Cabinet has agreed in principle to establish a travel bubble with Australia early next year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

Speaking from about 2pm, Ardern has welcomed attendees to what is expected to be the final post-Cabinet media briefing of 2020, "a year no one would have imagined".

She says ministers have discussed travel bubbles with Cook Islands and Australia this afternoon.

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A travel bubble with Australia can be expected in the first quarter of 2021 "pending confirmation from the Australian Cabinet and no significant change in the circumstances in either country", she says.

Officials have been working on preparations for that, Ardern says, while acknowledging that one of the criteria was 28 days of free of community transmission.

Clear plans will need to be made in the event of a community outbreak, she says, with enough space for potential returnees if borders shut again and arrangements for air crew and airlines.

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A date on a trans-Tasman quaratine-free travel bubble will be announced in the new year.

Ardern says there is more to work through, including segregation of staff and making sure contingency plans are in place, and these were key to finalising any arrangement.

Minister in charge of Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins says he will be heading to Auckland airport tomorrow to look at how they will be doing the operational separation of passengers.

"Airlines have indicated they do need a notice period - you'll be aware they grounded a lot of their fleets. They have a lot of crew not currently working so they need the opportunity to bring them back and get them current again.

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"We have been clear we want to see separation between crews who are working in the safe zone versus crews working elsewhere, so that requires logistical rearranging for them."

The Cook Islands are expected to be available for quarantine-free travel first, Ardern says.

Over the weekend, New Zealand and the Cook Islands said they agreed to open a quarantine-free travel bubble by end of March next year.

More work is needed to ensure there are precautions in place that give the government confidence New Zealanders can safely travel there, she says.

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"I think New Zealanders desperately need a break. Of course we want to progress these issues including quarantine-free travel but we haven't taken risks before that mean New Zealanders won't be able to keep their freedom and I certainly don't want to take those risks right now."

Hipkins will be providing an update tomorrow about a resurgence plan and what will be in place over the summer.

He urges people to continue sticking to the same public health measures.