Flight NZ213 bound for Melbourne yesterday followed the same flight path as the original service and there were other links.
The first regular international service also took off from Christchurch for Melbourne on June 29, 1951.
A once-a-week flight on a DC-4 Skymaster, it was chartered by Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), the predecessor to Air New Zealand.
The DC-4 was a four-engine propeller aircraft, slower and noisier than today’s jets, with space for about 40 passengers.
Cruising at about 350kmh, the flight took six and a-half hours — a milestone service for the South Island.
Yesterday’s NZ213 flight on an Air New Zealand Airbus A320neo took off at 6.10am, landing less than four hours later at 8.05am.
The jet used 25% less fuel per passenger than the Skymaster.
‘‘That first flight was a bold step for Christchurch and the South Island,’’ he said in a statement.
‘‘It connected us directly with Australia and helped open the door to the world.
‘‘Seventy-five years later, passengers can make the same journey in a quieter, faster and far more efficient aircraft,’’ Mr Watson said.
Air New Zealand domestic and short haul general manager Lucy Hall said the milestone reflected aviation’s evolution and the long partnership between the airline and airport.
‘‘We’ve connected generations of New Zealanders with the world while supporting tourism, trade and economic growth across the South Island.’’
The first Christchurch to Melbourne service followed TEAL being formed in 1940 under the Tasman Sea Agreement between New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, originally to carry mail, passengers and cargo across the Tasman during wartime.
