Major airlines connect New Zealand’s cities and many of its smaller towns, as well as our surrounding islands.

National carrier Air New Zealand runs the widest network of flights around the country, and can take you as far south as Invercargill and as far north as Kerikeri. Book well in advance for the best prices, or keep an eye on grabaseat, where Air New Zealand has low-fare sales.

Jetstar offers another option when flying between our biggest centres, connecting Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin.

Sounds Air, a Picton-based airline, runs a national service flying between smaller airports. It links Wellington with Picton, Nelson, Blenheim, Westport and Taupō, as well as Paraparaumu with Blenheim and Nelson, and Christchurch with Blenheim and Wanaka. You’ll fly in Cessna Caravans, propeller aircraft which each hold 12 passengers, giving every passenger a fantastic window seat, or Pilatus PC12s, which are manufactured in Switzerland and each hold nine passengers.

Barrier Air flies the super-scenic route over the islands in the Hauraki Gulf between Great Barrier Island and Auckland (so you can avoid the often-rough three hour ferry trip), as well as connecting to the North Shore and Kaitaia.

Air Chathams flies the 800km route between the Chatham Islands and Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, as well as flying from Auckland to Whakatane, Whanganui, Tauranga, Napier and the Kapiti Coast. It’s also the only carrier flying direct from New Zealand to Norfolk Island.

Furthest south, Stewart Island Flights flies the 20-minute journey from Invercargill to a beautiful bush-surrounded runway near Oban, on Rakiura Stewart Island.