Airlines celebrate reopening of New Zealand's international borders with transtasman deals

Airlines are set to add up to 30 more return flights to New Zealand next month, following the Government's announcement on reopening the borders to vaccinated tourists.

Today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said vaccinated Australians, including permanent residents, will be able to come to New Zealand without isolating from 11.59pm on Tuesday, April 12.

"We have now received guidance that it is safe to significantly bring forward the next stage of border reopening work, bringing back our tourists," Ardern said.

Auckland International Airport is set to welcome more international travellers in the coming days. Photo / Michael Craig

Qantas domestic and international CEO Andrew David said Jetstar and Qantas are ready to help reunite families.

"New Zealand was Australia's second-biggest source of international visitors before the pandemic, and Australians were the biggest source of visitors to New Zealand, so this is an important milestone as part of the recovery for both countries. With restriction-free travel possible from next month for Australians, we look forward to rebuilding our transtasman flights."

From April 13, up to 30 return flights will be operating on five routes compared to the current two return flights a week.

Qantas will fly daily from Auckland to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and Christchurch to Sydney. While three weekly flights from Auckland to the Gold Coast will be operated by Jetstar.

Flights will then be increased during May and June and flights to Australia from Queenstown and Wellington will resume.

David Coombes, General Manager of Flight Centre Travel Group New Zealand, said today's news will see more flight options and competitive prices.

"As travel demand increases week by week, our focus is on recruiting experienced travel consultants to help us open the world to those who want to see, and return to the high-performing sector travel and tourism was pre-Covid."

However, he said they would have liked the date to be pushed up to April 1, just in time for the Australian school holidays, which vary depending on the state.

While testing requirements may deter some people, Coombes said it is important to normalise across the Tasman by removing layers of testing.

"As the world shifts to truly living with Covid, it's important that we normalise travel between Australia and New Zealand by removing layers of testing given the virus is endemic in both countries and both have some of the highest vaccination rates in the world."

To celebrate the border reopening, Jetstar is also launching a transtasman sale for New Zealanders with flights from $129 one way for travel from July from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to the Gold Coast. There are also other sale fares to Melbourne and Sydney.

Jetstar is further encouraging Australians to travel to New Zealand with flights from Sydney to Queenstown from $189.