Air New Zealand is increasing the number of flights from Auckland to Shanghai next month.

The carrier will operate four-times-weekly B787 services from February 4, double the number it was flying at the end of last year.

Chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said that the additional flight takes the weekly capacity to 1,200 seats. She added:

“We’re seeing very strong demand across January for our flights into China. Most flights are full or close to full…

“With the addition of these new flights, we hope to make it even easier for New Zealanders to experience all that Shanghai has to offer and tap into the pent-up demand of Chinese tourists into New Zealand.”

There were approximately 390,000 Chinese visitors t0 New Zealand in 2019, according to Tourism New Zealand. China represented the country’s second largest market by arrivals before Covid, comprising 11 per cent of total arrivals.

A number of other airlines have increased or resumed services to the Chinese city following the lifting of restrictions.

Emirates to resume flights to Shanghai and Beijing

airnewzealand.com