Air New Zealand Eyeing Nonstop Auckland to New York Route, New Class of Service
Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon has reaffirmed that he is looking to add nonstop service between Auckland and New York. Per FlightGlobal, he recently stated that one of the airline's big ambitions "is to land a flight from Auckland to New York," noting that Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner would likely be the aircraft of choice to cover the nearly 9,000-mile journey.
Specifics beyond that were thin, though the report does mention a prospective launch window of 2022 to 2023. Luxon added: "The 787-9 could get there today, depending on how we configure it, so that's a great starting point, and we'll look at all the other options after that."
If secured, the flight wouldn't quite be the world's longest (currently held by Singapore Airlines' marathon route between Newark and Singapore), but it would best other long-haul heroes such as Delta's 8,439-mile jaunt between Atlanta and Johannesburg and Philippine Airlines' 8,519-mile flight between Manila and New York.
In addition to the 787-9 news, the airline recently signed a contract with Boeing for 8 extended-length Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. It's expected that those jets will replace the airline's current 777-200ER fleet.
Related: The 7 Best Starter Travel Credit Cards
In the same investor day presentation, the airline also said it's considering a new cabin class for passengers on long-haul flights. Per a Newsroom report, the new cabin class will fall between Air New Zealand's current Economy and Premium Economy and be priced to match. It's expected to be treated like Delta's Comfort+, American's Main Cabin Extra and United's Economy Plus — essentially, an extra legroom version of standard coach seating.
Chief revenue officer Cam Wallace informed attendees that the new class of economy seat would "be at the front of the economy cabin, have slightly more legroom, [and] offer more Airpoints," though he gave no indication of when passengers should expect to see it rolled out.
Interestingly, he also said that Air New Zealand is "investing heavily in machine-learning software not only to make better forecasts about future demand, but also to support 'hyper-personalized' marketing to the airline's customers, with a view to individuals getting fare offers based on the data the airline holds about them." That doesn't sound too far from what Delta is implementing.
For the latest travel news, deals and points and miles tips please subscribe to The Points Guy daily email newsletter.
Additional reporting by Darren Murph; featured Photo by Chad Slattery.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.