Air India has signed an agreement with Air New Zealand to introduce a codeshare partnership on 16 routes spanning India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

Indian travelers from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai will soon be able to connect via Sydney, Melbourne, or Singapore on Air New Zealand flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown.

Air India has recently expanded its codeshare partnerships with Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia and All Nippon Airways.

The agreement with Air New Zealand was formalized at an event in Mumbai on Wednesday night during the visit of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India.

One of the most significant aspects of the deal is a commitment to explore the feasibility of a direct flight service between India and New Zealand by 2028.

“This partnership will not only strengthen our presence and simplify customer journeys, but also help us develop traffic so that, in time to come, we may viably operate a non-stop service between India and New Zealand, which we and Air New Zealand have committed to explore together with the respective authorities,” Campbell Wilson, managing director and CEO of Air India, said.

New Zealand Keen to Tap Indian Outbound Market

Speaking at the Skift India Forum this week, Wilson provided deeper insights into Air India’s growth strategy. He highlighted India’s booming aviation sector, with local carriers ordering over 1,000 aircraft to meet increasing demand. “As time goes on, more of Indian aviation’s critical mass will be in India.”

Wilson said outbound travel in the country is growing by 8% per year. “It doesn’t take too many years to double.”

The agreement between the two Star Alliance partners also outlines Tourism New Zealand’s commitment to growing inbound tourism from the Indian market.

Research from the organization suggests 18 million people in New Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai are actively considering traveling to New Zealand, making it a key emerging market.

More than 80,000 international travellers arrived from India last year, a 23% rise on 2019, with 72% traveling during off-peak months.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran also emphasized India’s growing significance as a travel market: “This codeshare agreement is an important first step, offering more options for customers while we work to understand what a direct service could look like.”

Tourism New Zealand’s Efforts in India

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to India marks a broader push for increased tourism and economic partnerships.

With India poised to become the fifth-largest outbound travel market by 2027, New Zealand is positioning itself as a premier destination for Indian tourists.

Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy also talked about the importance of this growing market: “India is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing tourism sources. By improving air connectivity and launching high-impact marketing initiatives, we aim to convert strong traveler interest into increased arrivals.”

Recognizing the trend of off-season travel from India, Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Airport and Air New Zealand also signed an agreement committing investment to a joint seasonal marketing campaign to build demand and drive off-peak visitation to New Zealand.

Tourism New Zealand also signed joint venture agreements with nine Indian travel trade partners to promote travel to New Zealand during winter and spring. The companies included MakeMyTrip.com, EaseMyTrip.com, Thomas Cook (India), SOTC Travel,  Pickyourtrail,  Veena World, Flamingo Transworld, Kesari Tours and Kulin Kumar Holidays.

On Wednesday, Tourism New Zealand also announced an exclusive winter campaign to inspire Indian travelers to visit the country during winter.

Hospitality Tech Partnerships

Beyond aviation, New Zealand is deepening its economic engagement with India through strategic business collaborations.

STAAH, a global hospitality technology firm with its headquarters in New Zealand, signed an agreement with The Clarks Hotels & Resorts in New Delhi, highlighting the role of technology in India’s booming hospitality industry.

Prime Minister Luxon remarked on the growing bilateral relationship: “While cricket remains a strong cultural connection between India and New Zealand, there are several other areas where both countries can collaborate and build meaningful partnerships. Technology and hospitality are two such sectors with immense potential to drive growth.”