Air New Zealand to Debut New 787 Business Class on Auckland–Vancouver Route

Early next year, Air New Zealand will debut its first retrofitted Boeing 787, which will feature a new business class cabin.

As first reported by FlightGlobal, Vancouver is slated to be the first long-haul destination to offer the new cabin, which also features a new Business Premier Luxe seat.

Air New Zealand to Debut New 787 Business Class on Auckland–Vancouver Route

Air New Zealand is in the process of retrofitting its entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The airline is spending just shy of $300 million (USD) to retrofit all 14 of its 787-9 Dreamliners over the next two years.

In an interview posted earlier this week, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran confirmed the first retrofitted aircraft will likely be seen on the Auckland–Vancouver route, with more destinations added as each upgraded 787 rolls out of the hangar.

Once complete, the upgraded aircraft will feature 272 seats across four cabins: economy, premium economy, Business Premier (the airline’s new business class), as well as the introduction of a new Business Premier Luxe product.

Air New Zealand’s new Business Premier seats are angled inwards in a 1-2-1 herringbone configuration. The seats feature a 24-inch entertainment screen, wireless device charging, a vanity mirror, and Bluetooth audio.

At the front of the cabin, there are four Business Premier Luxe seats, which boast an elevated passenger experience. These bulkhead seats feature a sliding door, extra room to host a companion in the suite, and an ottoman.

Other upgrades will include new carpet throughout the aircraft, new wallpaper in all washrooms, new entertainment screens, and the addition of a Sky Pantry in economy.

It’s worth noting that Air New Zealand also expects to begin taking delivery of new Dreamliners towards the end of 2025, which will also feature the new Business Premier and Business Premier Luxe seats, as well as the unique SkyNest product in economy.

Booking Air New Zealand Flights on Points

Air New Zealand is a member of Star Alliance, which means that you should be able to book award flights with the airline through programs of other Star Alliance carriers.

For North Americans, the best programs to book Air New Zealand flights are Air Canada Aeroplan, avianca lifemiles, and United MileagePlus.

You can also book Air New Zealand flights through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

A one-way flight between Auckland and Vancouver will have the following costs with the different programs:

• Air Canada Aeroplan: 75,000 points
• avianca lifemiles: 80,000 points
• United MileagePlus: 110,000 miles
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 62,500 Virgin Points

The major caveat here is that Air New Zealand business class award seats are notoriously limited compared to many other airlines.

Your best chance at scoring a seat is to look at last-minute award availability within around a month of departure.

Conclusion

The much anticipated debut of Air New Zealand’s new Business Premier and Business Premier Luxe products could finally happen in February 2025, and it sounds like Vancouver will be amongst the first destinations to feature it.

The new business class cabin is an upgrade compared to the current product offered on Air New Zealand’s fleet; however, it doesn’t quite stack up to many of the new business class products that other airlines have launched in the recent past.

If you have your eyes set on a trip to New Zealand in 2025 and beyond, be sure to keep an eye out for the new cabin on Air New Zealand flights from North America.