New Zealand flights etc

stannyman_2

Hi guys,
Looking into going to NZ in Jan 2015 for 3 weeks for 29 anniversary. What I want to know from you that have been is the flights to choose where to stop off how long to stop off of just get there. Which route is best. Airlines which is the best ones. We have family in Nelson which is south of the north island.
Thanks stannyman

mgdavid

depends on your criteria (which you haven't told us).
- cost?
- shortest flight time?
- fewest stops?
- want a stopover in somewhere interesting?
- is seat room or cabin service important to you?

fufu_banterwaite

stannyman wrote: »

Hi guys,
Looking into going to NZ in Jan 2015 for 3 weeks for 29 anniversary. What I want to know from you that have been is the flights to choose where to stop off how long to stop off of just get there. Which route is best. Airlines which is the best ones. We have family in Nelson which is south of the north island.
Thanks stannyman

If you can make your posts a bit more intelligible then you might get some more replies.

growler834

Flying via west - Air New Zealand are good & you can stopover in LA for a couple of days. Flying via east - Singapore Airlines are the best & stopover in Singapore for a couple of days.

zagfles

You need to think about how much time you have, whether you want to see somewhere on the way (if so where - more interest in the US or SE Asia?) or just get there as quick as possible, how well you sleep on flights etc.

We went on Singapore Airlines who are excellent, and booked the transit hotel on the way out, see https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4796123

richardw

Where are you in the UK?

agrinnall

While Nelson is indeed south of the North Island (well, most of it, it's north of a small part of the North Island), it's a strange way to word it so I thought I'd just make sure that you know it's actually at the north end of the South Island.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Nelson,+New+Zealand/@-41.2849672,173.266094,7z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x6d3becc491b72e7d:0xa00ef88e796a480

blindman

stannyman wrote: »

Hi guys,
Looking into going to NZ in Jan 2015 for 3 weeks for 29 anniversary. What I want to know from you that have been is the flights to choose where to stop off how long to stop off of just get there. Which route is best. Airlines which is the best ones. We have family in Nelson which is south of the north island.
Thanks stannyman

Well it could be but it's actually North in South Island :cool:

If you only have 3 weeks do not stopover anywhere as you have too liitle time in NZ anyway.

We did LHR-FRA-Tokyo (3 nights) Christchurch-AKL-SYD (23hrs NYE ) -IST(1 night)-LHR

5 weeks which was barely enough to scratch the surface.

BTW our relatives are in Wakefield North in South Island (and spookily Wakefield West Yorks:D )

Airline
Air NewZealand (+ others)

danandjens_worldtravels

I've done it with Air Asia via Australia (Virgin Australia) for the last hop over to NZ. Wouldn't recommend it and not sure its even possible to do it any more. Into Christchurch (middle of South Island). It is still possible to get to Christchurch of course!

Malaysian Airways with a 3 month stop over in KL (I went travelling). A few days in Kuala Lumpur is nice, always good hotels at cheap prices. Malaysian Airlines goes to Auckland.

Singapore Airlines with a 13 hr stop over in Singapore. We went to the swimming pool and had a sleep on the loungers, then went off into Singapore for a few hours. The airport does a short tour. This went via Sydney and into Queenstown (south of the South Island)

I've found the first leg of all these journeys, to the airlines country of origin to be great, and the second leg to the destination to be not as good. OK but not as nice as the first leg (maybe the thrill had worn off by this point).

I think you need to decide where you are flying into in NZ and think about how you will get to Nelson. e.g flying or driving? If you are flying into Nelson (possible with air NZ domestic) you will need to consider your luggage as once you are off the big flights you will have to pay extra for it.

Cathy Pacific have a sale on at the moment around 800 to Auckland return but never flown with them or been to HK.

An all in one trip means you will be tired, but if you have a lot of luggage its nice not to have to see it again until you are at your destination. Its around a 24hour actual flying time to NZ. Lots of people will take 3 days stopover to minimise the jet lag and see the 'stop over' place, but thats 3 days lost of exploring NZ. IMO if its a place you've never been KL, Sydney, Singapore, HK stop, relax and explore.

Check out transfercar.co.nz for car relocations, depending on where you are flying in you may be able to 'relocate' a hire car for much cheaper then renting one. I've relocated Auckland to Christchurch (and they pay for the ferry sometimes) and between Christchurch and Queenstown both directions. It could influence your flight decision if they have relocations available.

And for activities bookme.co.nz is a great site.

bylromarha

Don't waste your NZ time doing a stopover. We were there for just over 3 weeks in our campervan and we missed out so much.

FWIW, we flew Air NZ with a 3 hour plane change in LA. They were good to us and our then 15 month old toddler.

stannyman_2

Ok,
Opps Nelson is north of the south island. It's going to be down to cost, so the cheapest route, less time travel will put up with economy seats, leg room, so probably going to be LA route. Live in Yorkshire son Man airport but could go down to London to fly too. But if I went the Asia route what happens if layover say 10 hours do you take your luggage off I don't know how it works. Do you have time to go anywhere?
Will hire a car in Christchurch and drive to Nelson. Anybody done that?