UPDATED 8.36am: Air New Zealand has confirmed it will add direct long-haul flights between Auckland and Vietnam.

The airline's just announced it's to begin flights to Ho Chi Minh City.

They'll operate three times a week between June and October next year.

LISTEN: JMIS director Andrew Kelleher speaks with Tim Wilson

Air New Zealand's Boeing 767-300 will make the journey in 11 hours.

It follows other recent route announcements involving Houston and Buenos Aires.

Another long-haul route announcement is also expected next year.

Editor in Chief of Flightpath magazine Geoffrey Thomas expects Air New Zealand to be innovative with its plans moving forward, particularly with the increased interest from international airlines in New Zealand.

Despite all this, Thomas is telling customers not to expect a price war, saying flights are cheaper here than they’ve ever been before.

“There’ll be a little bit of a skirmish with some cheap affairs in the market, but the reality will quickly return and air fares will return to their normal levels.”