Air New Zealand’s seasonal service direct between Auckland and the Sunshine Coast Airport wraps up today having connected travellers across the ditch since early June.
The 2024 season saw Air New Zealand increase seat capacity by 12% compared to the previous year thanks to the popularity of the Sunshine Coast as a destination. The increased demand was accommodated by utilising the more spacious A321 neo aircraft on several flights, boasting 214 seats.
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Chris Mills said Air New Zealand would wrap up their annual seasonal service between the Sunshine Coast and Auckland today after another successful year.
“This season has been a resounding success – the busiest since flights returned following the pandemic. It reinforces the popularity of our region,” Mr Mills said.
“We have welcomed thousands of Kiwis to the Coast, with many seeking winter sun holidays and time with friends and family.
“This seasonal service provided travellers across the Sunshine Coast with the opportunity to fly direct to Auckland where they were able to take advantage of Air New Zealand’s global routes to North America and Asia.
“Importantly, it gave locals the opportunity to explore New Zealand’s tourism experiences and connect with friends and family. We thank Air New Zealand for another positive season and look forward to welcoming them back in 2025.”
The national New Zealand carrier began their partnership with Sunshine Coast Airport in 2013 and since then has flown more than 130,000 people between the Sunshine Coast and Auckland.
Air New Zealand General Manager Australia Kathryn O’Brien says the service is a popular one for both Kiwis and Aussies, providing more options to connect across the Tasman over the winter months.
“It’s fantastic to wrap up another successful season of flights between Auckland and the Sunshine Coast. The route has proved popular with our Kiwi customers looking to escape the New Zealand winter and Aussies heading across to make the most of the famous New Zealand ski season, or connect on to one of our destinations further afield. This season was the first with our new Seats to Suit offering available, giving travellers access to inflight entertainment, snacks, and affordable flexibility.
“We’re already looking forward to next season. It’s never too early for holiday makers and jetsetters to get flights locked in for next winter!”
Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Patricia O’Callaghan said the successful season was an important part of a wider industry-led effort to boost international tourism to the state.
“Kiwis love the Sunshine Coast and who can blame them. It has been great to see the demand for this service over winter when they’ve swapped their cold climate for the coast’s warm and welcoming people, beaches and hinterland.
“The tourism industry right around the state has some ambitious growth goals, including almost doubling international visitor expenditure, so air services like this one are vital to achieving those goals. The Sunshine Coast has been the leader across Queensland in recovering international visitation since the pandemic which bodes well for the region’s future growth.
“We look forward to the ongoing partnerships the Sunshine Coast Airport has with airlines to bring even more visitors into the Sunshine Coast.”
Ends.
Sunshine Coast Airport
Sunshine Coast Airport (SCA) is the gateway to the Sunshine Coast with more than 1.8millions passengers passing through the terminal in FY24. SCA will soon be connecting the Sunshine Coast community to five destinations (Adelaide, Auckland*, Cairns*, Melbourne and Sydney) and is supported by five airlines (Air New Zealand, Alliance, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia).
In July 2023, Sunshine Coast Airport was declared a Priority Development Area (PDA), with a new Development Scheme taking effect on Friday 27 September 2024. The Development Scheme will unlock opportunities that attracts investment, drives economic growth and creates jobs on and off airport. By 2040, it is estimated the airport will directly contribute $460m in total to Australia’s GDP. Jobs on airport are forecast to grow to 2,400 by 2040 and support a total of 3438 jobs (direct and indirect).
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.
*Year round Auckland service to commence on 13 December 2024
*Cairns service to operate from 3 December 2024
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand’s story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat – a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It’s a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 8.7 years. Air New Zealand’s global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2023, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2024 World’s Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline’s laser-focus on safety and won Best Corporate Reputation in New Zealand in 2023 – the 9th year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline’s efforts in tackling some of New Zealand’s and the world’s most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand’s loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
