Bunk beds onboard Air New Zealand Economy class? It's real and it's here

Dubai: The future of travel is here. At least, according to Air New Zealand, which said it will begin selling access to its Economy Skynest sleep pods from May 18, 2026. The airline is offering lie-flat sleeping berths to economy and premium economy passengers on some of the world’s longest commercial flights.

The bunk-style pods, the first of their kind for economy travellers, will be installed on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, due to enter service in November 2026.

The Skynest will feature six lie-flat pods located between the economy and premium economy cabins.

Passengers travelling in either cabin will be able to book a four-hour sleep session for prices starting at NZ$495 ($295) in addition to their ticket fare. Initially, two sessions will be available per flight.

The product is designed to improve comfort on ultra-long-haul routes to and from New Zealand, one of the most geographically remote air travel markets.

“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters,” Chief Executive Nikhil Ravishankar said in a statement. “By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra-long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.”

He added, "For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters. Tourism is a $46 billion NZD industry, but growth depends on travellers' willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here."

Early days

Air New Zealand filed patent and trademark applications for the concept in 2020. The airline had said back then, "The Economy Skynest is the result of three years of Air New Zealand research and development, with the input of more than 200 customers at its Hangar 22 innovation centre in Auckland.

A turning point was in 2024, when Skynest moved from concept to confirmed onboard product. Air New Zealand formally included it in its redesigned Boeing 787-9 cabin programme. The airline confirmed rollout from 2024 on new Dreamliners.

Originally, Skynest had been expected in 2024, but Boeing delivery delays pushed timelines back. Industry reports throughout 2024 highlighted that certification and aircraft delivery bottlenecks slowed rollout.

What's in a pod?

Each pod includes a full-length mattress, pillow, sheets, blanket, privacy curtain, lighting, ventilation, USB charging ports and a crew call button. Bedding will be changed between sessions.

The airline said the launch builds on its earlier Skycouch product, which allows economy passengers to convert a row of seats into a couch-like space.

Air New Zealand has not yet said which routes will be the first to offer the Skynest, but the product is expected to be deployed on long-haul services where demand for in-flight rest is highest.

Airlines globally have been exploring new cabin designs to improve passenger comfort on longer routes while generating additional revenue from premium add-on services.