Jetstar unveils new New Zealand route

Jetstar has just announced it will be launching a new direct route from Sydney to a popular tourist destination as of June next year.

Jetstar has announced it will launch a new route between Sydney and Hamilton in New Zealand – a particularly exciting move for Lord of the Rings fans.

The North Island destination is popular for its Hobbiton Movie Set, the Waitomo glowworm caves and the Rotorua hot springs.

The Hobbiton Movie Set has long been home to the famous Hobbit holes seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, attracting visitors from all over the world.

Flights from Sydney to Hamilton will kick off next year from June 16 and operate up to four times per week.

Jetstar will fly from Sydney to Hamilton in NZ, from next June.

“This will be the first time Jetstar has ever flown to and from Hamilton and will unlock more than 75,000 new low fares seats between Sydney and New Zealand’s North Island each year,” Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said.

“The new service will provide cheaper and more convenient access from east-coast Australia to holiday hot spots like Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty, as well as bring thousands of tourists to Sydney, injecting millions of dollars into the New South Wales tourism economy.”

Travellers will have access the region’s iconic tourism attractions including the Hobbiton movie set tours. Picture: Larnie Nicolson Photography

The Hobbiton Movie Set has long been home to the famous Hobbit holes seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. Picture: Larnie Nicolson Photography

Greg Botham, Sydney Airport’s group executive, aviation growth and group strategy, said the direct service to Hamilton will help provide fast and convenient access to Waikato’s world-class tourist attractions from hobbits to hot springs.

It’s also home to the Waitomo glowworm caves and the Rotorua hot springs. Picture: Shaun Jeffers/Hamilton & Waikato Tourism

“The addition of Hamilton also locks Sydney in as the Australian gateway to New Zealand. With more than two-million annual passengers between Sydney and NZ it’s second only to the USA as our largest international destination.

“Passengers connecting from other international services and Australian cities will now have more choice than ever before for their onward journey across the ditch.”

The new route will see Sydney maintain its crown as the number one port in Australia for Trans-Tasman travel.

In celebration of the route, the budget airline will launch a 24-hour Route Launch Sale from 10am on Monday, September 16 AEST, with fares from Sydney to Hamilton starting from $159. Visit the Jetstar website for more details.

Jetstar continues to expand its network having recently announced direct flights to Osaka and the inaugural Sydney to Vanuatu route getting underway on December 12, 2024.