Showing 62 Air New Zealand Flights from Christchurch - Starting at Just ₹5,733

  About Christchurch

Christchurch is Canterbury, New Zealand's most famous and populous city. Recognised for its English heritage, the city enjoys multitudes of ethnicity and is a gorgeous tourist location. While it is an ideal vacation spot, you will have to make peace with the fact that the trip to Christchurch will be time-consuming.

Best time to reach Christchurch

Christchurch's proximity to the South Pole makes the winters in the city rather frosty. The temperatures easily dwindle between 11 degree Celsius to 13 degree Celsius during the day and drop to zero in the nights. You can snuggle up for a romantic rendezvous and indulge in some of the winter sports that are possible in this Canterbury region. The months of June to August are only recommended if you wish to engage in the scenic white bliss of Christchurch. The place does give a Narnia vibe so you will feel like you're in a movie. However, for great weather that balances the cold winters and the bright summers, spring is the most ideal season to visit Christchurch. The city's landscape turns into a beautiful expanse of hues thanks to all the flowers that bloom once the winter thaws.

Another wave of season that brings the best of Christchurch is from March to May. Summer is another favoured season that many tourists opt for as the temperatures are high compared to the Christchurch standards. However, it could get expensive as it also brings forth the tourist season. This could lead to unavailability of cheap hotels in Christchurch. To ensure that you don't pay exorbitant prices for a vacation in the city, you should make prior hotel bookings in Christchurch. You might even receive some fabulous online deals for flights and accommodation. Make sure to cover all your travel and hotel expenses before arriving in Christchurch.

Places to visit in Christchurch

The best place to start exploring Christchurch would undoubtedly be the Canterbury Museum. The museum has been part of the city since 1870, which makes it one of the top attractions in Christchurch. You will be passing through the famed Christchurch Botanic Gardens to reach the museum. It would be an ideal time to get close to the natural beauty that the park inhabits. From native to exotic plants, the garden would certainly marvel you and lift up your senses. Christchurch is big on lawns and gardens along with their food culture. You will find many parks in the city aside from the famous Botanic Gardens. North Hagley Park is also an excellent place to visit in Christchurch. It is pristine and has a very soothing and tranquil vibe.

An interesting institution to visit would be the International Antarctic Centre. Basically, this place inhabits the treasured collections of the Antarctic along with a quaint cafe and bar. Located in the centre of Christchurch is the Cathedral Square, an Anglican cathedral that offers quite a fascinating appearance. It is quite intriguing and something you might fancy. The city also has a pretty public art gallery called Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhet?, with exquisite exhibits. Next on the list could be the exquisite T?ranga - Christchurch Central Library, located at the heart of the Canterbury city, basically a haven for bibliophiles. You can also check out the Air Force Museum in the city which was earlier named The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum.

Things to do in Christchurch

Lake Roto Kohatu is a lovely small lake that is nestled in the city limits of Christchurch. The place is surrounded by lush green grasses which make it an ideal picnic spot. You can always opt to carry a lovely picnic basket along with some fun activity list and head to the lake with family. There are boating facilities also available on the lake, something you can opt for as a tourist. Christchurch's most popular location is the Sumner Beach. Its beauty and serenity with the cold blue waters rushing to the shores makes it quite a spectacle. Not to mention how it also offers a plethora of water and beachy activities that you can take up. Exploring the Tuawera - Cave Rock located on the outskirts of the Sumner beach is also worth exploring. It is known for its unusual formation which is a result of a volcano

Another interesting activity to take up would be taking up Punt rides. With plush seats on the punt and a person rowing it, you can enjoy the scenic views of the Avon River. It is a romantic setting and might go well with you and your partner. You can also opt for canoe riding at the Antigua Boatsheds. The boatshed is actually a famous tourist attraction, and you can also take up boating as an activity. You can also rent a bike and ride up the trails in the Bottle Lake Forest Park. The park has some extraordinary views that would leave your spellbound. While you might have a lot of things to do in Christchurch, do not miss out on indulging in their food culture. The city prides itself on the fabulous slew of food establishments.

Food and restaurants in Christchurch

Christchurch's food culture is fabulous and perfect for foodies. As a coastal city, one would assume that Christchurch is rich in seafood and has multiple joints favouring the same. However, you would be surprised to know that the city actually houses an abundance of international cuisine from Indian vegetarian to European-fusion. An elegant noon with a spread of delectable gourmet food served with piping hot tea paints quite a Victorian picture, yes? Places such as Penny Black Victorian Tearoom, 50 Bistro, Mona Vale Homestead and Pantry, Social Wine Bar and The Tea Rooms are some of the establishments that offer an English ambience teamed with lip-smacking food and top-notch tea.

Christchurch has a soft spot for dumplings and Asian food. They simply cannot do without dumplings in their platter. If you also fall in the same category, then you should visit some of their fine food establishments with Asian cuisine. Zen Sushi and Dumplings, King of Snake, Shanghai Street Dumplings, Pot Sticker Dumpling Bar and The China Kitchen, are some places where you will find some lip-smacking food as well as an authentic Asian vibe. If coffee is what you seek, you should check out Coffee Embassy Espresso Bar, Black and White Coffee Cartel, Underground Coffee Roasters and Unknown Chapter, to name a few.

Not just roasteries but the city also favours breweries with aplenty in the locality. When in Christchurch, you should head to The Institution, Craft Embassy, Dux Central, Welles Street and Smash Palace for the best-crafted beer. While there are lovely food joints and breweries to keep you busy, ignoring your sweet tooth would be a crime. Don't miss the bakeries of Christchurch for they have some exquisite cakes, pastries, and baked goods to elevate your senses. Their bakeries also have a lovely melange of culture from Danish puffs to Dutch apple pies. The city sells culture on a platter which makes it quite an experience. You should head to some classic bakeries such as Copenhagen Bakery, Glamour Cake, Bakermans of Fendalton, Japanz Bakery and Vic's Bakehouse.

How to reach Christchurch (Transportation)

Christchurch airport has brilliant flight connectivity with some of the Indian cities. Although there are no direct flights flying to Christchurch from India, they do have a slew of connecting flights and layovers that make the journey possible. There are only a few dedicated flights flying to Christchurch from India, but they are available regularly. Airlines such as Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, to name a few, have flights to Christchurch from India. The most popular route to Christchurch often taken by travellers is from Singapore. Since the flight connectivity to Christchurch from Singapore is comparatively good. Not to mention how it has the most number of flights flying to the New Zealand city, it only makes sense to opt for this international route to reach Christchurch. Most of the flights flying to Christchurch from India have layovers in international cities such as Singapore, Auckland, Melbourne, Wellington, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi, to name a few.

Although there are flights that would reach you in about 19 hours and 10 minutes, the flight tickets to Christchurch with such time duration would be expensive. In fact, it might cost you in lakhs to book a single journey to Christchurch from India, if you opt for the fastest flight. However, the most popular flights considered for Christchurch fall under the price range of INR 47,000 to INR 51,000. These flights to Christchurch will reach you in about 21 hours and five minutes, depending on the connectivity and weather. There is no additional transit visa required to fly to Christchurch from India. Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai are the prime cities where you will find flights to Christchurch. New Zealand, in general, is quite expensive as a country so you will have to ensure that you have reserved enough money for this trip. The flight tickets to Christchurch alone are super costly. If you make prior flight bookings to Christchurch, then you might receive some excellent online flight deals.

  About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand Limited is the official flag carrier of New Zealand. The airline is based out of Auckland, the capital city and primarily operates scheduled passenger flights to about 20 domestic routes and 32 international routes. The airline is perfectly connected with destinations in and around the Pacific Rim. Basically, it has direct flight connections with islands in the Pacific Ocean that are far from the other big continents. Air New Zealand has been part of the Star Alliance since 1999. It was formed in 1940 and has been part of New Zealand's aviation industry for nearly eighty years now. It came into existence as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), an enterprise that operated flights predominantly between New Zealand and Australia. It catered to the trans-Tasman route and carried scheduled flights in the continent. By 1965, the Tasman Empire Airways Limited witnessed a change in ownership as the government of New Zealand took overall operations. Following the change in ownership, the government renamed the airlines like Air New Zealand. With this move, the airline further became the national flag carrier.

Under the government's management, Air New Zealand only catered to international routes. However, in 1978, the government merged the airline's operations with the domestic airline New Zealand National Airways Corporation, to form just the one airline to conduct both, international route transit and domestic route operations. In 1989 though, Air New Zealand was privatised, but after more than a decade, the ownership was returned to the government, as it was close to declaring bankruptcy. A failed deal with the Australian carrier Ansett Australia led to Air New Zealand's financial crisis. In 2000, the airline had announced that it was choosing to acquire Ansett Australia wholly to be owned and operated under their wing. They even proposed a whopping AD 680 million from News Corporation Ltd. The decision in itself was criticised by various business commentators as they stated how Ansett's fleet, along with its staffing levels and infrastructure easily outweighed Air New Zealand's.

Further, proposals to purchase Air New Zealand Group were also shared by foreign companies. By 2001, Air New Zealand's inability to afford the costs incurred led to the collapse of Air New Zealand/Ansett Group. Further, the failure to purchase Virgin Blue resulted in Air New Zealand losing money and time and eventually Ansett Australia's operations were terminated. Air New Zealand incurred a loss of NZD 1.425 billion.

To get the airlines out of the towering losses, it was re-nationalised and brought under the New Zealand's government plan to rescue Air New Zealand. Under the government's ownership, Air New Zealand reconfigured some of its domestic operations and introduced a low-cost airline business plan. By 2003, the airline returned to its profitable stance as it raked in higher profits and relaunched its long-haul flights by 2005. The airline also incorporated newer aircraft to its fleet with a view to accommodating both, short-haul and long-haul destinations. By 2010, Air New Zealand also received government approval to form an alliance with Australian airline Virgin Blue which has now been renamed as Virgin Australia. Subsequently, the airline purchased about 26 per cent of shares in Virgin Australia Holdings and further cemented their relationship. Much recently, in 2018, the airline ended its partnership with Virgin Australia by selling off its stakes in the airline to a few investors as well as the Nasham Group. The airline's main hub is at Auckland Airport which is situated in Mangere, the southern region of the Auckland urban sphere. The airline's headquarters is located in a building, about 20 km from Auckland Airport, called The Hub. It is in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter. Currently, the airline operates a fleet comprising of aircraft from the Airbus and Boeing family. They also have a regional fleet that has ATR 72 and Bombardier Q300 turboprop aircraft utilised for operations.

Fleet size of Air New Zealand

As of 2019, Air New Zealand holds a strong fleet comprising of 116 aircraft. The airline also has 64 jet aircraft that include 25 Airbus A320s and ten Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft. They are mainly used for their short-haul flights. Aircraft such as eight Boeing 777-200ERs, eight Boeing 777-300Ers and thirteen Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has been reserved for long-haul destinations. Along with these aircraft, Air New Zealand also has ten Airbus A320/321neo, one Boeing 787-9 and eight Boeing 787-10 aircraft that have been ordered and are speculated to be received in the next few years. In the past, Air New Zealand also accommodated Douglas DC-8-52, Douglas DC-8F-54, Fokker F27-100 Friendship, Fokker F-27-500 Friendship, Lockheed L-188 Electra, McDonnel Douglas DC-10-30 and British Aerospace aircraft as part of its fleet. However, they have converted their fleet now to host mainly Airbus and Boeing jet aircraft. The airline does have 27 ATR 72-600 and 23 Bombardier Q300 that are predominantly used for short-haul trips.

Baggage Allowance

Air New Zealand follows an eccentric baggage allowance policy wherein they charge a specific tariff for checked baggage. The airline's ticketing process involves the passenger to choose if they want just a seat only fare or if they need to add baggage as part of the travel too. Accordingly, the airline grants baggage allowance to the passengers. There is no concept of a free checked baggage allowance that the airline has to offer. However, over the selection of bag fare, the passengers will be allowed to carry checked baggage that can weigh no more than 23 kg. As for passengers travelling from business class or premium class tickets, the baggage allowance is extended to 32 kg max weight. Beyond this, the passenger will further have to purchase extra baggage from the airport's check-in kiosk or on their official website. The dimensions of the baggage are very important, and passengers cannot afford to carry bags that do not fall under the mentioned measurements. A total linear dimension for the baggage which includes the length, width and depth, should not exceed 158 cm. This applies to all the bags.

In-flight services

Air New Zealand has improved its in-flight services to accommodate better facilities for its passengers. The onboard facilities such as comfortable seats, exquisite in-flight meals, friendly staff and crew, have only enhanced its name and reputation among passengers. The airline offers a variety of other in-flight services too which include entertainment systems for long-haul flights and provisions of blankets, noise-cancelling earplugs and other such amenities.

Popular routes and top cities of Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand's main route focus is on the Australasia and the South Pacific spheres. They have introduced several long-haul flight services to connect to Eastern Asia, the United Kingdom and the North and South America. Air New Zealand is known to be the last airline to have circumnavigated the world with flight routes that connected London's Heathrow Airport from both, Los Angeles route and Hong Kong route. They eventually scrapped the Hong Kong route in 2013 as the favour to Cathay Pacific, with which it has a codeshare agreement. With this move, the airline halted its Hong Kong - London route altogether and only continued its Los Angeles - London route. Currently, the airline serves about 30 destinations in its international route including Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Shanghai, Nadi, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, Honolulu, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago. They have planned to introduce a new international route to connect Auckland and Newark by 2021. Meanwhile, the airline also caters to about 20 domestic route destinations which are Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth and Queenstown, to name a few.

Why travel by Air New Zealand?

Air New Zealand has seen some ups and downs since its inception. The airline has witnessed tremendous highs of success as well as lows of bankruptcy. However, it has continued to emerge stronger from all these experiences. In fact, with these incidents, Air New Zealand has been able to work on its facilities and to bring the best in-flight services and better connectivity with destinations for passengers. It has expanded its international route as well as domestic route following some changes in the management. There have been some massive changes with respect to their in-flight services too, along with route connectivity.

To ensure that Air New Zealand is also on par with its competitors, the airline has worked to incorporate some of the recent upgradations that others have taken up. These include allowing web check-ins for passengers. This has reduced the inconvenience caused by standing in the check-in line at the airport. Not to mention how further details regarding the flight status and Air New Zealand's flight schedules can also be found on their website. An Air New Zealand flight ticket can also be booked on their official website. Depending on the ticket type booking by the passenger, the airline helps out in understanding the baggage allowance and in-flight services that they can enjoy. With such rich facilities and upgrades, Air New Zealand has welcomed more passengers and loyal customers.