Air New Zealand has confirmed it is adding more flights to its North American network during the Northern summer 2015 schedule as a reaction to passenger demand. The popularity of the airline’s service between Auckland and Los Angeles will see the airline step up frequency next year from twice daily to three times a day on three days of the week, while also extending the duration of its peak season capacity increase to Vancouver.

To date Air New Zealand’s Los Angeles service has predominantly run on a twice-daily basis but during the 2015 Northern Summer from March 29, 2015 through to the end of the season in October 2015, there will be a third flight departing Auckland on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, representing a 20 per cent boost in total capacity.

The additional Los Angeles services will depart Auckland earlier than the current daily services arriving in Los Angeles around 09:00 and enabling same day connections with Midwest and East Coast USA destinations. The earlier departure time will also suit Australian travellers heading to the USA, with convenient Melbourne and Sydney connections.

The additional return services will depart Los Angeles later than current services accommodating later connections while still arriving into Auckland at 07:00 in time for passengers to connect seamlessly to domestic New Zealand and Australia.

“The extra flights are a good example of Air New Zealand listening and responding to customer feedback. Frequent Los Angeles travellers told us they wanted to be able to arrive earlier, particularly when connecting to the US East Coast. We’re thrilled to now be able to offer this to our customers,” said Cam Wallace, chief sales and commercial officer, Air New Zealand.

The Pacific carrier is also increasing capacity between Auckland and Vancouver by approximately ten per cent. Next year it will operate its peak season five times per week schedule from June to September (currently mid-July to late August). The airline operates three times per week outside of this high demand period.

Both the Los Angeles and Vancouver routes will also get an additional boost during the New Zealand school holidays. Air New Zealand will operate a third daily Los Angeles flight on Sundays in the July and October school holidays taking the weekly total to 18, and move from three to four flights per week to Vancouver during the October school holidays.

In our analysis, below, we look more closely at passenger demand between New Zealand and these two North American destinations over the past ten years.

Data provided by