Air New Zealand will relaunch nonstop service between Christchurch Airport (CHC) and Perth Airport (PER) on November 30, 2026, three times weekly using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The resumption returns year-round service to a corridor that had been absent from Christchurch's route map.
Air New Zealand's Christchurch–Perth service will operate year-round, distinguishing it from Jetstar Airways' seasonal Airbus A321LR service on the same corridor. The two carriers will operate in parallel during the Southern Hemisphere summer peak, according to Simple Flying.
The Perth launch is the third of three new long-haul routes simultaneously announced from Christchurch on May 20, 2026, alongside Christchurch–Singapore (from October 28) and Christchurch–Tokyo Narita (from November 28). All three routes use the 787-9 Dreamliner at three-times-weekly frequency, made possible by the recovery of Air New Zealand's widebody fleet following global Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine maintenance issues.
The Christchurch expansion is intended to give South Island travelers direct access to key international markets without transiting Auckland. Perth serves as a gateway for New Zealanders visiting Western Australia and for Australians seeking access to the South Island's skiing, wine, and adventure tourism regions.
Air New Zealand's official newsroom framed the three-route Christchurch package as "one of the most significant boosts to Christchurch's international connectivity" in recent years.
Sources
- Air New Zealand newsroom — Major international expansion
- Simple Flying — Air New Zealand Launches 6 New Major Nonstop Routes
- AeroTime — Air New Zealand three new international routes from Christchurch
Sources & references (3)
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