In case you missed the knowledge, the requirement for pre-arrival testing for travelling to Aotearoa ended on 21 June. So what’s it like travelling to New Zealand from Australia correct now? Karryon founder Matt Leedham simply these days took a go to over to look out out.

Now that borders are open as soon as extra and pre-departure testing is historic previous, there’s no larger excuse to zip over the Tasman and reconnect with our Kiwi Whānau (family and tribe) as soon as extra.

And why not? Journey is once more in a severe strategy, the snow and ski season is pumping and it’s nonetheless a quiet time to go to and experience your entire nice issues in delicate of the scarcity of slowly returning worldwide vacationers.

To seal the deal, airline functionality is rising all through the ditch, with Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Jetstar all rising their schedules to fulfill demand and provide up New Zealand as a easy selection for Australians to get available on the market and do one factor fully completely different.

I flew over from Coolangatta Airport on the Gold Coast to Auckland with Air New Zealand after connecting by the use of Sydney and situated the experience to be very simple and hassle-free.

Proper right here’s what you need to know.

Pre-flight

You ought to be completely vaccinated to journey to New Zealand (two footage) and all travellers should fill out New Zealand’s traveller declaration sooner than departing Australia.

Getting your on-line declaration is quick, free and simple and might take you spherical ten minutes max to complete. You’ll have your journey and passport particulars and vaccination certificates, which you’ll have so as to add.

You’ll have one declaration achieved for each traveller, along with children (Phrase: children beneath 16 don’t have to be vaccinated).

You’ll moreover should ingredient any worldwide places you’ve visited inside 14 days of journey.

Transit passengers do not need to end a New Zealand Traveller Declaration and chances are you’ll be in transit for as a lot as 24 hours.

Proper right here’s what it appears to be like. Yours acquired’t have a smiley face on the QR code.

Proper right here’s my Traveller Cross – yours acquired’t have a smiley face on it

You’ll full your (and your journey companions’) declaration 28 days out from journey, though I did mine the evening time sooner than I left. Chances are you’ll as nicely save your utility progress in case you need to return to it, which is beneficial.

If you’ve appropriately stuffed in your complete particulars and submitted your utility(s), that you must be emailed a QR code and Traveller Cross instantly for each passenger as confirmed above.

Skilled tip: Full your declaration in your laptop computer pretty than your smartphone as similar to the Australian authorities website – importing your vaccination certificates in your phone usually is a bit fiddly.

On the airport

At check-in, you’ll be requested to level out your approved Traveller Cross and QR code and your vaccination certificates in your phone or by the use of printouts alongside collectively along with your passport.

I on a regular basis maintain all these paperwork, along with my insurance coverage protection protection, on my phone and throughout the cloud merely in case.

Remember the fact that not having your declaration achieved or your vaccination certificates will indicate you acquired’t be allowed to board your flight.

On the flight

We’ve launched once more our Covid Flexibility Protection 💜 For a lot of who’ve flights booked between 9 – 31 July, chances are you’ll determine into credit score rating or change your flight to a special date with the change cost waived. pic.twitter.com/9uNRzaL4xb — Air New Zealand ✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) July 11, 2022

Nothing to report proper right here apart from some nice Air New Zealand service and exquisite views and that masks are nonetheless required all through the flight.

Australian airports have scrapped the mandate in terminals, however it’s nonetheless the laws that anyone over the age of 12 ought to masks up onboard from Australia to New Zealand (besides you could possibly have a medical exemption).

It’s very important to note that all Airports in New Zealand moreover nonetheless require you to masks up.

I’d suggest searching for a pack of N95 masks pretty than the free ones that are given out. Aside from being confirmed to be extra sensible, they’re moreover further cosy to fly in and don’t steam up your glasses once you placed on them.

You’ll nonetheless should fill out an old-fashioned paper arrival type for each passenger, so biggest you try this on the plane sooner than you land.

This manner has no connection to your passenger declaration per se and is further related as a result of it has on a regular basis been to your customs declaration of what you are bringing into New Zealand.

Arriving in New Zealand

Free RAT checks for everyone

If you land in New Zealand, in case your Traveller Cross says ‘Self-testing’, ‘Quarantine-free journey’ or ‘Self-testing, study NZ citizenship’, it would not have to be checked by a Customs Officer and chances are you’ll exit Customs by the use of the eGates.

The eGates will robotically study the details of your Traveller Cross when your passport is scanned.

If you’re by the use of passport administration, you’ll have the flexibility to determine up a subject of 4 free quick antigen check out (RAT) checks per explicit particular person (Certain, with out value!). Inside you’ll uncover instructions on strategies to self-test and what to do afterwards.

The simple testing course of depends on an honesty system whereby you self-test on the day you arrive (day zero) after which as soon as extra on day 5. You don’t need to verify on the airport should you land – merely on the similar day ultimately.

As we reopen to the world we’re saying Kia ora, welcome to Aotearoa, New Zealand. Our uniquely Kiwi welcome and explicit moments on the Auckland Airport arrival house this week attribute on this video, created to rejoice our border reopening. 🙏 @PureNewZealand #AucklandUnlimited pic.twitter.com/pYiK5UmLJc — Auckland Airport (@AKL_Airport) May 5, 2022

To register your outcomes, merely reply to the e-mail you’ll get hold of from the NZ authorities in your first and fifth day of arrival.

It’s very important to note that these emails will go to the similar sort out as you used to your New Zealand passenger declaration, so guarantee they don’t go into one different folder or spam.

All you need to do is reply certain or no relying in your RAT finish end result and that’s it. It’s an honesty-based system so there’s no have so as to add any outcomes.

You may, nonetheless, get hold of ongoing reminders once you fail to answer, so do the becoming issue.

All that’s left to do now’s benefit from an unbelievable experience in New Zealand!

What happens once you get Covid-19?

If sadly, you do get COVID-19 in your journey, the official authorities suggestion is to report your finish end result by the use of e mail and self-isolate for 7-days.

In case you’re staying in a lodge, make sure that to ask them about their COVID-19 protection, as most provide corporations and choices to help assist your hold in isolation.

New Zealand, like Australia, is in the mean time experiencing extreme ranges of an an infection on account of Winter months. To be safe and protect your self and others, I’d strongly suggest carrying a masks in all indoor circumstances, socially distancing the place doable and being acutely aware of others in your travels.

It’s very important to recognise that New Zealand acquired right here out of restrictions so much later than Australia, so the sentiment and emotion are nonetheless very raw and must be revered should you’re travelling spherical and significantly should you work along with older people.

As on a regular basis, journey with kindness and consideration for others and in addition you’ll be assured of a terrific time.

For further, head to www.travellerdeclaration.govt.nz/arriving-in-new-zealand