Emirates has announced it will fly an A380 plane between Christchurch and Dubai.

Canterbury travellers can expect cheaper tickets and faster journeys on international flights, thanks to a new Emirates' route, experts say.

The world's biggest passenger plane will soon make daily flights into Christchurch. Emirates' double-decker A380 aircraft will fly between Christchurch and Dubai.

Christchurch Airport is the second New Zealand airport to host the super-jumbo jet. Currently, Emirates and Singapore Airlines operate A380s out of Auckland.

KEITH AUSTIN Travelers heading to Bangkok, Thailand, are facing delays after Emirates cancelled its flights from Christchurch to Bangkok.

Emirates' new A380 service will fly to Dubai via Sydney, cutting a stopover and about two hours off the flight time, the company said. Their new service would begin on October 30.

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The airline already operated a smaller service, with a Boeing 777-300ER plane, between Christchurch and Dubai. This service required two stopovers in Sydney and Bangkok.

Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.nz The A380 is the biggest passenger plane in the world.

The change meant it would take longer for Emirates passengers flying between Christchurch and Bangkok,Thailand. Passengers who had already booked to fly to Bangkok from Christchurch would be moved onto alternative flights.

House of Travel marketing director Ken Freer said Emirates would organise for those passengers to fly to Auckland, where they would connect with an Emirates plane heading to Bangkok. This would likely add "an hour or two," to their journey, he said.

For travellers who had not yet booked, there were "a lot of options to get into South East Asia," Freer said.

WAYNNE WILLIAMS/SUPPLIED Christchurch Airport is the second New Zealand town to host an A380 "superjumbo jet".

Singapore Airlines operated services to Bangkok via Singapore. Travellers could still travel via Auckland and Sydney.

Freer said the A380 flights were "great news for Canterbury travellers".

He estimated there would be 95,000 extra seats into Christchurch each year, because of the larger plane.

"The additional capacity will continue to put pressure on pricing," he said. Travellers going across the Tasman would benefit the most from cheaper prices, he expected. Passengers looking towards Europe could expect lower prices too.

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism CEO Vic Allen said the new daily A380 flight was "a huge endorsement for Christchurch".

"Having one of the biggest airlines flying their biggest aircraft into your airport, it puts you on the map," Allen said.

It made Canterbury and the South Island more accessible, which Allen thought would appeal to tourists.

Dubai was Emirates' central hub, with flights leaving to countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and Americas. Allen thought Christchurch's increased access to Emirates' Dubai hub would benefit South Island tourism.

Emirates' A380 aircraft offered premium services, with the upper deck dedicated to business travellers. Their A380s in New Zealand had 14 first class suites, 76 business class compartments and 399 economy seats.

The upper deck was home to a bar, for all premium passengers, and a on-board shower spa for first class passengers.

Allen said this offered an opportunity to strengthen premium tourism in the South Island.

"The South Island of New Zealand is a premium destination... and that fits very well with the A380."

The launch of the Christchurch A380 flights would coincide with the introduction of the A380 on Emirates' daily non-stop route between Auckland and Dubai.

The Christchurch to Dubai flight, EK413, would depart Christchurch at 6.45pm each day and arrive in Dubai at 5.15am (local time) the next morning. The journey to Dubai would take around 18 hours.

The return flight, EK412, would depart Dubai at 10.15am and arrive at 1.50pm the next day.

* NOTE: The original version of this story quoted House of Travel marketing director Ken Freer saying there were 35,000 extra seats. Following publication, House of Travel corrected its figure, there would be 95,000 extra seats into Christchurch.﻿