The over 24 hour journey to Europe every Kiwi traveller is faced with is with no easy feat. Ridiculously long flight times and lengthy stopovers can make it a stressful and no doubt tiring experience.
Some flights are expensive, some flights are cheap. Some airlines are good, and some are very bad. At the end of the day you want to get there in the easiest, best-value and most stress-free way possible before exploring Europe. Unless you’re loyal to one airline, choosing your best way to fly from NZ to Europe is a pretty damn confusing decision.
Whether you are a seasoned traveller, or planning your first trip overseas, my travel guide to the best ways to travel between New Zealand and Europe will help you understand the different routes, airlines, and seat products, to get you where you need to be!
In this guide, I will compare the different routes between New Zealand and Europe based on the economy products offered by different airlines. Their economy classes will be ranked by their satisfaction, average price/value, hub airport, flight times and the ease of travel. I will include a shorter section for premium economy and business class too.
A point I will also make is that you can make use of layovers in hub cities on route. You could add a few days to your journey and experience a new culture or city, this is something most airlines offer.
Table of Contents >>>
- 1. Middle East (Emirates, Etihad & Qatar)
- 2. Singapore & Southeast Asia
- 3. Australia (Qantas)
- 4. Air New Zealand
- 5. East Asia
- 6. China
- Avoid: USA & Canada
- Flying Premium Economy?
- Flying Business Class?
- Bottom Line
1. Middle East (Emirates, Etihad & Qatar)
Personally, this is my favourite way to fly to Europe. My mum is from England, so my family would make the return trip between NZ and Newcastle on Emirates once every year or two, growing up. Therefore, I am a huge Emirates loyalist (this is how my aviation passion all started), and currently I am a skywards gold status member.
Regardless of bias, the Middle East big three consist of Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. One thing for sure is that all three of these airlines have incredible service and are always reliable, helping you every step of the way. Flying economy never feels like you’re flying economy on all 3, because these airlines are just that good!
Their respective hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha are among the best airports in the world. Transferring through them is the easiest of all options on this list. Another great thing about flying via the Middle East is that each airline (Qatar and Emirates in particular) has a huge network of destinations in Europe. This includes not just only the big cities, but also handy secondary cities you might not expect, like Nice, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Newcastle, Lyon, Bologna, Oslo or Budapest.
The only downside is price on these airlines. Emirates is notorious for being the most expensive in economy (unless you’re flying to the big European hubs). Qatar Airways is similarly priced, although their sales tend to be cheaper. Etihad is the cheapest and best value airline in the Middle East, so consider them if you’re on a budget.
Emirates flies to both Auckland (Nonstop) and Christchurch (via Sydney) from Dubai. You can also fly Emirates from Queenstown, Wellington and Dunedin code-sharing on either Qantas or Jetstar, from which you connect onto an Emirates flight. Qatar Airways flies to Auckland, although has limited connecting codeshare options from other NZ airports (except Queenstown as Virgin Australia and Qatar are very close partners). Etihad does not fly to New Zealand, however, they are partners with Air New Zealand so you can codeshare from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown to Australia then connect onto an Etihad flight, which is very easy to book.
One of my favourite things about Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways is that they each also offer stopover programs where you can spend a day or two in their hub city. The stopover programs can provide you with free hotels and meals, plus discounted admission to attractions and tours. Sound too good to be true? The Middle East is attempting to diversify its economy into tourism, so they are using free stopovers as an incentive.
2. Singapore & Southeast Asia
Singapore Airlines is the most popular choice of airline for New Zealand travellers flying between New Zealand and Europe. This is kind of surprising, considering their network is a bit thinner than the Middle Eastern carriers. However, it is important to note that Singapore Airlines is a Star Alliance member and a very close partner of Air New Zealand.
At the end of the day, it is no doubt though Singapore Airlines is the best airline in the world. What’s even better is that Singapore Changi International Airport is the best airport in the world, and easy to transit. What better pairing could you want!?
Singapore Airlines flies from Singapore to Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand daily, with increased frequencies during NZ summer.
But Singapore Airlines isn’t the only major airline in Southeast Asia. Another great way you can fly between New Zealand and Europe is on Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines is based in Kuala Lumpur, and they fly daily to Auckland. They also offer a decent service often at good prices (make sure to search around the better airlines first). However, they only fly to London and Paris in Europe, so their routes are kind of limiting.
I do not recommend flying from NZ to Europe with any other airline based in Southeast Asia. This is because none of the other airlines there, such as Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines or Garuda Indonesia, do not fly to New Zealand. This requires an annoying transfer process in Australia or Asia between different bookings. Also avoid Scoot or AirAsiaX, which are ultra-low-cost airlines.
3. Australia (Qantas)
Our next door neighbours, Australia, do also have a fantastic way to fly to Europe, not to be forgotten. Travellers can fly Qantas from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown, plus regional New Zealand airports. Fly to Australia, then simply board your onward connection to Europe – your transit is done nice and early!
Connections are limited, but the main routing involves flying from Sydney to London with a technical stop in Singapore. Or you can fly right across to Perth, where you can fly onto London, Rome and Paris during European summer. Just be aware, that flying to Perth requires a domestic flight in Australia (at this stage) which can be a hassle. Therefore, I only recommend flying Qantas if you are flying to London, and the price is right.
Qantas and British Airways are also very close partners. Once you get to London, it is super easy to book a code-share itinerary to secondary cities in Europe on British Airways’ short-haul network.
Qantas offer a great product, and the fact you can jump on their A380 right in Sydney, all the way to London, is a pretty stressfree way to travel. Qantas’ A380 Economy is extremely comfortable. Sydney is a nice airport to transit through too, as its not too big. Plus, you get a quick stop at Singapore Changi, which I wouldn’t complain about! However, do search around the prices before booking Qantas, and see if there are any other airlines at similar prices.
4. Air New Zealand
Last, but not least, it is important to mention our national carrier, Air New Zealand. While Air New Zealand don’t actually fly to Europe anymore, you can book flights to Europe on the Air New Zealand website.
On these long flights, Air New Zealand’s skycouch can come in very handy too. There’s nothing better than feeling at home when you’re so far away from it.
This usually involves taking an Air New Zealand flight from New Zealand to Singapore, the USA, or Hong Kong. Then, you transfer onto another partner code-share airline, such as Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, United, or Cathay Pacific. From there you fly to your final destination in Europe.
If you are an Air New Zealand frequent flier, then this is the best way to fly to Europe. Just like I say in the USA section below, please be aware of the potentially complicated transits through the USA. It is often worth paying a little bit more to fly through Asia instead. You will be able to earn points and status credits flying this way, plus use your status tier perks.
Travel TIP: Use Airalo to get your E-sim now, and be connected the minute you arrive, stress-free! Airalo is way cheaper than roaming, so you can spend more on what really matters.
5. East Asia
East Asia (scroll down for China) is home to more great airlines and options to fly between New Zealand and Europe. Jump on many one-stop connections from NZ, including Cathay Pacific, China Airlines and Korean Air. These are the three airlines in this region that fly between East Asia and New Zealand. Each airline flies to Auckland, plus Cathay Pacific flies to Christchurch during our summer.
All of these are really good airlines, and offer fantastic products at often really good prices! Cathay Pacific is based in Hong Kong, China Airlines based in Taipei, and Korean Air is obviously based in Seoul. Transferring at either Hong Kong, Taipei or Seoul Incheon is always a breeze.
These airlines might not be as good as Singapore Airlines or Emirates, but are among the top 20 airlines worldwide. Cathay, Korean and China Airlines boast the best overall products in the sky for this region. If the price is right, these guys provide insane value!
6. China
China is the cheapest way to fly between New Zealand and Europe. Some flights are as little as NZ$1100 return! This is pretty insane, especially considering these airlines still offer a relatively good product that gets the job done.
At the moment, you have four Chinese airlines to choose between including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Hainan Airlines. All four airlines fly to Auckland, plus China Southern flies to Christchurch during our summer. Do be aware that the economy product you are flying on can differ hugely between different aircraft.
China Southern and Hainan Airlines are the better of the four airlines. China Southern Airlines has a massive hub in Guangzhou, whereas Hainan Airlines has hubs in lesser-known Haikou and Beijing. These two airlines are rated among the worlds best, and for the price, offer extremely good value.
Air China, based in Beijing, and China Eastern Airlines, based in Shanghai, are also good, but don’t expect them to be the best. However, if it’s just having a seat, and maybe a few movies, that are most important to you, definitely consider flying this way.
If you want the best experience, make sure you are flying on a newer aircraft such as the B787 or A350. All airlines have B777s or A330s in their fleet, which do occasionally fly to New Zealand, and have an outdated product onboard. There is a huge difference in the quality of product between new and old aircraft on all Chinese airlines.
Transiting in China in the past has been a tricky process. Thanks to the new 144-hour visa-free scheme in 2024, transiting in China is now really easy. If you have your onward ticket, you transit like you normally would elsewhere.
Just be aware that this routing often has long layovers in China. Layovers are during the day, so you can explore a new city, or park up at a hotel (which is usually pretty cheap). Be aware of the social media limitations in China and that Wi-Fi is not always free at the airports, most of our social media apps do not work there. So if you don’t want to be disconnected on the ground, do some research before flying via China.
Avoid: USA & Canada
I know this one’s a controversial opinion, but the USA is the worst way to fly between New Zealand and Europe. If you have never flown between New Zealand and Europe before, just try avoid the USA altogether. My reason for this is that the transfers through the USA are always going to be the most complicated. But first, if price on a flight via the USA is right, and you’re a seasoned traveller, then the USA is probably the way to go.
On many connections throughout the USA & Canada, you need to re-check your bags (even on international transits). You may also be required to complete a domestic flight between coasts as part of your journey. The airports there have multiple disconnected terminals (Air NZ and United don’t use the same terminal at LAX).
This can be a stressful experience and I’ve heard many horror stories from different friends who have travelled this way. I have never transited internationally in the USA myself, but I don’t believe it is worth the risk when you have so many other fantastic options to get to Europe.
The USA & Canada’s big four airlines include Air Canada, United, American, and Delta – they’re all relatively average. All four airlines fly to Auckland from their hubs and United also flies to Christchurch during our summer. It is important to note that Air New Zealand, Air Canada and United are major partners.
If you are booking with Air New Zealand, it is likely you will be offered the option to fly via the USA or Canada code-sharing onwards to Europe with United/Air Canada. If you must book with Air New Zealand, it is always worth paying a bit of extra money to fly by Singapore or Hong Kong, instead of the USA.
Qantas and American Airlines are also partners, so you could fly between New Zealand and the USA with Qantas, then continue with American. This is the case on their route between Auckland and New York, then you can have an onward connection to Europe.
The only other reason you should fly by the USA is that if you want to combine North America into your trip. Therefore, you can have a layover in one of these cities, and by all means it’s the perfect route.
Flying Premium Economy?
There are so many great premium economy products out there, I wouldn’t get tied up deciding which airline to take. Fewer airlines actually offer premium economy, so you have less airlines to choose from than in economy.
The airlines with the best premium economy that fly to New Zealand include, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines. Note that Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad and Korean Air all do not offer premium economy entirely.
If you really want to fly in premium economy class for a fraction of the price, check the prices with Chinese Airlines (usually cheapest). Often you’ll find these prices only a fraction more to the economy prices on Emirates, or Singapore Airlines.
Flying Business Class?
All airlines between NZ and Europe offer business class. My pick of the bunch would be with Qatar Airways in their Q-suite – a fully enclosed business class seat, which is on the A350 that flies to Auckland. Emirates (A380), Etihad, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, China Airlines also offer fantastic products.
Avoid Emirates business class on the B777 if you can help it (seats are in a 2-3-2 layout, but same price as A380). The older Chinese planes (A330 & B777) on Chinese airlines may have 2-3-2 layout business class too, so be careful. Avoid Air New Zealand’s business class altogether (c’mon there’s just better out there!).
Travel TIP: Flight got cancelled or delayed? You could be eligible for COMPENSATION. Check AirHelp to see if you're eligible, they help 1000's of travellers claim money back every day.
Bottom Line
No matter what way you fly to Europe, you’re going to get there, in a product you should be satisfied with. Often enough, price is the deciding factor when choosing which airline to fly, and this is a good thing. Flights to Europe are no doubt expensive, and so if you can save multiple hundreds of dollars, think about how many more days you can add to your trip!
If you want the easiest and best trip, fly via the Middle East, Australia or Singapore. You know you’re getting a fantastic experience in economy class, and these airlines have the biggest presence in New Zealand. If you’re trying to spend less, fly via China or East Asia. There’s so many other great options out there, so avoid the complexities of the USA or Canada if you can.
I regularly publish travel tips and guides like this, especially for travellers based in New Zealand, heading overseas. The logistics of planning travel should be easy, and most importantly, fun. Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter so you can recieve updates!
Leave a Reply