Air New Zealand Reveals All-New Cabins On Retrofitted Boeing 787-9
This is the Kiwi carrier's first cabin refresh in over 15 years.
Air New Zealand’s future inflight experience is now just weeks away, as the airline reveals its first retrofitted Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The upgraded aircraft marks the airline’s first major cabin overhaul in more than 15 years, with a completely redesigned interior across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy.
The retrofit introduces new seats in every cabin, alongside an all-new Panasonic Astrova inflight entertainment system with 4K HD screens, more charging options, enhanced storage, and improved privacy in premium cabins. Business sees the most significant transformation, with stylish lie-flat seats arranged for greater privacy and comfort replacing the old “coffin class” setup often criticised by frequent flyers.
Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran was proud to showcase the improved cabin and future Air New Zealand experience.
“As the national carrier, it’s an immense privilege to showcase the best of New Zealand...incorporating elegant design elements, innovative Kiwi touches, and features informed by feedback from thousands of customers.”
“This is the first ever full nose-to-tail retrofit of a 787-9 Dreamliner…This aircraft spent 184 days in Singapore being retrofitted, the result of several years of extensive research,” adds Foran.
The first retrofitted aircraft, ZK-NZH, is currently undergoing final testing in Auckland and will enter commercial service on Monday 19 May, operating NZ145 and NZ146 between Auckland and Brisbane. That same evening, it will fly its first long-haul route from Auckland to San Francisco as NZ8. These flights are already available for booking, with Air New Zealand to update seat maps and add-ons across its systems from Wednesday 7 May.
Work is already underway to retrofit the airline’s second Boeing 787-9, with a total of seven aircraft expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 14 Boeing 787-9s in Air New Zealand’s fleet will be updated to the new cabin layout by the end of 2026.
Aircraft featuring the new cabin experience will fly predominantly between Auckland and Brisbane, San Francisco, Rarotonga, and Vancouver, with more routes to follow as more retrofits are complete.
