Faraway getaway
Fort Worth-based American Airlines adds new nonstop flights to picturesque island nation
American Airlines is making it easier for North Texans to visit the country where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed.
The Fort Worth-based airline announced May 26 that it’s launching daily nonstop flights between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Auckland, New Zealand, on October 29. The nonstop service, which will operate through March 25, will be the first between the two cities.
The airline had said in 2019 that it would start DFW-Auckland service in 2020, but that plan was put on hold due to the pandemic. Located in the South Pacific and known for its stunning landscapes, New Zealand is home to a little over 5 million people.
“Auckland joins a lineup of exciting international destinations that we offer from DFW, and as DFW’s hometown airline, we are proud to open the splendors of New Zealand to our local customers and those who connect through DFW from across our global network,” Jim Moses, American’s vice president of DFW operations, says in a news release.
The service will operate on Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
DFW “is one of the most connected airports in the world, and American Airlines’ service to Auckland will provide an additional, convenient choice for our customers,” says John Ackerman, the airport’s executive vice of president global strategy and development. “DFW is one of just a handful of global gateway airports that grew international destinations over the last two years, and this flight will further strengthen our connectedness and demonstrates that international travel demand is returning.”
The daily flight from DFW to Auckland will take off at 10:30 pm and arrive at either 7:45 or 8:45 am, depending on seasonal time changes. The daily flight from Auckland to DFW will depart at 12:40 or 1:40 pm, depending on seasonal time changes, and land at 8:45 am.
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