AirNZ’s new 777 first class suite looks familiar...

Air New Zealand’s latest Boeing 777 sees the return of first class suites, and not just for the long-haul to the USA – passengers on some Sydney-Auckland and Melbourne-Auckland flights will also be able to luxe it up on the 3+ hour jaunt across the pond.

Yet those first class suites will be very familiar to seasoned travellers... as will the 34 business class seats.

Cathay's 777 first class suites are now available on selected Air New Zealand flights.

That’s because this Air New Zealand Boeing 777 is actually a Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 which the Kiwi carrier has leased to help boost capacity and fill the gaps in its current network.

(It’s a similar arrangement to Qantas’ lease of two Finnair Airbus A330s for flights to Singapore and Bangkok.)

And that’s good news for AirNZ’s premium passengers, who will now have the option or relaxing in what remains one of the better ‘open suites’ in the skies.

There's no better way to make that quick hop across the pond...

Of course, Cathay has a next-generation first class on the horizon, with the Cathay Pacific 777 Halo first class arriving in 2025.

But despite that Cathay’s current Boeing 777 first class suites debuted in 2007, with revamps in 2013 and 2017, they continue to be popular with frequent flyers – there’s an undeniably elegant bling-free charm about these spacious cocoons.

Cathay's 777 first class remains a favourite of frequent flyers.

However, space is the only thing which will separate first class from business class on this Air New Zealand 777 – the meals, drinks and serve will all be identical to that served in the 53-seat business class cabin.

Fortunately, AirNZ’s business class catering remains top notch – it’s one of the areas where this airline punches above its weight – and of course, these Cathay business class seats are a quantum leap from the confined and out-dated Kiwi Business Premier sleepers.

AirNZ vs Cathay Pacific: which business class seat would you rather be in?

That’s due not only to the greater personal space, larger video screens and extra at-seat storage room, but that the 1-2-1 layout means you’re not looking across the aisle at your fellow passengers.

Cathay's 777 business class.

Cathay also has a new business class on the way, in the form of the doored Cathay Pacific Aria business suites making their debut in mid-2024, while in September 2024 Air New Zealand will celebrate the arrival of factory-fresh  Boeing 787s sporting not just modern Business Premier suites but two rows of spacious Business Premier Luxe cribs.

Coming in late 2024: Air New Zealand's new Business Premier and Business Premier Luxe suites.

So how do you get onto one of these better AirNZ/Cathay 777 Boeing 777s – and how can you snare one of the first class suites?

How to book Air New Zealand’s 777 first class suite

When the jet takes wing in mid-November 2023 its primary route will be Auckland-Houston, but the jet will also be seen on many flights between Melbourne and Auckland.

It’s expected to pop up on other Air New Zealand routes from time to time, beginning with three appearances on the Sydney-Auckland route flying each way on November 20, November 21 and November 23.

When choosing your Air New Zealand flight, the give-away is that you’ll see a photo of Cathay’s 777 business class next to the standard list of business class inclusions.

How to spot the Cathay 777 when searching for your next Air New Zealand flight...

And on those flights, the six first class suites are marketed as Business Premier Preferred and sold as an upgrade from Business Premier: expect to pay A$150 from Sydney or Melbourne to Auckland, and NZ$590 from Auckland to Houston.

Those options are displayed at the seat selection stage of making your booking, with the six first class suites labelled as Business Preferred.

Air New Zealand sells the 777 first class suites as an upgrade from business class.

Air New Zealand will be flying this particular 777 until late 2026, and in addition to removing Cathay Pacific branding from the livery, there’ll also be some minor rebranding done in the cabin.