Fares to US dip below $400

Isaac Mercado makes a jump on rollerblades at Venice Beach, California. Air fares between New Zealand and California have just dipped to below $400 one way. Photo / Getty

Some air fares to the United States have dipped below $400 and one travel agent says they will continue to stay low.

House of Travel says the $399 one-way Air New Zealand fares to Los Angeles and San Francisco are the lowest it has offered.

The fares are limited to times outside the school holidays.

House of Travel commercial director Brent Thomas said there had been very competitive pricing from other airlines in the past six months.

"With the arrival of American Airlines and United Airlines we're anticipating this low pricing is a sign of things to come, as the price of airfares between New Zealand and the USA continue to be driven by increased competition," said Thomas.

The arrival of American Airlines to the NZ-US air routes is expected to help keep airfares across the Pacific low. Photo / Getty

The US carriers start services around the middle of the year, providing competition to Air New Zealand on direct flying across the Pacific.

Thomas said key drivers for the competitive airfare pricing included competition as a result of new carriers coming to market and new routes being introduced, the drop in oil price and the introduction of a new fleet of new fuel efficient planes.

Some Auckland-Invercargil one-way fares at the same time of the $399 US deal are close $500.