Air New Zealand is strengthening air connectivity between India and New Zealand with the launch of a new Singapore-Christchurch service, offering Indian travellers greater access to the South Island while increasing overall seat capacity between the two countries via Singapore.
The new route complements the airline’s existing Auckland-Singapore service and forms part of a broader capacity expansion planned for the peak travel season, details are expected to be announced later this month.
Operating three times a week, the Singapore-Christchurch service will add more than 34,000 seats during the season, providing Indian travellers with additional flight options, improved connectivity and shorter journey times when travelling to New Zealand through Singapore.
Air New Zealand Chief Executive Nikhil Ravishankar said the expanded network reflects the growing demand for travel between India and New Zealand across multiple segments.
“We are seeing strong demand in both directions for travel between India and New Zealand, whether that’s for tourism, education, business or visiting family and friends. By increasing capacity through Singapore, we’re making it easier for Indian travellers to get to New Zealand, with more choice, better connections and more efficient journey times,” he said.
Ravishankar added that the new Christchurch service would also improve access to New Zealand’s South Island, one of the country’s most popular tourism regions.
“The introduction of our new Christchurch services opens up more direct access to the South Island without the need for multiple connections. What sets Air New Zealand apart is the strength of our domestic network. From Christchurch and Auckland, customers can connect to another 18 destinations across New Zealand, making it easy to explore multiple regions in one trip,” he said.
The Christchurch-Singapore route will also mark the debut of Air New Zealand’s retrofitted Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the sector. The upgraded aircraft features redesigned Business Premier seats, a new Premium Economy cabin, refreshed Economy seating, enhanced inflight entertainment and other improvements aimed at enhancing passenger comfort on long-haul flights.
The new service is scheduled to commence from 28 October 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, and will operate through the Northern Winter season until 26 March 2027.
From 28 October to 27 November 2026, flights between Singapore and Christchurch will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in both directions. From 30 November 2026 to 26 March 2027, Christchurch-Singapore flights will continue to operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while Singapore-Christchurch services will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, except during November when Sunday services will operate in place of Mondays.