International travel options

New Zealand Travel Resources

• New Zealand Government COVID-19 pre-travel testing information
• New Zealand Government COVID-19 travel restrictions
• New Zealand Government Ministry of Health website
• Managed isolation and quarantine in New Zealand

Pre-departure test requirements

From 11:59 pm on Monday 25 January 2021, most passengers travelling to New Zealand must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result before departure. Customers transiting through New Zealand from the United Kingdom and the United States must also meet this requirement.

Key information:

• A PCR test for COVID-19 is required.
• The test must be performed within 72 hours of departure.
• Travellers must provide a written form, certified by a laboratory or another form of approved evidence, showing a negative result.
• Passengers departing from the following countries are exempt:
  • Antarctica
  • Australia
  • The Cook Islands
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Marshall Islands
  • Nauru
  • New Caledonia
  • Niue
  • Palau
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu
  • Wallis and Futuna

For more information, please see the New Zealand Government COVID-19 website.

Managed Isolation Accommodation

All passengers arriving into New Zealand must register their managed isolation accommodation requirements to be permitted to board their flight. A Managed Isolation Allocation System Voucher will need to be presented at check-in. Accommodation can only be booked a maximum of 3 months in advance. We highly recommend checking managed isolation availability before booking your ticket and registering as soon as possible. For more information visit the MIQ Government site.

One-way Quarantine-free travel

One-way, quarantine-free travel is available from the Cook Islands to Auckland from 21 January 2021 NZT. Passengers arriving in Cook Island will still need to quarantine on arrival.

To be eligible to book 'Quarantine-free' flights - you must:

• have not been overseas outside of New Zealand and the Cook Islands in the past 14 days
• have no reasonable grounds, as determined by a suitably qualified health practitioner, to suspect they may have COVID-19. This may include:
  • having had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days
  • having any COVID-19 symptoms, and
  • waiting for a COVID-19 test result.

During the journey, you must maintain physical distance (as much as possible) from anyone in the arrival airport who did not arrive from the Cook Islands. You must also wear a face-covering while in the arrival airport.

Please note normal immigration rules still apply. Full details for quarantine-free travel from the Cook Islands.

Available Safe Travel Zone Services to New Zealand

• Cook Islands (Rarotonga) - Auckland (No domestic connections available)

Transit via New Zealand

The New Zealand government is continually reviewing their transit restrictions and we strongly recommend that you check their website for information on whether you can transit or not. You may be required to seek advance transit approval from the relevant government. Please ensure this is done before you progress with a booking.

Pre-departure testing

From 22 January 2021, passengers travelling to or transiting through Australia from a red zone must display evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result:

• PCR testing is required.
• The test must be performed 72 hours or less prior to departure.
• Passengers arriving on a green zone flight are exempt.
• Children under 4 years old are exempt.

See the Australian Government Department of Health site for more information.

Australian Travel Declaration

Before you travel to Australia, you must complete an Australia Travel Declaration webform online. This should be completed at least 72 hours before departure. You will be asked to present your declaration before boarding your flight and on arrival in Australia.

Information you'll need for your Australia Travel Declaration include:

• Passport details
• Trip information
• Destination details
• Contact Details

Full information is available at the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs site.

Transit via Australia

The Australian government is continually reviewing their transit restrictions and we strongly recommend that you check their website for information on whether you can transit or not. You may be required to seek advance transit approval from the relevant government. Please ensure this is done before you progress with your booking.

One-way safe travel

One-way safe travel is available outbound from New Zealand to eligible Safe Travel Zones in Australia without the requirement of quarantine on arrival.

In order to continue to carry our passengers safely and identify passengers with travel not originating in New Zealand, we have introduced what's known as 'quarantine-free' flights.

'Quarantine-free' flights - will be for passengers with travel originating in New Zealand who are flying from New Zealand to Australia Safe Travel Zone states and are not required to quarantine on arrival. You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen to travel to Australia 'quarantine-free', but you will need to have a valid visa to enter Australia. If you do not meet the 'quarantine-free' flight criteria then you will need to undertake the required managed-isolation process on arrival set by the Australian Government.

To be eligible for 'quarantine-free' entry into Australia you must also:

• have been in New Zealand for 14 days or more and not been in a designated hotspot, and
• are travelling to Australia on a 'Quarantine-free' flight.

Passengers planning to travel interstate will need to ensure they have checked state and territory travel restrictions and have the appropriate exemptions/approvals to travel as these continue to change.

The Safe Travel Zone is only a one-way arrangement and those returning to New Zealand will still need to quarantine for 14 days upon return, provide payment for quarantine, and must register their managed isolation accommodation requirements via the New Zealand Government's Managed Isolation and Quarantine website.

Available Safe Travel Zone Services

• Auckland - Melbourne (No current interstate connections available)
• Auckland - Brisbane (No current interstate connections available)
• Auckland - Sydney (Interstate connections via Sydney to Adelaide and via Sydney to Melbourne available)

Travel to Melbourne

Passengers disembarking in Melbourne are required to wear a face covering and are also asked to observe physical distancing during both the boarding and disembarking process. Passengers are welcome to wear their own face covering and Air New Zealand will also have masks available for customers.

Travel to Queensland

Registration form: Passengers travelling to Queensland are required to complete a Queensland International Arrivals Registration form at least 72 hours prior to departing New Zealand.

Mandatory Face Masks Direction: All customers aged 12 years and over are required to wear face masks while onboard the aircraft and at the airport. This requirement also applies if you are planning to use public transport from Brisbane Airport. 

More information about Queensland's Public Health Directions can be found on the Queensland Health website.

Pre-departure testing

All travellers will be required to have either a COVID-19 PCR or antigen test within 72 hours of departure to the US, presenting a negative result. Children under the age of 2 are exempt from this testing requirement.

A US Government provided health attestation form must also be completed and presented at check-in, along with your negative test result.

Please keep in mind that you will be unable to begin your journey to the United States if you are not able to present a valid negative test result.

This testing requirement comes into effect from Tuesday, 26 January 2021. For more information, please visit the United States CDC's website.

Travel to Los Angeles

From 2 February 2021, Air New Zealand flights between AKL and LAX will transit via Honolulu.

All passengers arriving at LAX International Airport:

• from another state or country
• and who are over the age of 16,

will be required to complete an Online Form requesting contact information and acknowledging they have read and understood the State of California's travel advisory.

The online form requirement is applicable to passengers with Los Angeles as their final destination. Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to $500 USD. The form is not a requirement for those transiting Los Angeles to another state or country.

The State of California's travel advisory also recommends that 'all persons traveling for non-essential travel arriving into California from other states or countries, including returning Californian residents, should practice self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival'. 

Visit the California Department of Public Health site for COVID-19 updates.

As of 7th January 2021, all travellers must present a negative PCR test result at check-in when flying to Canada.

• The test must be dated within 72 hours of departure.
• An antigen test will not be accepted.
• Children under the age of 5 are exempt.

You will be unable to begin your journey to Canada if you are unable to present a valid negative PCR test result upon check-in.

All other existing health measures and requirements, such as the temperature test, health screening, and mandatory 14-day quarantine remain in place.

For more information, please visit the Canadian Government' website.

The Chinese Government has updated its requirements for pre-departure testing. All passengers bound for China from New Zealand will need to complete one COVID-19 nucleic acid (PCR) and one COVID-19 IgM test within 2 days prior to departure. Passengers must present a Green QR Health Code or signed Health Declaration Form at the airport as evidence they have met the health requirements for China. Failure to do so will result in denied boarding. Should you no longer wish to travel as a result of these new testing requirements, please visit manage bookings to explore your booking flexibility options.

Unfortunately we are unable to accept passengers transiting through New Zealand to China due to no testing facilities available at transit areas in any airports in New Zealand. This restriction also applies to any passengers whose travel to China is not direct, but via a third country. Customers affected by this will be contacted directly, with their booking placed in credit for use at a later date.

If you have booked your flights via a travel agent, please reach out to them directly for assistance.

Effective immediately, all passengers travelling to Hong Kong must have been in the country of embarkation for at least 21 days prior to travelling to Hong Kong.

All passengers arriving into Hong Kong must also provide confirmation of a room reservation at a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong for no less than 21 nights (22 days) starting on the day of arrival.

The hotel confirmation must be presented at check-in before departure or passengers may be denied boarding.

• Accommodation must be organised directly with the hotel. Please see the below lists of hotels accepting inbound passengers.
  • Until 19th February 2021
  • From February 20th - April 20th 2021
• If you have booked a hotel that is not on the lists, please contact them directly to ensure they accept inbound passengers.
• Passengers who have been in the UK or South Africa for more than two hours in the past 21 days are not permitted to board a flight to Hong Kong.
• Passengers transiting through Hong Kong (up to 24 hours) are not required to organise accommodation.
• All passengers must complete a Health Declaration Form and present it to a Hong Kong Department of Health staff member on arrival in Hong Kong. Note: After submitting the on-line form, please save the result by clicking ‘Save QR Code’ or take a screen shot.
• All passengers arriving into Hong Kong will be required to undergo a saliva test for COVID-19 prior to clearing immigration and baggage collection.  Passengers will receive directions and assistance after disembarking the aircraft.
• Additional documents are required for travellers who have visited a high risk destination, please visit the Hong Kong government’s COVID-19 website for more information.

The Hong Kong border remains closed to all foreigners entering Hong Kong, with exception to those listed below:

• All Hong Kong permanent residents, holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card.
• HKSAR passport or British National (Overseas) passport (with right of abode in HKG).
• Those holding an activated long-term visa with pre-approval from Hong Kong Border Authority e.g. work visa or study visa.
• Those holding a ‘Hong Kong identity card’ (without ‘permanent’ status) and must also be in possession of a valid work visa or study visa.

Visit the Hong Kong government COVID-19 website for the latest information.

Pre-departure testing

From 8 January 2021, all international travellers arriving in Korea must carry a COVID-19 negative PCR test. Korean citizens are exempt.

The negative PCR test result must be issued within 72 hours of departure. Those who do not carry a valid test result will be denied boarding.

Quarantine

Most travellers are required to quarantine for 14 days at a government-designated facility at their own expense. Travellers who are long-term visa holders or residents will be required to self-quarantine at their own residences.

Passengers transiting through Incheon International Airport to third countries will not face the new quarantine requirement but will receive a temperature screening and health questionnaire.

Special Entry Procedure

All inbound travellers will go through the Special Entry Procedure when arriving in Korea. This includes:

• Submitting to temperature screening.
• Completing the Health Questionnaire and Special Quarantine Declaration handed out inflight.
• Providing contact information and the address of their accommodation in Korea
• Installing and using either the Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App or Self Diagnosis App to monitor symptoms and submit daily health checks during their stay in Korea.

Masks required

Travellers aged 14 years and older are required to wear a mask in many public places such as airports, public buildings, and on public transport.