The New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has been in India for about a week, including an official trip that started on Sunday, March 17, 2025. He is here to promote trade and bilateral relations between the countries. What better way to boost relations than by getting airlines to work together first?

Air India and Air New Zealand sign codeshare agreement; will explore direct connectivity by 2028

Star Alliance Partners Air New Zealand and Air India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost air connectivity between India and New Zealand. The MoU was signed in Mumbai on March 19, 2025, in the presence of Mr Christopher Luxon and other dignitaries.

The MoU includes establishing a new codeshare partnership on 16 routes between India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Customers can now travel from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai on Air India and connect to Sydney, Melbourne, or Singapore on Air New Zealand-operated flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown.

Besides improving customers’ ease of booking and travel, the codeshare aims to increase the respective markets’ visibility as tourism destinations.

The MoU will also see Air New Zealand and Air India explore introducing a direct service between India and New Zealand by the end of 2028, subject to new aircraft deliveries and approvals from relevant government regulators. The distance between the two countries, when connected from capital to capital, is about 7,800 miles as the crow flies, so clearly, a very new-tech aircraft such as the A350-1000 will be needed. The flight will remain mainly at the flight envelope’s edge.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran said on the occasion,

India represents a key growth market for Air New Zealand, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance connectivity for travellers between our two countries. This codeshare agreement is an important first step, offering more options for customers while we work to understand what a direct service could look like.

Today’s event underscores the significance of the India market to New Zealand, not only for tourism but also for strengthening business and education ties. We are committed to working collaboratively to grow the travel market over the coming years, ensuring a strong foundation for a successful direct service by 2028.

Campbell Wilson, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Air India, said,

As part of Air India’s ongoing transformation, we have been expanding our global network using our own aircraft as well as through new or expanded codeshare agreements with other airlines, chiefly our Star Alliance partners.

We are delighted to be deepening our relationship with Air New Zealand, which follows the recent expansion of our codeshare partnerships with Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, and All Nippon Airways. This partnership will not only strengthen our presence and simplify customer journeys, but also help us develop traffic so that, in time to come, we may viably operate a non-stop service between India and New Zealand, which we and Air New Zealand have committed to explore together with the respective authorities.

Of course, Air India will need to explore the availability of 787-9s or A350-1Ks to make this flight happen.

Bottomline

Air India and Air New Zealand have joined hands to offer codeshare connectivity via Singapore and Australia, allowing customers of both airlines to fly to destinations in each other’s countries. Over a period of time Air India and Air NZ will explore direct connectivity between the two countries as well, and they hope to make it happen by 2028.

What do you think of direct connectivity arriving between India and New Zealand?

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