From February 2026, Qantas will begin flying its state-of-the art A220 aircraft on flights between Brisbane and Wellington, marking the first time the aircraft will fly on an international route.

The A220 will initially operate up to three times a week, replacing the E190 aircraft that currently operate on the route, as well as some Boeing 737 services.

The new aircraft is significantly more fuel efficient than previous generation aircraft and offers customers a more comfortable travel experience with a light and bright cabin design, large windows and overhead lockers and fast free Wi-Fi available on flights. 

Jetstar will begin direct flights between Brisbane and Queenstown from June 2026, giving Queenslanders more choice to world class skiing in just under four hours.

The service will operate three times a week during the snow season (June to October) on Jetstar’s A320neo aircraft, offering more than 17,000 low fare seats each year. 

Qantas and Jetstar will add almost 210,000 seats between Australia and New Zealand next year across four routes, including: 

• Sydney – Christchurch: Up to two additional flights per week during February and March, adding 5,000 seats 

• Brisbane – Auckland: increasing from up to ten per week to twice daily (99,000 additional seats per year) 
• Melbourne – Christchurch: increasing to daily year-round (26,000 additional seats per year)  
• Sydney – Auckland: increasing from up to eight per week to up to 12 per week (79,000 additional seats per year) 

This additional capacity builds on the significant growth the Qantas Group announced between Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, including new routes and additional seasonal capacity.

The growth will see the Qantas Group offer nearly 800,000 more seats in the 2026 financial year compared to the previous year.