Lonely Planet has named Air New Zealand's new nonstop Auckland-Chicago service as one of the most exciting new airline routes of 2019.
If you’re thinking about trying something different in the new year, you might consider a trip to a new destination. A number of carriers have introduced brand new routes for 2019 that will open up new experiences for travellers. Including Air New Zealands newest destination, Chicago!
A new non-stop route between Chicago O’Hare and Auckland will take flight on 30 November with Air New Zealand, making it New Zealand’s first ever direct link to the Midwest. We can expect a significant numbers of American visitors from the Chicago area and beyond to commit to ticking a trip to New Zealand off their travel bucket list.
The route is set to be Air New Zealand's longest direct service, with a flight time of around 15 hours northbound and just over 16 hours southbound. It will be operated by the airline's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft three times a week, departing Auckland Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
With codeshare partner United Airlines offering more flights out of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport than any other airline, there will be easy connections to some 100 destinations across the US.
We welcome the opening of new routes. It giving greater choice for our customers is always a good thing as we often see it drive competition, thats great news from travellers