American re-enters South Pacific
American Airlines will launch a daily non-stop service between Auckland to Los Angeles from June 2016.
Air New Zealand flies daily to LA with more about 17 return flights per week and has had a monopoly on the route since Qantas axed it Auckland to LA service in May 2012.
American Airlines, the world's largest airline, would codeshare with Qantas on the route.
It would service the route with its new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, whereas Air New Zealand uses Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 aircraft with economy, premium economy and business class.
Both Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce and American Airlines chief executive Doug Parker were in Wellington for the announcement which Transport Minister Simon Bridges also attended.
Parker said the route would bring the price of Auckland to LA airfares down but its pricing was yet to be set.