Hobart’s air route to Auckland has entered a planned seasonal pause. Tasmanians heading for the Shaky Isles will need to detour through the Australian mainland for at least the next six months.
The direct flights are planned to start up again in October 2025. That leaves the Tasmanian capital and indeed the whole island without any direct international connections.
The Hobart to Auckland international flight returned in October last year following a previous pause.
Tasmania’s visitor economy has benefited from more than 23,200 travellers who have arrived in the state aboard the Air New Zealand flights over the summer season.
This was an 11 per cent increase on the previous year, with an average of around 86 per cent of all seats filled on every flight according to airline figures.
Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter said the Air New Zealand flights would return in October this year for another anticipated successful season.
“This is not goodbye, this is see you soon,” Carter said.
“In fact, travellers can already jump online and book tickets for the much-anticipated return of the popular service.
“It’s really proven to be a must-do trip, whether you’re a Tasmanian looking for a break or a New Zealander looking for a great holiday here.
“We’re continuing to work with Air New Zealand to potentially expand the season in the future. This is all part of Hobart Airport’s commitment to making tomorrow’s Tasmania possible, with more international offerings.
“That’s why we’re investing $130 million in runway upgrades, $200 million to redevelop the terminal, and over $20 million in carparks, forecourt and road works.”
Air New Zealand General Manger Kathryn O’Brien said Air New Zealand looked forward to the October return.
“Whether it’s our customers or our crew, we love flying to Tasmania and can’t wait to be back in October,” O’Brien said.
“We’ve seen growth in the popularity of this service year on year. Of course, travellers from Auckland represent the largest cohort of travellers, but it’s also popular with those from Wellington and Christchurch too.
“This season, we’ve also seen a great uptake of travellers from Vancouver Canada using the service to travel to Tasmania, because of the gateway Auckland has to North America.
“On the flip side, we’ve seen Tasmanians really love the chance to check out New Zealand, or stopover for a gateway to further afield destinations in North America, Asia or the Pacific Islands.”
There are also connections through Auckland to South America.
According to the airport redevelopment plan, this year is likely to see upgraded domestic security screening, new car rental company offices and an initial expansion of the departure lounge area.
All new areas of the expanded terminal are not scheduled to be unveiled until 2027.
