On October 28 Air New Zealand said it will fly nonstop between Christchurch and Denpasar, Bali, during the New Zealand winter of 2027. In the same announcement, it said its new Christchurch–Singapore flights will stay on the schedule all year, not just for one season.
Both moves give people in Canterbury and the wider South Island a way to reach Asia without first flying north to Auckland or across to Australia.
Christchurch to Bali: three flights a week next winter
Air New Zealand says the Bali route will run three times a week through the end of August 2027. That makes it a winter-sun service, timed for the months when South Islanders most want a beach. The airline has not yet given a start date, flight times or the aircraft it will use. It says seats should go on sale later this year.
For now, a trip from Christchurch to Bali usually means a connection in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. A nonstop cuts out that stop and the change of planes that comes with it. The airline frames it in those terms: less time in other airports and more time on holiday.
Travelers will land at Denpasar's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Lounge Frog does not yet have lounge reviews for its international terminal, so check the airport page closer to the launch.
Singapore goes year-round
The bigger news for frequent flyers may be Singapore. Air New Zealand had planned its new Christchurch–Singapore nonstop as a seasonal route. It now says the flights will run year-round.
The first of those flights left Christchurch on the afternoon of October 28. The airline says it marks the return of wide-body flying between the two cities for the first time in six years. It did not say how many flights a week it will run in the quieter months.
Singapore matters because of what sits behind it. Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines have worked together for years, and Changi is one of Asia's biggest connecting hubs. A year-round nonstop means South Islanders can reach Europe, India and Southeast Asia with one stop in Singapore at any time of year, instead of only in the busy season.
"Singapore is an important gateway for South Islanders," chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar said.
Where to wait at Changi
Singapore Changi is one of the best airports in the world for a layover, and Air New Zealand is a Star Alliance member. That opens the door to Singapore Airlines' lounges for eligible travelers. Business class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members can generally use the SilverKris Business Lounge in Terminal 3 or the SilverKris Business Lounge in Terminal 2, depending on where an onward flight leaves from. The First Class lounges are a separate tier and are not open on Star Alliance Gold status alone.
Air New Zealand's own frequent flyer program, Airpoints, earns on these flights, and Gold and Elite members get Star Alliance Gold status, which is what unlocks partner lounges abroad.
Part of a wider Christchurch push
The Bali and Singapore news is one piece of a larger plan. Air New Zealand says new seasonal nonstops from Christchurch to Tokyo Narita and to Perth are also due to start in November. Both are still subject to regulatory and airport approvals, the airline says.
Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson described the routes as the first results of a new partnership between the airport and the airline to grow international flying from the city. Air New Zealand, for its part, says it is choosing with care where it adds flights.
For travelers, the practical change is simple. Singapore is already running, and Tokyo and Perth are due in November if approved. By the middle of 2027, Bali joins them. That is a big step up for an airport where most long trips have started with a domestic hop.
What we still don't know
Air New Zealand has not yet published:
- the start date and schedule for Christchurch–Bali
- the aircraft and cabins on the Bali route
- the winter frequency on Christchurch–Singapore
We will update Air New Zealand's page as those details come out.
