Christmas on a beach, New Year in shorts and six weeks of a New Zealand summer.
Air China flies from London to Auckland from £479 return, with one stop in Beijing. You leave in early December and come back in mid-January, so you skip the whole British winter.
✈️ The Deal
- From: London, United Kingdom
- To: Auckland, New Zealand
- Airline: Air China
- Stops: 1 stop in Beijing
- Price: £479–£540 return
- When: December 2026 - January 2027
Example dates:
04/12/2026 - 18/01/2027
04/12/2026 - 20/01/2027
You fly out from Gatwick and come back into Heathrow. The stop in Beijing is about 13 hours on the way out and 7h30 on the way back, so check whether you need a transit visa for China. Two checked bags are included. Other dates in December and January cost £838 or more, so the price only works for these departure dates.
💰 How far does your money go?
A pint in London now costs £6-7. In Auckland, a flat white is about £2.50 and a pint of local craft beer around £5.50. A pie from a bakery costs £3 and fish and chips on the waterfront about £8. The bigger saving is time: six weeks of summer for the price of a long weekend in the Alps.
☀️ The Weather
December and January are the height of summer in Auckland. Expect highs of 23-25°C, nights around 16°C and long days, with light until almost 9pm. Showers pass quickly, and the sea is warm enough to swim from late December.
🏨 Where to Stay
Stay central and use the ferries to reach the islands.
Sudima Auckland City · 8.8/10 · From £94/night
A modern hotel near Karangahape Road, with good-value rooms and the city centre a short walk away.
Hotel DeBrett · 9.3/10 · From £173/night
A colourful 1920s boutique hotel on High Street, in the middle of the city's best shopping and dining.
Park Hyatt Auckland · 9.1/10 · From £271/night
Harbour views from the Wynyard Quarter, with a spa and an indoor pool. The Christmas splurge.
🎯 What to Do
Auckland is a city of volcanoes, harbours and islands.
Waiheke Island: Vineyards, olive groves and white beaches, 40 minutes by ferry from the city.
Mount Eden: A dormant volcano in the middle of the city, with the best view of Auckland from the crater rim.
Piha Beach: A wild black-sand surf beach on the west coast, about 45 minutes by car.
Rangitoto Island: A short ferry ride to a young volcanic island, with a one-hour walk to the summit.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
Auckland is the starting point for a summer road trip around New Zealand.
Rotorua: Geysers, hot pools and Māori culture, about 3 hours by road.
Bay of Islands: 144 islands, dolphins and sailing trips, about 3 hours north by road.
Queenstown: Lakes, mountains and adventure sports, about 2 hours by air. Search flights
Wellington: The capital, with great coffee and the Te Papa museum, about 1 hour by air. Search flights
From £479 return, London to New Zealand over Christmas. Only a handful of dates work, so don't wait.
Get every flight deal we find, on your favourite app.
Pick how you want to hear from us — or all three. Free, no spam.
