Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) has taken delivery of its first B787-9 with increased maximum takeoff weight (iMTOW) capability, ZK-NZT (msn 66904), which arrived at Auckland International on October 29, 2026, the airline announced.

The GE Aerospace GEnx-powered aircraft was ferried from San Antonio Lackland on October 28, ADS-B flight tracking data shows. It is Air New Zealand's first new B787 in seven years, with a second iMTOW B787-9, ZK-NZS (msn 66903), expected to follow within the coming days.

The US Federal Aviation Administration certified the iMTOW option for the B787-9 and B787-10 in March 2026. The upgrade increases the B787-9's maximum takeoff weight by around 4.5 tonnes to 259.2 tonnes, which allows approximately three tonnes of additional payload or over 300 nautical miles (560 kilometres) of extra range, according to Boeing.

Air New Zealand expects to use the additional capability on its ultra-long-haul network, particularly between Auckland and New York JFK. Although the airline described ZK-NZT as the world's first certified iMTOW B787, United Airlines had already taken delivery of an iMTOW-capable B787-9 in May 2026, as previously reported by ch-aviation.

Air New Zealand operates a fleet of 114 aircraft, comprising seventeen A320-200s, six A320-200Ns, fourteen A321-200NX, thirty-one ATR72-600s, nine B777-300ERs, fifteen B787-9s, and twenty-three DHC-8-Q300s. It has firm orders for two more A321-200NX, four B787-9s, and five B787-10s.