Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Air New Zealand (ANZ) have agreed to form an alliance, which could boost their capacity between the two countries by up to 30%.
The alliance will enable ANZ to fly the Auckland-Singapore route again and SIA to operate the Airbus A380 to New Zealand for the first time. ANZ last operated to Singapore in 2006.
SIA's daily service between Singapore and Christchurch will continue under the alliance.
SIA's A380 will be operated daily between Singapore and Auckland, replacing an existing daily service with a B777-300ER.
ANZ, meanwhile, will launch daily services between Auckland and Singapore using newly refitted B777-200ER aircraft, taking over five flights currently operated by SIA and adding two more weekly flights, increasing the frequency to daily.
ANZ, CEO, Christopher Luxon, said: "ANZ is on a positive growth trajectory with a clear focus on Pacific Rim destinations.
"An alliance with SIA clearly fits our business objectives of working with the right partners in the right markets to deliver seamless customer journeys."
SIA CEO Choon Phong said the alliance is further proof of its commitment to the Southwest Pacific market.
The deal also includes a codeshare agreement that would allow Air New Zealand passengers to travel on codeshare flights with Singapore Airlines to destinations in South East Asia, Europe and Africa.