Air New Zealand Reflects on 20 Successful Years of Flights Between New Zealand and San Francisco

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Marks an impressive milestone for Air New Zealand as they celebrate two decades of direct flights connecting the people of New Zealand with San Francisco, a hub of innovation and allure. Since the first flight took off on June 30, 2004, the airline has transported over three million travelers on 11,800 flights linking these two vibrant cities. Due to the route’s immense popularity, the number of weekly round-trip flights was increased to six by 2005.

Originally, the service began with a Boeing 747-400 adorned in a unique Lord of the Rings theme. This aircraft continued to serve the route until the last commercial flight of a 747 in Air New Zealand’s fleet on September 12, 2014. The service is now operated with a Boeing 777-300ER.

Beyond San Francisco, Air New Zealand also offers flights to Honolulu, Los Angeles, Houston, and New York, providing connectivity to over 100 domestic destinations in the U.S. through their partnership with United Airlines.

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