Air New Zealand will launch nonstop services between Auckland and Chicago from November 30, 2018.

The thrice-weekly, year-round service will be operated with a newly configured Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with a flight time of 15 hours northbound and just over 16 hours southbound.

The new service deepens the joint venture relationship between Air New Zealand and United Airlines. In addition to the new route announcement, United will extend its seasonal service between San Francisco and Auckland to year-round beginning April 2019.

Beginning in April 2019, United will extend service between its West Coast hub in San Francisco and Auckland to year-round with a thrice-weekly service. In partnership with Air New Zealand, United’s flight arriving in Auckland will offer passengers more than 20 connections across the region. United service between San Francisco and Auckland will operate with a Boeing 777-300ER between November and March and will operate with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft between April and October.

“We expect the addition of Chicago to our network to be an attractive option for Americans keen to explore New Zealand and Kiwis wanting to visit Chicago or head on to other North American destinations,” says Air New Zealand chief executive officer Christopher Luxon. “As well as being great for travellers, this new route is also good news for New Zealand, as we expect it to contribute around $70 million annually to our economy, and we know that more than 50 percent of spending by U.S. visitors is done outside of the main centers. We’ll be working alongside our colleagues at United Airlines to grow the route and visitor numbers in both directions.”

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