On September 17, 2022, Air New Zealand will launch its first direct route from Auckland Airport (AKL) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), two years after the planned launch date was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The route will be one of the world’s longest, with flying periods ranging from 16 to 17.5 hours.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will be used to fly the new route three times a week, according to the airline. The flight time is expected to be between 16 and 17.5 hours.
The flight will have 27 Business Class seats, 33 Premium Economy seats, 215 Economy seats, and 13 Economy Skycouches, which are private Economy seats that convert into a couch after take-off.
Taxiing our way to the Big Apple 😉🚕 Fly non-stop between Auckland and New York, departing 17 September 2022. On sale now! 🎉✈️🇺🇸
Subject to government and regulatory requirements. pic.twitter.com/kHZuAT8hOs
— Air New Zealand ✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) March 22, 2022
NZ 2 will take off from Auckland at 16:00 local time and arrive in New York at 16:15 local time on the same day.
NZ 1 will depart New York at 21:55 local time on September 19, 2022, and arrive in Auckland at 07:30 local time two days later.
NZ 2 will depart Auckland at 19:40 local time and arrive in New York at 19:55 local time on the same day.
“Traditionally, flight numbers 1 and 2 are used for an airline’s flagship route. And that’s what New York will be – our flagship route. We’ve worked incredibly hard over the past few years to make this ultra-long-haul service a reality – it’s one of the longest routes in the world, at just over 16 hours northbound and 17 and a half hours southbound,” Air New Zealand chief executive officer Greg Foran said in a statement.
“The US has always been a key market for us, and this new route cements our commitment to growing opportunities for tourism between the two countries. In the six years leading up to Covid, the US visitor numbers to New Zealand doubled so we expect our much-awaited non-stop service to be incredibly strong year-round.”
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