If one of your resolutions was to travel more this year, a flash sale on international airfares could make that reality easier.
To toast 2023, Air New Zealand on Wednesday announced a New Year surprise sale with flights from the U.S. to New Zealand for as little as $975 round trip—but you have to book soon.
The sale runs from now through 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on January 12, for travel that takes place between March 27 and November 23, 2023.
The deals apply to flights out of select U.S. cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, and New York City, traveling to the New Zealand cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
For economy seats, some of the best deals include:
- Honolulu to Auckland for $975 (or $1,125 to Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown)
- Los Angeles or San Francisco to Auckland for $1,175 (or $1,325 to Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown)
- Houston to Auckland for $1,475 (or $1,625 to Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown)
- Chicago to Auckland for $1,575 (or $1,725 to Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown)
- New York City to Auckland for $1,675 (or $1,825 to Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown)
The deal also extends to New Zealand Air’s Premium Economy class (for an extra $2,250 round-trip) and Business Premium classes (for an additional $6,650 round-trip).
All the fares include one free stopover in Auckland, should travelers want to explore more of Middle Earth. Fliers also have the option to tack on a visit to Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, Australia, at the time of purchase, for as little as $150 extra.
There are some stipulations, however. The fares apply to a minimum stay of seven days in New Zealand. The lowest advertised rates are only valid on travel Monday through Thursday (travel on Friday through Sunday is possible, but there will be a surcharge of at least $50 each way in economy, $100 each way in Premium Economy, and $250 each way in Business Premier). There are also some blackout dates, including July 7 through August 20, and September 15 through October 15.
It’s only been six months that international travelers could visit New Zealand. The country had imposed some of the world’s strictest border controls when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit and didn’t reopen until July 2022.
