Flight Options From North Island and South Island If you want to travel from North Island to South Island, fly from Wellington Airport to either Nelson Airport or Blenheim Airport. Another option is flying into Christchurch, then renting a car to return at Queenstown Airport.

Yes, flying is the most common way to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The "trunk route" between Auckland (North Island) and Christchurch (South Island) is one of the busiest in the country, with dozens of daily flights operated by Air New Zealand and Jetstar. Other popular routes include Wellington to Christchurch, Auckland to Queenstown, and Wellington to Nelson. A typical flight from Auckland to Christchurch takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes. For many travelers, flying is preferred over the ferry (which runs between Wellington and Picton) because it is significantly faster, especially if your destination is further south like Dunedin or Queenstown. Domestic flights in New Zealand are generally very efficient, and since there are no major security queues for small domestic aircraft in many regional airports, you can often arrive just 30–45 minutes before departure.