Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines will significantly expand their joint network between New Zealand and Singapore for the Northern Winter 2026 season (October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027).
Both airlines will increase overall capacity into Auckland and introducing new nonstop flights into Christchurch on Air New Zealand to complement Singapore Airlines’ existing services.
The expanded services reflect the airlines’ firm commitment to meeting the growing demand for travel between New Zealand and Singapore, as well as key markets across Asia, India, and Europe. Customers will benefit from more seamless connectivity, greater flexibility, and premium travel options across the joint network.
Air New Zealand will launch three weekly services between Singapore and Christchurch during the 2026 Northern Winter season, using its Boeing 787 aircraft. Combined with Singapore Airlines’ existing Christchurch operations of up to 12 weekly services, the two airlines will operate 15 weekly services during the peak months from November 2026 to February 2027.
Air New Zealand will also add four weekly Auckland services utilizing both its Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. Singapore Airlines will adjust its schedule from three daily flights to two, deploying the Airbus A380 on daily services SQ285 and SQ286 during the 2026 Northern Winter season instead of the Boeing 777-300ER, increasing seat capacity.
(Photo: Singapore Airlines)
SIA’s A380, which has 471 seats in four cabin classes—six in Suites, 78 in Business Class, 44 in Premium Economy Class, and 343 in Economy Class—will provide customers with enhanced travel comfort.
With these adjustments, the Singapore Airlines-Air New Zealand alliance will increase overall seat capacity between Singapore and New Zealand by 17% from late October 2026, adding 72,000 seats and bringing the total seat count to more than 490,000 seats during the 2026 Northern Winter season.
Air New Zealand Chief Operations and Alliances Officer Michael Williams says that the expansion reflects the strength of its partnership with Singapore Airlines.
“Our partnership with Singapore Airlines plays a critical role in connecting the world to New Zealand and vice versa. This Northern Winter expansion gives our customers even more travel options, whether they are visiting New Zealand for business, leisure, or to reconnect with friends and family.
“Through Singapore’s position as a leading global hub, the two airlines enable travelers to access New Zealand from across Southeast Asia, India, the UK, Europe, and beyond. The introduction of Air New Zealand’s Christchurch services is especially exciting because it creates more options for visitors to access some of New Zealand’s most popular destinations in the South Island while remaining fully connected into Singapore Airlines’ extensive global network,” says Mr. Williams.
Mr. Dai Haoyu, Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Singapore Airlines, said: “Our long-standing partnership with Air New Zealand serves the strong demand for travel between New Zealand and Singapore, as well as onward to key destinations across our global network. The deployment of the Airbus A380 to Auckland, with its greater seat capacity and enhanced travel experience, reflects our commitment to this important market. This complements the additional capacity that Air New Zealand is adding to bolster our joint network.”
Passengers will also enjoy Singapore Airlines added capacities from and to the UK to meet growing customer demand.
From 13 July 2026, SIA’s Singapore-Manchester services, SQ302 and SQ301, will increase from five-times weekly to daily.
Singapore Airlines currently operates four daily flights from London Heathrow and 10 weekly flights from London Gatwick, increasing to twice daily between 03 July and 29 August 2026. From 25 October 2026, the Gatwick service will then operate twice daily year-round.
All these flights are available for booking now, with the expanded Singapore Airlines-Air New Zealand Northern Winter schedule operating from the end of October 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
