Hawaii continues to be a popular holiday destination for New Zealanders wanting to escape winter, or just needing somewhere to relax. The balance of beach life, Hawaiian culture and retail therapy provides something for everyone (even a collector of vintage travel posters).
With that in mind it was excellent to see Air New Zealand announcement that from 10 May 2016 it has introduced a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner onto the Auckland / Honolulu route. The replacement of aging Boeing 767-300s is welcome news to many - especially Business Class passengers to Hawaii who will welcome the additional comfort of the more modern Business Class offering.
According to Air New Zealand:
The Dreamliner offers the airline's award-winning Economy Skycouch™, comfortable ink-coloured luxury leather seats with leg rests in Premium Economy, and lie-flat beds in Business Premier.
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The overnight flight and benefits of the higher humidity and lower cabin altitude on the revolutionary Dreamliner means customers can arrive feeling relaxed and more refreshed.
As part of Fine Travel's Business Class expertise, we monitor and publish the latest Business Class specials to Hawaii (and the long-term fares are worth checking given the competition).
Although longer than flights to Rarotonga or Fiji, the 8 1/2 hour flight from Auckland to Honolulu is overnight which, if you can sleep (and potentially get the kids to sleep) can be less disruptive than expected.
Increased competition from Hawaiian Airlines has seen the frequency of flights to Honolulu increase and the cost of airfares fall. With winter now rapidly approaching after a warm start to Autumn, holiday packages to Hawaii are moving close to the top of everyone's to do list.