United connects with Delta with a direct route to New Zealand

United plans to open a new route with a direct flight from California to New Zealand starting Dec. 1.

“Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia provide unrivaled connectivity, and combined with our historic expansion to five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear choice for customer travel to the region,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president. Head of Global Network Planning and Alliances.

The airline plans to operate 66 flights per week to the region, including Australia, so United will operate nearly 40% more flights to the South Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2023-2024 compared to last year’s winter.

As reported REPORTUR.us, Delta already operates a direct route from Los Angeles to New Zealand. For this, the American company uses Airbus A350-900 with executive, premium economy and economy cabins. (Delta flies daily from Los Angeles to New Zealand.)

The airline will also introduce seasonal flights between Atlanta and Nice, France starting May 12. Delta will operate the route daily until September 29 with Boeing 767s, making it the only operator in the market. The newly announced routes are part of Delta’s broader international expansion plans for this year.