Air New Zealand recognised for taking Kiwi excellence sky-high

From seats to sustainability, New Zealand’s national airline has collected a swag of international awards that celebrate people, innovation and entertainment, and proudly fly the flag for Aotearoa.

Named Oceania’s Leading Airline and Oceania’s Leading Airline Brand at the World Travel Awards 2025, as well as World’s Safest Airline 2025, Air New Zealand also took home Forbes Travel Guide’s Innovation of the Year for its revolutionary Skycouch seats, judged by an invitation-only panel of travel experts and luxury industry professionals recognising excellence in innovation and customer experience worldwide.

Air New Zealand was also recognised as the Best Overall Airline in the South Pacific for 2026 by APEX, while readers of USA TODAY’s 10BEST Awards voted the airline among the world’s favourites, placing 2nd for Best Airline, 2nd for Best Cabin Crew, 2nd for Best Airline Food, and 3rd for both Business Class and Inflight Entertainment.

The airline also ranked as the Third Best Airline in the World in AirlineRatings.com’s 2025 global rankings, further cementing its reputation as a world-class carrier delivering safety, quality and innovation across every touchpoint.

Across the ditch, the Kiwi carrier is being recognised too – named Australia’s most trusted airline in the Finder Awards as well as taking out the top value frequent flyer programme.

Air New Zealand has also been recognised for its commitment to sustainability, winning the Asia Pacific CAPA Environmental Sustainability Award of the Year for 2025 and acknowledged by IATA for leadership in Sustainable Procurement.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Digital Officer Jeremy O’Brien says the recognition reflects the talent, creativity and commitment of the airline’s people.

It’s fantastic to see Air New Zealand recognised alongside some of the biggest and best carriers in the world. It’s a reflection of New Zealand and where we come from, as well as our people on the ground and in the air who work tirelessly to deliver an experience that feels genuinely Kiwi.

These awards belong to our team, and to our customers, who continue to support and believe in what we do. Our teams have ensured our manaaki and care continue to shine through, and it’s that unwavering commitment that’s clearly turning heads on the global stage" says Jeremy O’Brien.

The recognition caps off a huge year of progress and innovation for the airline. Highlights include retrofitting its 787-9 Dreamliners with all-new cabins and inflight entertainment systems, launching its first electric aircraft programme with BETA Technologies, unveiling a new uniform celebrating Aotearoa’s culture and creativity, and supporting 19 regional events across New Zealand through its Regional Events Sponsorship programme.

Beyond the skies, Air New Zealand was again named New Zealand’s Most Attractive Employer, a title it has now held for three consecutive years.

Awards are wonderful recognition, but they’re also motivation to keep moving forward" says Jeremy O’Brien. "We’ll continue to innovate, evolve and do what we do best, taking care of our customers and showcasing the very best of New Zealand to the world"

About Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand’s story started in 1940, first taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most efficient jets and turboprops. It’s a modern fuel-efficient fleet with an average age of 9.9 years. Air New Zealand’s global network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2024, the airline flew more than 16 million passengers. Air New Zealand was named 2025 World’s Safest Airline by the Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the airline’s laser-focus on safety.

Air New Zealand has a well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to 20 different regions around New Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to major cities across Australia, the Pacific Islands, Asia and North America, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners, offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide the airline’s efforts in tackling some of New Zealand’s and the world’s most complex challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand’s loyalty programme, is seen as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members. It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.

About Star Alliance

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United.

Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 16,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 186 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.

For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com