Air New Zealand is super-sizing its capacity on the Queenstown-Auckland route this July school holidays due to demand. 

The national airline will 'upgauge' its 140 return services between June 29 and July 26 - using the larger A321neo aircraft rather than the A320.

This means it will have more capacity than it did in the same period last year. 

Air New Zealand general manager networks Scott Carr said it will also use its 302-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on 16 return services between Auckland and Christchurch between July 1 and 19, providing an additional 10,000 seats.

“We’ll also add capacity to all of our other main trunk routes – from Auckland to Wellington, Dunedin and Queenstown, as well from Wellington to Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown through either extra flights or by upgauging to larger aircraft," Scott said.

"This is great news for tourism and those wanting to hit the slopes," Scott said.

The capacity increase announcement was welcomed by local ski fields which are due to open over the next week.

“That is absolutely brilliant news, it’s a gift to help us get back up and running, just great news,” Cardrona Ski Resort and Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky said.

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker, who represents Queenstown, said the news from Air New Zealand was very encouraging. 

"This is just what the doctor ordered for our resort town which has been the worst affected district in New Zealand as a result of COVID-19. This will give businesses some confidence to keep staff employed to handle this upcoming demand.”

PHOTO: Supplied