Skip to main content

Air New Zealand creates Christmas Day magic in the skies

Air New Zealand holds on board Christmas celebration

By Mark Reif Published December 27, 2024

Air New Zealand widebody aircraft — Air New Zealand

On December 24, Air New Zealand flight N27 took off from San Francisco en route to Auckland, New Zealand. While that might seem like an ideal way to get home for the holidays, there was one problem: the 12-hour flight would cross the international date line, skipping December 25, and landing on the 26th. That meant passengers would miss Christmas Day.

But Air New Zealand had other plans, transforming the aircraft’s interior into a Christmas Day refuge, bringing over 200 travelers a festival of holiday magic. Here’s what happened aboard the 787 Dreamliner.

Recommended Videos

A Christmas celebration aboard Flight N27

Air New Zealand Christmas flight — Air New Zealand

During the flight, customers enjoyed dazzling lights and magical touches, bringing Christmas Day to the skies. Air New Zealand executives described the experience.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran commented: “Every detail was designed to bring the magic of Christmas to life, even at 30,000 feet. It’s our way of spreading some Air New Zealand manaaki to one lucky flight full of festive travelers this year. What a terrific way to celebrate Christmas in the skies.”

Air New Zealand’s Grace Blewitt added: “The holidays are a time to come together with loved ones, and we know missing Christmas Day can clip the wings of that festive feeling. So, we decided to sleigh expectations and create a sky-high celebration like no other, sprinkling some magic on this journey. Our incredible team lit up the cabin interiors with a festive light display, taking travelers on a journey from a snowy northern hemisphere Christmas to the sunny summer beach Christmas in Aotearoa.”

“Passengers were treated to a Christmas feast, featuring a holiday menu that included a traditional Christmas roast with succulent turkey, sweet potato mash, and a decadent Christmas yule log for dessert. Our holidaymakers also received a set of thoughtful gifts to commemorate the unique journey. Among the surprises were a custom-designed Christmas tree decoration and a charming aircraft-shaped Christmas cookie as sweet souvenirs to remember the once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Mark Reif is a storyteller focused on the intersection of outdoor culture, travel, and design. From the peaks of Banff to the…

Travel

Savannah Beyond the Postcard

Take a look at one of the greatest southern cities from a different perspective.

Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Travel

I spent 72 hours in London with only a carry-on. Here’s how I did it in style

Luxury travel doesn't require a checked bag

London

Somewhere between the baggage claim carousel and the Elizabeth Line, I realized I'd already won. As passengers from my Norwegian flight to London crowded around the conveyor belt waiting for checked luggage to appear, I was already on my way into the city. Twenty minutes later, I was headed toward central London with nothing more than a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I've become a bit of a carry-on evangelist over the past few years. Not because I'm trying to prove some minimalist point or because I enjoy seeing how few shirts I can survive with. I just genuinely think it's the better way to travel, especially for a long weekend in Europe.

My recent 72-hour trip from Copenhagen to London wasn't exactly a backpacker's itinerary. It included a stay at one of London's nicest luxury hotels, rooftop cocktails, dinners worth dressing up for, and plenty of walking through Soho, Covent Garden, and the rest of central London. Somehow, everything I needed fit inside my Travelpro Platinum Elite Slim Cabin Hardshell Spinner V2, with a backpack holding my flight essentials.

Travel

This New Montana Hotel Captures the Poetry of the Open Road

Helena's newest boutique hotel revives the spirit of the classic roadside motel.

Corner, Home Decor, Bed

In case you need another excuse for a Montana getaway this summer, a quirky new boutique hotel has opened in Helena, the Treasure State's capital. The Bell Hotel occupies the site of the former Bell Motel, a classic 1950s roadside lodge thoughtfully reimagined by CWG Architecture. Each of its 14 rooms features locally made chocolates, coffee, and artwork. While in town, ask the front desk about the Bell's Picnic in the Park package. The hotel supplies a basket of local treats and a blanket; Montana provides the sublime scenery and glorious weather. You're on your own for companionship.

Hannah honey was a peachy kind of girl /Her eyes were hazel and her nose was slightly curved /We spent a lonely night at the Memory Motel- The Rolling Stones