Travel alerts

Mid-Year winter escape – Let the holiday adventures begin!

It’s that time of year again when airports will be busier than usual during the July school holiday period, so to help you prepare, here are our top travel tips: 

 Get ready for take-off

Prepare for your trip in advance so you can relax as soon as you check in.

• Download the Air NZ App to stay up to date and check in 24 hours before departure. Double check your contact details are up to date in your booking and Airpoints account, so we can keep you in the loop of any changes. 
• Carrying extra baggage? Plan ahead and prepay extra bags online before you check in.  
• Lock in your preferred seat or treat yourself to an upgrade.  
• While the winter weather can be unpredictable, check out your travel insurance options for peace of mind for when things don’t go to plan. Whether you're travelling around Aotearoa or somewhere a little warmer, it’s best to be prepared for any holiday surprises. 
• Do you know what is in your bag?  To avoid any delays at security, ensure you’re across what you can and can't take on holiday with you. 
• It’s important to check visa entry requirements for the country that you are travelling to. Make sure you have the right visa /ESTA/ETA for your holiday destination, including any transiting countries. 
• Heading back to New Zealand? Ski through arrivals by completing your New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) before you fly. You can also download the NZTD app if you are a frequent overseas traveller.
  
  

🧒 Taking care of your precious travellers and equipment

If your tamariki or furry whānau are travelling with us these holidays, they're in caring hands.  We're also here to help if you need additional assistance.

• Our Airband service allows you to track the journey of your tamariki as they embark on solo travel. Give yourself an additional 20 minutes to complete check-in at our Special Assistance counter. You’ll need your photo ID, the contact details of the pick-up person and to remain at the airport until the flight is airborne. 
• You can check in your mobility device and choose to transfer into one of our Air New Zealand wheelchairs or you can take your mobility device directly to the aircraft door.  Either way, our staff and crew will be by your side each step of the way. Check our wheelchair and battery specifications to confirm if your mobility device is suitable to travel with you. 
• Travelling with children and infants? Your younger family members need to pack a few more items to ensure their comfort and safety and you’ll be relieved to know that you may pack two additional child items free of charge.    

• We care about the safety and comfort of your furry and feathered family members. See what our cage requirements are to ensure your pet’s cage is safe to fly. It must allow them to naturally stand, sit up, turn around and lie down, and it should be fitted with a small water container, so that we can provide liquid refreshments to your pet if needed. Please make sure your pets are not wearing any clothing while in their cage; save their fancy outfits for their holiday destination.  

🎒 Heading to the airport and boarding your flight

A smooth journey starts with smart prep, and there’s no such thing as being over-ready!

• Double-check traffic conditions before you leave home to allow enough time to get to the airport. 
• Timing is everything when you travel; allow yourself plenty of time to check-in and drop off your bags. Our Domestic check-in closes 30 minutes prior to your scheduled departure, and our international check-in closes 90 minutes prior.  Just a heads-up, if you’re departing from Wellington and Auckland during the school holidays check-in will only open 3 hours before your flight.   
• Don't forget your valid ID for domestic travel or passport and all required documentation for any international journeys. 
• Make sure you don't exceed your carry-on allowance. Each customer can take a 7kg carry-on bag along with a small personal item. Find out more about weight and size allowances. 
• Checking in a bag? Ensure it's no more than 23kg and is within our dimension ⁠requirements. If you're bags are on the heavier side, excess bag charges will apply.
• If you're sliding down the slopes this winter and prefer to travel with your gear, just a reminder that most sporting equipment counts as a checked-in bag, and the usual weight allowance applies. Have a read of our oversized item requirements so you’re informed.  
• If you’re travelling with fragile items, check this in at the oversized & fragile desk so your delicate items are handled with care. 
  
  

💜 We're here to help

• Remember to check your seat pocket for personal items before you disembark. If you realise you've left something on board, let us know by completing our aircraft lost property form.
• If you need any support, whether it’s over the phone, through Live Chat, or another messaging channel, our Customer Care team is here for you 24/7. 
  
  

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Ash Cloud in Bali

We are actively monitoring volcanic ash cloud conditions in Bali after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted on Tuesday 17 June.

Our Bali services from Thursday 19 June are currently planned to operate as scheduled. We will continue to closely monitor the volcanic activity and recommend customers continue checking this Travel Alert page for up-to-date information. 

Safety is always our first priority and if conditions mean we need to make any changes to your travel plans, we will contact you directly via email or SMS using the contact details in your booking as soon as we can.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

Other ways that you keep updated are:

👉 Through this travel alert

👉 Check the status of Air New Zealand flights here

👉 Keep an eye on your flight details on the Air NZ app

Disrupt Reimbursement Consideration

If your journey has been disrupted for a controllable reason, e.g. engineering, or crew shortages, and your new itinerary requires you to stay overnight in a place you do not reside, our airport team will be working hard to secure accommodation for you.

Over peak travel periods, availability is extremely limited and you may be required to source your own accommodation.

As a guideline, we recommend $250.00 per room and $90.00 per person, per night for meals. This is a recommended amount only, and all expenses must be reasonable and supported by itemised tax invoice receipts. Please retain all itemised tax invoice receipts, as they are required for reimbursement consideration.

To submit your reimbursement request, please visit here to do so. Alternatively, you can visit here for details on how to submit your claim through our messaging channels.