It takes just three hours to make the hop across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. And with over 787,000 passengers recorded in 2022, Sydney to Auckland is the region’s busiest international route.

Passengers have a choice of five carriers between the two cities - Jetstar, Qantas, Air New Zealand, AirAsia X, and LATAM. How do these airlines compare in terms of schedule, price, and overall passenger experience?

Jetstar

Jetstar flies the route once per day with its all-economy class Airbus A320. The flight originates in Auckland, departing New Zealand at 06:20 and arriving in Sydney at 08:00 before heading back at 09:05.

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Jetstar offers a cheap, no-frills service, with basic one-way fares usually starting at around AU$200 ($129). Food, seat selection, and check-in baggage all cost extra. That said, as a subsidiary of Qantas, flying with Jetstar offers those with high enough Qantas or oneworld frequent flyer status access to the Qantas lounges found at both ends of the route.

Qantas

Qantas is a big player on this route, with up to six flights per day, as per the following schedule:

The airline's schedule on the return leg from Auckland to Sydney looks like this:

Qantas' flights between Sydney and Melbourne are all operated by the Boeing 737-800, except for QF3/4, which sees the airline's Boeing 787-9. Flight QF3/4 connects Sydney to New York (JFK) via Auckland - a route started by the airline earlier this year.

Qantas has fifth freedom rights to carry passengers between Auckland and New York, so passengers opting to travel on the airline's Boeing 787 between Sydney and Auckland will be treated to a much-improved onboard offering compared to the carrier's 737s, particularly those in business class.

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Food, drinks, and check-in luggage are all complimentary on Qantas. Being a oneworld member, the airline also offers points and status-earning opportunities, as well as lounge excess to eligible passengers.

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand also operates up to six flights per day from its Auckland hub to Sydney:

The carrier's return flights from Sydney to Auckland operate as per the following schedule:

Half of Air New Zealand's flights are operated by widebody aircraft, giving the carrier much higher seat capacity across the Tasman Sea than its Australian rival. The airline's Boeing 777-300ERs and 787-9s also offer a premium economy cabin.

Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

One-way fares can be found for around AU$300 ($194). Eligible Air New Zealand and Star Alliance frequent flyers benefit from lounge access in both Auckland and Sydney, too.

AirAsia X

Following the pandemic, AirAsia X returned to New Zealand at the end of 2022. The long-haul low-cost carrier now operates daily flights between Sydney and Auckland as a continuation of flight D7288/289, originating at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). Flights utilize the Airbus A330-300.

Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock

With fares coming in as low as AU$150 ($97) one-way, AirAsia X offers the cheapest tickets of all five airlines on the route. Food, seat selection, and check-in baggage cost extra.

LATAM

LATAM is another airline to operate between Sydney and Auckland as a fifth-freedom route. The flights are part of LATAM's daily Santiago-Auckland-Sydney service and are operated by the airline's Boeing 787s.

Fares start at around AU$300 ($194) each way, putting LATAM on par with the other full-service carriers to operate the route, Qantas and Air New Zealand. Like Qantas, LATAM is a oneworld airline offering passengers all the membership benefits.

Photo: Omar F Martinez | Shutterstock

With up to 15 daily flights operated by five airlines, passengers are able to choose a time, price, and level of service that best suits them. Budget-conscious travelers may be drawn to the likes of Jetstar and AirAsia X, while frequent flyer members are more likely to remain loyal to the route's home carriers, Qantas and Air New Zealand. Meanwhile, those looking to try out a different airline far from home could opt for LATAM.

Which is your favorite airline that operates between Sydney and Auckland? Do you fly on the route regularly? Share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below.