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Travelling from London to New Zealand during the pandemic
Flight times to New Zealand from the UK and Major European Cities
| Flying to New Zealand from: | Flight time to Auckland |
|---|---|
| London (via Asia) | 24 |
| Frankfurt | 23.5 |
| Stockholm | 26.5 |
| Oslo | 25 |
| Dublin | 28 |
| Copenhagen | 24 |
| Zurich | 23 |
There are a few ways of making the trip to New Zealand more pleasant.
Average direct flight time is 22 hours 47 minutes.
The fastest direct flight from England to New Zealand is 22 hours 47 minutes.
A distance of 11,627 miles / 18,712 km
Related: Return journey New Zealand to England flight duration
Short Stopovers – Let me off this plane so I can explore a new city!
The second option is to plan a stopover and break up the journey. Short stopovers of 12 hours are great for getting some vertical time at a hotel and also for stretching your legs. Some people like to explore a city for the full day and then return to the aircraft ready to snooze for the remaining journey. A full 24 hours or more of stopover time will give you the best of both. Obviously, this adds an extra day to your journey but for many people, breaking up the journey like this can reduce the jet lag effects. So, in effect, there’s no time lost. Longer stopovers are also great for seeing a new city for free.
If you can work it into your itinerary, even 12 hours is enough to see parts of wonderful cities in Asia and the US.
Let’s look at your options for flying from Europe to our little islands on the other side of the world.
From the UK (and almost anywhere in Europe) you can fly to New Zealand via Asia or the US. The Asia route is shorter and more popular. The further south and east you go in Europe the shorter the trip to New Zealand via this part of the world.
A great option from London (or most of the other cities on the list below) is to fly via Dubai. Most London-Dubai flights leave in the evening time so you can snooze on the plane. When you arrive in Dubai early the next day youll be ready for a days adventure in the city.
Emirates Airways operate one of the longest flights in the world from Dubai airport. At 16 hours from Dubai to Auckland it’s currently the world’s longest commercial flight but will soon be beaten by the upcoming London to Perth direct route operate by Qantas. Dubai is not for everyone but it certainly has the wow factor. The world’s tallest building, mega-rich jet setters, the world’s largest man-made island, and the 5th largest mall in the world are all here. The summer months (June – August) can be quite hot in Dubai but winter months (Dec-Feb) are pleasant and temperatures sit around 20C. Every building has air conditioning and there are plenty of places to escape the heat.
You can also fly from London to Auckland via Bangkok, one of the world’s most exciting cities. Bangkok is exactly halfway between both cities and is an excellent stopover choice. Flight times are 11 and a half hours on each leg. Stopover times can be as little as 2 hours but Bangkok is an easy city to navigate and a great introduction to Asia so we’d recommend spending a few days here if you can. It’s a safe city, the people are friendly and the food is amazing. Thai Airways, Air New Zealand, Emirates, and British Airways are some of the airlines that fly to all three cities.
Another city on the stopover list and one that we’ll put near the top of our must-see-cities list is Singapore. The city-state at the bottom of Malaysia is one of the world’s best food destinations. Singapore a melting pot of cultures, mostly from Asia but there is a very large non-Asian expat community here. Think of the city as an easy entry to Asia. If you’ve never been to Asia this is a good (if not totally representative) introduction. Check out the truly beautiful Supertree grove, the Marina Bay Sands hotel, and the preserved colonial architecture. As one of the world’s safest cities, Singapore is perfect for a short stopover to relax and break up a long journey.
Hong Kong is another Air New Zealand stopover more or less halfway between Europe and New Zealand. A thoroughly modern city with plenty of history stuffed into every corner, Hong Kong is one of the most interesting cities in Asia. Land is hard to come by here so naturally, rent is high for those that live in the city. But you don’t have to worry about that as a tourist. Hotel rates are reasonable enough so you can enjoy the city without the high cost of living there. Try the amazing food (we recommend Dim Sum), the tram up to Victoria Peak, and the Star Ferry passenger trip over to Kowloon. You can even visit the island of Macau if you’re staying any longer than a day. Hong Kong is small but there is a lot packed into this little space.
A less direct route between Europe and New Zealand takes you to Tokyo, the capital of Japan and the world’s biggest city. Tokyo is not as expensive as many people think and it can be quite affordable for short trips. The city offers many attractions and places of cultural interest. Japanese culture is fascinating and Tokyo is ground zero for everything new, exciting, and wacky in Japan. Take time to visit the beautiful gardens, shrines, and public squares that are very well preserved and open to visitors.
Air New Zealand operates a codeshare from the UK to New Zealand via the US. The stopover city is Los Angeles and what a great city to explore! This is especially true if it’s your first time in that part of the world. LA never ceases to amaze. Note that flying via the United States adds on another 6 hours total journey time so it’s not the best choice if you’re in a hurry.
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