The Qantas Air New Zealand partnership will end on April 7, 2027, changing codeshare bookings and loyalty benefits for travelers connecting across New Zealand. Qantas has published instructions for passengers whose trips are scheduled beyond the termination date.
The agreement currently allows eligible travelers to connect from Qantas services arriving in New Zealand onto domestic Air New Zealand flights carrying Qantas flight numbers. It also provides qualifying frequent flyers with points and selected airport-lounge benefits.
The change does not mean the two airlines are halting their own operations. It affects their commercial arrangement and the way certain journeys are ticketed, rewarded and serviced, rather than announcing a blanket suspension of trans-Tasman flying.
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Qantas Air New Zealand Codeshare Changes From April
Qantas states that codeshare flights operated by Air New Zealand will no longer be available for new bookings from April 7, 2027. Existing reservations for travel before that date are not affected by the partnership ending, subject to the normal terms of each ticket.
For travelers holding a Qantas-coded Air New Zealand flight on or after the change, Qantas or the issuing travel agent will amend the itinerary to show an Air New Zealand flight number. Travelers should examine the updated confirmation before checking in or arranging onward connections.
Qantas says frequent flyers on those already-booked journeys will retain the points and status-credit earning they would have received under the original booking. That protection is specific to qualifying affected bookings; it should not be interpreted as a promise of identical benefits on every future itinerary.
Reward Seats and Lounge Access Will Change
Qantas Classic Flight Reward seats involving the partnership remain available to book until April 6, 2027, according to Qantas guidance. From the following day, customers who need to amend an affected reward itinerary can contact the airline about select Jetstar alternatives, where available, or a refund.
Eligible Qantas members may continue using participating Air New Zealand lounges on qualifying flights until April 7, 2027. The airline says access under this particular agreement will then stop, making it important for premium travelers to verify facilities before departure.
The benefits involved depend on the operating carrier, the ticketed flight number and frequent-flyer eligibility. The termination therefore matters even if the passenger still travels on an Air New Zealand airplane with no change in the city pair or departure time.
What the Airline Partnership Ending Means for Routes
Under the present network arrangement, Qantas travelers can connect through Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown to a wider range of New Zealand cities. The commercial relationship helps make domestic connections visible alongside Qantas-operated international services in a single booking journey.
Ending a codeshare does not automatically cancel the operating airline’s scheduled flights. Air New Zealand remains responsible for the flights it operates, and Qantas has given customers a process for updated flight numbers on affected reservations.
For travelers planning trips after April 2027, the key questions are whether a desired connection can still be booked together, which airline issues the ticket and how baggage, lounge and points benefits apply. Qantas has not provided evidence that all existing city-pair journeys will disappear.
FAQ: Qantas Air New Zealand
When does the Qantas Air New Zealand partnership end?
Qantas says the partnership ends on April 7, 2027. Codeshare flights operated by Air New Zealand will no longer be sold under Qantas flight numbers from that date.
Will an existing booking be canceled?
Qantas says eligible existing bookings for later travel will be updated to an Air New Zealand flight number rather than automatically cancelled because of the codeshare change.
Will Qantas lounge and rewards benefits continue?
Selected entitlements remain through the transition, but lounge access under this partnership ends April 7, 2027; travelers should check their ticket and membership rules.
Looking Ahead
Passengers should watch for itinerary notices from Qantas or their booking agent and review any reward-flight changes before April 7, 2027. The companies may publish additional operational guidance closer to the transition; booking rules and lounge access should be verified again before publication.
Sources
- Qantas — Air New Zealand partner information and end-date guidance
- Executive Traveller — Qantas and Air New Zealand to end partnership
Featured image: An Air New Zealand Airbus A320neo ZK-NHE photographed at Sydney in August 2022. File photo; it does not depict the partnership announcement. Photo: Mitchell R Hope. License: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons image page (license). Image scaled for web without other edits.
