Trans-Tasman travel bubble: how the new trips will work

The trans-Tasman travel bubble starts on 19 April 2021, when people can fly between New Zealand and Australia without quarantine for the first time since early 2020. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the date on 6 April. This guide explains how the trips will work and what to check before you book.

Sources for this section: NPR, New Zealand, Australia to create travel bubble (6 April 2021); Reuters via Gulf News, Australia-New Zealand travel bubble to begin April 19 (6 April 2021).

How we got here

The bubble has been built in two steps. The first step was one way. On 2 October 2020, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said quarantine-free travel from New Zealand into New South Wales and the Northern Territory would begin on 16 October 2020. He said any state or territory that accepted the federal government's hotspot definition could join.

New Zealand did not match that at the time. Kiwis who visited Australia still had to quarantine for 14 days when they flew home. Reuters reported that most Australian states had since allowed quarantine-free visits from New Zealanders for months, while New Zealand kept mandatory quarantine for arrivals from Australia because of worry about small outbreaks.

The 6 April announcement changes that. From 19 April, the trip works in both directions.

Sources for this section: Executive Traveller, Australia-New Zealand travel bubble off to a small start (2 October 2020); Reuters via Gulf News, Australia-New Zealand travel bubble to begin April 19 (6 April 2021).

What a green zone flight is

Quarantine-free trips will run on what New Zealand calls green zone flights. Ardern said this means no passenger on the flight will have been anywhere but Australia in the previous 14 days. Passengers will also be taken through designated green zones at the airport, so they do not mix with people arriving from other parts of the world who are headed into quarantine.

The crew on these flights will not have worked high risk routes for a set period. Because of this setup, the bubble does not cover people who are only transiting through Australia from another country.

Sources for this section: NPR, New Zealand, Australia to create travel bubble (6 April 2021); Reuters via Gulf News (6 April 2021).

Rules for travellers

The New Zealand rules reported on the day of the announcement include these:

• You must not have had a positive COVID-19 test in the previous 14 days.
• You must not be waiting on a COVID-19 test result.
• You must complete a health declaration before you leave, and give full contact details for your time in New Zealand.
• You cannot travel with cold or flu symptoms.
• You must wear a mask on the flight.
• You must download and use the NZ COVID Tracer app while in New Zealand.
• Random temperature checks may be made on arrival.

Reuters noted that the arrangement is among the first of its kind that does not need mandatory COVID-19 testing.

These are the New Zealand side's rules as announced. Each Australian state and territory sets its own entry conditions for arrivals, so check the official page for the place you plan to visit.

Sources for this section: NPR, New Zealand, Australia to create travel bubble (6 April 2021); Reuters via Gulf News (6 April 2021).

"Flyer beware": the risk of disruption

Ardern was clear that this is not a return to normal. She said people who travel will do so under a "flyer beware" approach, and that they should plan for the chance that their trip is disrupted if there is an outbreak.

Reuters reported how that will work. Travel will run state by state under a traffic light system. In a green zone, travel goes on as normal. In an orange zone, flights halt for 72 hours. In a red zone, they halt for a longer time. The New Zealand government said it would give no new support to people stuck in Australia after a short notice cancellation.

In practice, this means you should:

• Book fares and hotels that you can change or refund.
• Check travel insurance wording, because cover for border closures varies.
• Keep some spare days and money in case your return flight is stopped.

Sources for this section: NPR, New Zealand, Australia to create travel bubble (6 April 2021); Reuters via Gulf News (6 April 2021).

What it means for airlines and tourism

The bubble matters for both economies. Reuters reported that Australia supplied 1.5 million visitors to New Zealand in 2019, about 40 percent of all arrivals, worth NZ$2.7 billion. About 568,000 New Zealand-born people live in Australia, so family visits are a big part of demand.

Air New Zealand and Qantas said they would lift flights between the two countries to more than 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Tourism Industry Aotearoa said tourism operators can now take bookings with confidence. The five-week trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition, with five teams from each country, is set to begin on 14 May.

Sources for this section: Reuters via Gulf News, Australia-New Zealand travel bubble to begin April 19 (6 April 2021).

Before you book

1. Read the official travel advice for both countries on the day you book, and again before you leave. Rules can change quickly.
2. Check the entry rules of the Australian state or territory you will visit.
3. Choose flexible tickets, and read what your insurer will and will not cover.
4. Check your own travel history. Anyone who has been elsewhere in the past 14 days may not qualify for a green zone flight.
5. Plan for a stop: if a state turns orange or red, know who you will call and where you could stay.

Sources for this section: NPR, New Zealand, Australia to create travel bubble (6 April 2021); Reuters via Gulf News (6 April 2021).

Sources

1. NPR, New Zealand, Australia To Create 'Travel Bubble,' Resume Quarantine-Free Travel, 6 April 2021: npr.org
2. Reuters via Gulf News, Australia-New Zealand 'travel bubble' to begin April 19 in COVID-19 milestone, 6 April 2021: gulfnews.com
3. Executive Traveller, Australia-New Zealand travel bubble off to a small start, 2 October 2020: executivetraveller.com