New direct route to Sunshine Coast

File photo / supplied

A new flight will ferry Kiwis directly from Auckland to the Sunshine Coast.

Air New Zealand is launching a direct flight on Tuesdays and Sundays as part of their alliance with Virgin Australia.

The flights, utilising an A320 aircraft, will run between July 1 and September 18 on a seasonal basis.

Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe said almost 100,000 New Zealand leisure travellers headed across the ditch to Brisbane and then made the 100km plus drive north to Sunshine Coast every year.

He said the new service could be extended if there was enough demand.