Travellers itching to get to Thailand will soon be able to travel there faster, with Thai Airways confirming the return of its non-stop flight route from Auckland to Bangkok in the second half of 2026.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw a halt to flights, which included the direct link between the two cities, shutting down in March 2020. Since then, travellers have had to stop in Australia or other Asian cities. Thai Airways had previously held the direct service between Auckland for 30 years.

The route is a key part of the airline’s long-haul restoration and expansion into Southeast Asia and comes on high demand. Stuff reported Tourism New Zealand visitor numbers to Thailand in November last year at 48,000 – which were near pre-pandemic levels.

According to Auckland Airport, the flight is expected to generate more than $250 million a year in New Zealand visitor spending.

The journey will take just under 12 hours with a price tag of around $1700-2000 return.

Further details on the launch date and aircraft type are expected to be released by Thai Airways in coming months.