Air New Zealand is to boost capacity on direct air services between Auckland and Queenstown by nearly a third this summer, which tourism leaders say will provide a boon for domestic tourism in the resort.
The airline is to add a fifth daily flight between the city and the resort, which will give travellers a choice of direct services about every two hours.
The increased capacity will take the number of seats available on direct services during summer to 5200 each way per week.
Air New Zealand Australasia group general manager Bruce Parton said the additional flights were expected to be available for booking from later next week, with four services per day in November, up from three, and five per day from December-March.
Timing of the extra service was expected to be a late-afternoon departure from Auckland return.
Yesterday's announcement followed the airline's slashing of its fares on its domestic jet routes last week, including a 20% reduction on the year-round lead-in fare between Auckland and Queenstown, which now starts at $79.
Additional capacity was also coming through increased use of larger A320 aircraft on some existing services, replacing Boeing 737 aircraft.
Demand for Queenstown as a destination seemed to have no bounds, Mr Parton said yesterday.
"We've grown total passenger numbers on this route by 70% over the past five years and the trend is continuing.
"We're already seeing great patronage in and out of Queenstown this ski season with seat capacity on this route up 12% and we're planning to build on that momentum during the peak summer months." It was "very exciting" to have the extra capacity for summer, Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd said yesterday.
"I think we've seen really good growth in winter services over the past few years and some growth in summer, so to see this addition to 5200 each way per week is great news."
It was critical effort was made to grow domestic visitor numbers as well as international numbers, Mr Budd said.
The summer services had the benefit of more accessibility and choice for Aucklanders and residents in the greater Auckland region to visit Queenstown, but also offered extra connectivity for international flights arriving into the city to continue to the resort.
Asked why Aucklanders would want to come to the Wakatipu, Mr Budd said there were still many citizens who had yet to discover Queenstown. What they would find was a world-class destination on their doorstep.
"Even as they fly in they will discover we have world-class landscapes, a superb climate in summer and all-year round relative to the seasons, which provides the environment to undertake a huge range of outdoor activities, from wild adventures like bungy through to the more mild experiences of walking, cycling and wineries.
"And, because of our location in the deep South, we have beautiful long days where in mid-summer it's not getting dark until 10pm.
"They can experience an international resort without leaving the country."
