Introducing a new era of travel: Air New Zealand unveils fully redesigned 787-9 Dreamliner

In what is a proud moment in Air New Zealand’s 85-year history, from Wednesday 7 May, customers will be able to book seats on the airline’s highly anticipated all-new cabin experience.

This world-first retrofitted 787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZH is in Auckland undergoing final testing before it takes to the skies for the first time on Monday 19 May, flying Auckland to Brisbane. Later that evening, the aircraft will complete its first long haul service from Auckland to San Francisco.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran says it’s an incredibly special moment to launch the future of flying with Air New Zealand.

“This aircraft spent 184 days in Singapore being retrofitted, the result of several years of extensive research, innovation, and design by our team to deliver a world-class onboard experience.

“This is the first ever full nose-to-tail retrofit of a 787-9 Dreamliner and marks the introduction of our first new onboard product in over 15 years. We’ve completely reimagined the experience of flying with Air New Zealand, incorporating elegant design elements, innovative Kiwi touches, and features informed by feedback from thousands of customers.

“As the national carrier, it’s an immense privilege to showcase the best of New Zealand, and this is woven into every detail of our cabin design – from the textures you touch to the spaces you relax in, every element is a nod to our home, Aotearoa.”

The airline’s second 787-9 is up in Singapore undergoing its retrofit, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand’s fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.

Customers can expect an elevated experience throughout the aircraft, with new seats in every cabin, an all-new inflight entertainment system, larger inflight entertainment screens, clever stowage options, and additional privacy in the premium cabins.

Aircraft featuring the new cabin experience will fly predominantly between Auckland and Brisbane, San Francisco, Rarotonga, and Vancouver, with more routes to follow as more of the retrofits are complete.

Introducing the new cabin experience

Business Premier

Our new Business Premier seats have a new angle and layout, meaning additional privacy and space.

Sliding privacy screens, wireless charging, and a 24″ inflight entertainment screen
Middle seats with a sliding divider, perfect for travel companions
Full lie-flat recline with a clever headrest lift for prime movie-watching or mid-flight novels
Business Premier Luxe

Four all-new seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin. Business Premier Luxe will be able to be booked as a paid seat select product when purchasing a Business Premier seat.

It has all the features of Business Premier, along with:

Full closing door, a larger bed, and additional space with room for two to dine
Premium Economy

Our new Premium Economy gives customer more privacy and thoughtful storage to help make the space their own.

All seats have a fixed outer shell, meaning your recline doesn’t impact the person behind you
Side wings on the seat provide extra privacy
More storage space keeps your essentials within easy reach
Economy

You don’t need to turn left to experience the future of flying with Air New Zealand.

50% bigger inflight entertainment screens, clever little snack trays, and the new Economy Stretch option to give your legs a holiday too
Clever stowage options include a small tray table for snacks or your phone, and an elastic holder for your passport or papers
Digital Innovation & Inflight Entertainment

You’ll find digital innovation in every cabin.

4K HD screens with Bluetooth audio pairing
Use your phone like a remote, build a watchlist, track your flight, or multitask with Picture-in-Picture functionality