Australian flag carrier Qantas has announced a new direct flight between Auckland and New York, taking on Air New Zealand.
Photo: Supplied / Qantas
The airline said the Sydney-Auckland-New York route is set to take off in June 2023, initially three times a week.
It comes as Air New Zealand prepares for its inaugural service to New York City, starting in about a month's time.
The new service would be operated by its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with three new aircraft scheduled for delivery next year.
Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce said flying via Auckland would provide better connectivity from more destinations in Australia, before an uninterrupted 16-hour flight to New York.
"We can't wait to return to New York and it's made possible by the delivery of new aircraft, which have been caught up in delays that have impacted lots of airlines," he said.
Joyce said Qantas received positive customer feedback about its Dreamliner cabins on longer international flights, as it had more room and fewer seats than most of its competitors.
"We think this route will be very popular with Australians given the opportunity to connect via Auckland and it also gives New Zealanders more choice," Joyce said.
Qantas currently operates six daily services to Auckland from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, which would increase to 11 daily services when the new flight to New York launches.
Tickets for the new service were already on sale, with the first flight to New York scheduled for 14 June 2023.
Qantas also announced it would redesign and expand its existing lounge at Auckland Airport, after plans were stalled by the pandemic.