Air New Zealand Air New Zealand is New Zealand's national airline and is part of a group of companies that operate international and domestic New Zealand air services, providing passenger and cargo air transport within New Zealand and on international routes to and from Australia, the South West Pacific, Asia, North America and the United Kingdom.

Air New Zealand is a member of the Star Alliance. The airline has a brand of regional airlines called Air New Zealand, which includes Nelson Airways and Mount Cook Airways, and its largest air base is in Auckland.

The history of Air New Zealand can be traced back to 1940, when its predecessor, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), was established. The first route operated by Tasman Empire Airways was a seaplane service from New Zealand to Australia.

Since then Tasman Empire Airways has been on a steady growth path, expanding the scale and scope of its business and expanding its international routes. In addition to the international services provided by Tasman Empire, the New Zealand government established the National Airways Corporation (NAC) in 1947, the latter being the main provider of domestic air services between the country's major centers, provinces and counties. It and Tasmanian Empire laid the foundation for what is now Air New Zealand.

In April 1965, Tasmanian Imperial Airways was renamed Air New Zealand and continued to offer only international services. In May 1999, Air New Zealand became a full member of the Star Alliance.

Air New Zealand has been the number one airline for five consecutive years, and it was voted by Condé Nast Traveler readers as the best airline outside the United States. Its consistently record-breaking financial performance, flight innovation, environmental leadership, young fleet and employee motivation have made it a trendsetter in the industry. Although Air New Zealand does not have a first class cabin or dedicated business lounge, it has won the majority of passengers' hearts and minds, earning the Best Luxury Economy Class award for first-class service.