Kiwis now have two options to fly to the Big Apple with Qantas stepping on Air New Zealand's turf.
Qantas will launch its direct Auckland to New York City flight tomorrow and is promising to fly there more often and for less than Air New Zealand.
CEO Alan Joyce said it was the airline's first flight from Auckland to an international destination outside of Australia in more than two decades.
"We've always called Air New Zealand our frenemy, so we're friends on a lot of things, but we're also very competitive.
"So we're going to be big commercial competitors on this route."
It was a bumpy star for Air New Zealand when it launched the flight last September, facing stiff winds that forced some passengers to travel without luggage and a stop in Fiji to refuel.
Joyce said they would have similar contingencies to Air New Zealand, but he thought they had the upper hand.
"Our autocraft is lighter, has less seats on it, so it's likely to be able to travel longer distances.
"We already have two of the five longest routes in the world, this will be three of the top five longest routes in the world and we have a speciality of doing it that gives us an advantage.
"We have different engines on our aircraft than Air New Zealand, which are that little bit more efficient."
Air New Zealand has flown the route nearly 200 times since September.
Chief of corporate affairs Mat Bolland said demand was growing as more people were using the route - not just to get to the states - but also through to Europe.
As for other airlines entering their territory, Bolland said it was welcomed.
"Competition is good for both of us, Qantas is a good airline, so is Air New Zealand, so customers will win out of this.
"It'll sharpen price, it'll sharpen service and it'll raise the profile of the route."
The Qantas flight is currently selling for $2141 return, Air New Zealand's fares are slightly more expensive at around $2400.
CEO Alan Joyce said Qantas' first flight from Auckland to an international destination outside of Australia in more than two decades. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Qantas was adamant competitive prices would be sticking around for Kiwis.
It will also have more trans-tasman flights available from October, with smaller aircraft on the way to fly from Brisbane to Wellington.
The latest data from Stats New Zealand showed there was a 35 percent drop in New Zealanders travelling overseas in April this year compared to pre-Covid-19 levels.
International visitor numbers were also down around 30 percent.
But Joyce was not worried, he said it would take time for the aviation industry to bounce back.
"We're back internationally at 85 percent of pre-Covid capacity, we have more capacity on the Trans-Tasman route to New Zealand and Australia than what we did before Covid."
Qantas is set for take off to the Big Apple tomorrow afternoon at 4:35pm.
