Travel alerts

The 12 travel tips for the holiday season!

Airports will be busier than usual during the holiday period
Here are our 12 top travel tips to help you prepare: 

✨ PRE-TRAVEL 

1. Make sure you are ready for your travel adventure by downloading the Air New Zealand app, having your photo ID on your person and ensuring your carry-on bag weighs less than 7kg. Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase an extra bag or a preferred seat. You can do this online. It’ll save time and you won’t have to queue.

2. Remember to check your entry requirements for the destinations you are visiting. Did you know you can submit your Traveller Declaration 24 hours before you travel to New Zealand? To speed up your arrival into New Zealand, complete it online or via the Air New Zealand app: New Zealand Traveller Declaration - Start Your Declaration | New Zealand Traveller Declaration

 LUGGAGE

3. Make sure you know the contents of your checked-in bag and ensure it doesn’t weigh more than 23kg. You are also welcome to bring one cabin bag which must not exceed 7kg and one personal item which can be stowed under the seat in front of you.

4. It's crucial that all your Christmas gifts arrive with you in one piece which may mean putting some delicate items in your carry-on rather than your checked-in luggage. Check out what shouldn’t be in your checked in bag like batteries and earbuds. For more details on restricted items, take a look at the full list here.

CHECK-IN

5. Domestic check-in closes 30 minutes prior to your scheduled departure and International check-in closes 90 minutes prior. We encourage you to allow plenty of time to check-in and drop off your bags. Just a heads up, check-in for domestic flights departing from Auckland and Wellington will only open 3 hours before your flight.

6. Take note of your seats while you’re checking in at the airport. If you're in a group and seated apart, ask one of our helpful team to look at options for you. The earlier you do this, the better your chance of sitting together.

 SPECIAL HANDLING 

7. Children travelling as unaccompanied minors are precious cargo and we need you to remain at the airport until their flight has departed. Please make sure that whoever is collecting them at the other end has their ID with them. Your tamariki are treasures and we won’t deliver them to anyone who can’t provide an ID.

8. The safety and comfort of your furry whānau members is important to us. Their carrier must allow them to naturally stand, sit up, turn around and lay down, and should be fitted with a small water container that is easily fillable from the outside. You can find more information on travelling with pets here.

9. If you're travelling with a bulky stroller or a wheelchair, make sure you add a bag tag. You can still take this through the airport and to the gate if you need to. Just let one of our team know so we can help you at the gate and take it from there.

🛷 GATE & BOARDING

10. Plan to be at the departure gate 30 minutes before departure for a domestic flight or at least 60 minutes before an international flight. Some gates are further away than you may expect and if you need assistance to reach your gate in time or with boarding please ask our airport team for help. We encourage customers with special handling requirements to make themselves known to the gate agent so they can be board first.

🎉 DISEMBARKING 

11. Make sure you haven't left anything on the aircraft and remember to check the seat pocket for any passports/valuables. If you are missing something, you can register your details here for lost property. Customers who require a helping hand should remain seated on the aircraft and the ground team will provide assistance once the remainder of the aircraft has disembarked.

12. Ensure your checked bag stands out so you can spot it easily on the baggage carousel and speed up your arrival at your destination.

Update of services to and from New Caledonia

Due to the challenges with aircraft and engine availability, coupled with ongoing uncertainty in New Caledonia, we have made the difficult decision to extend the pause of our direct services between Auckland and Nouméa until 25 October 2025.

If your flight to or from Noumea was booked directly through us, your booking will be placed into credit within the next 24 hours. This will allow you 12 months to book your next journey and another 12 months to travel. To check your credit details you can find out more on our website https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/credit-and-refund-information

If your flight was booked through a travel agent, please contact them directly to discuss what options are available to you.

You may be eligible for a full refund

👉 We understand that a credit may not suit your needs, If you have booked a refundable fare, you can request a full refund of your flight through Manage Booking.

👉 Alternatively to request a full refund, please complete a refund request form.

Claiming expenses

👉 Any expenses you may have incurred as a result of this flight cancellation should be discussed with your travel insurance provider.

More information

👉 Information about your rights around flight disruptions can be found on our website here.

Thank you for your continued support

We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

Disrupt Reimbursement Consideration

If your journey has been disrupted for a controllable reason, e.g. engineering, or crew shortages, and your new itinerary requires you to stay overnight in a place you do not reside, our airport team will be working hard to secure accommodation for you.

Over peak travel periods, availability is extremely limited and you may be required to source your own accommodation.

As a guideline, we recommend $250.00 per room and $90.00 per person, per night for meals. This is a recommended amount only, and all expenses must be reasonable and supported by itemised tax invoice receipts. Please retain all itemised tax invoice receipts, as they are required for reimbursement consideration.

To submit your reimbursement request, please visit here to do so. Alternatively, you can visit here for details on how to submit your claim through our messaging channels.