international destinations.”
Air New Zealand will ramp up operations at the start of the season, with two weekly services operating in early June before increasing to a three-per-week schedule during the peak winter period.
“The return of Air New Zealand is welcome news for our community, helping reconnect friends and families through the airline’s strong domestic network across New Zealand.
“It also enables more visitors to discover everything the Sunshine Coast has to offer while supporting local tourism operators and businesses.
“We highly value our partnership with Air New Zealand and are excited to welcome the airline back for another fantastic season,” Mr Mills said.
Air New Zealand General Manager Short Haul and Domestic Lucy Hall said the airline is delighted to welcome back its seasonal Sunshine Coast service.
“It’s fantastic to see Air New Zealand’s seasonal Sunshine Coast service return.
“It’s a favourite destination for many Kiwi holidaymakers, and families in particular love the convenience of a direct option.
“We’re also pleased to welcome our Sunshine Coast customers onboard, with easy access to Auckland and 19 other destinations via our New Zealand domestic network. It’s great to create more choice and flexibility for customers travelling on both sides of the Tasman.”
Sunshine Coast Airport has recorded exceptional growth and is expected to welcome more than 1.8 million passengers in FY26, reflecting a 10-year growth rate of 69% compared to FY17. Following the recent announcement of new international routes to Bali and Singapore, and in parallel with the continued investment in the region, passenger movements are forecast to exceed 2.4 million by 2030.
ENDS-
For more information contact:
Amira Vaatstra – Corporate Media and Communications Manager
M: 0438 132 939
amira.vaatstra@sunshinecoastairport.com.au
or
media@sunshinecoastairport.com.au
(07) 5373 1901
About Sunshine Coast Airport
Sunshine Coast Airport (the Airport) is the gateway to the Sunshine Coast and one of Australia’s fastest growing airports. The Airport directly connects the Sunshine Coast community to domestic and international destinations; Adelaide, Auckland, Singapore via Bali, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney and is supported by five airlines; Air New Zealand, Alliance, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Our core markets of Sydney and Melbourne continue to be our most popular route with more than 80 flights per week. Passenger numbers have steadily increased by 10 percent year on year with 1.8 million passengers overall projected in 2026. By 2030, the number of passengers is projected to grow to 2.4 million.
In July 2023, the Airport was declared a Priority Development Area, with a new Development Scheme taking effect in September 2024. As part of the new development scheme, the first development area – the Gateway Precinct – was approved in November 2025. Permitted development includes a hotel, retail expansion, childcare, medical, shopping and other services. The Gateway Precinct is a core part of our strategy to deliver a modern world-class airport that will unlock significant benefits for the region and open-up commercial opportunities for the airport as it grows.
In October 2025, the Airport began its $170 million terminal redevelopment which is set to create a larger terminal with double the footprint to support the future of our airport and the region. The terminal upgrades will include 50 percent more retail food and beverage offerings, departure lounge expanding by three times in size (from 1250sqm to 3750sqm) and a 40 percent increase in airline capacity with two new gates. The first stage of the terminal redevelopment was completed in February 2026, with the opening of the new state-of-the-art outbound baggage facility. The new facility includes major infrastructure upgrades to streamline baggage handling processes from check-in to aircraft.
By 2040, it is estimated the airport will directly contribute $460 million to Australia’s GDP. Jobs created on airport are forecast to grow to 2,400 by 2040 and support a total of 3,438 direct and indirect jobs.
Sunshine Coast Airport Pty Ltd operates and manages Sunshine Coast Airport, the gateway to the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, under a 99-year lease from Sunshine Coast Council which commenced in December 2017.
