Let us Book your Flights on Air New Zealand Most airlines fly into Auckland International Airport in the north of the country. There are also international arrivals to Queenstown, Dunedin and Christchurch (in the South Island) and Wellington and Rotorua in the North Island.

The vast majority of international flights to New Zealand land at Auckland Airport (AKL), located on the North Island. Handling over 70% of the country's international passenger traffic, it serves as the primary global gateway and the main hub for Air New Zealand. In 2026, Auckland remains the only airport in the country capable of handling consistent daily long-haul traffic from distant regions like North America, Europe, and mainland Asia. While Christchurch Airport (CHC) on the South Island also receives international flights—primarily from Australia, Singapore, and Fiji—it handles significantly fewer passengers than Auckland. Other airports like Wellington (WLG) and Queenstown (ZQN) serve international routes as well, but these are almost exclusively "trans-Tasman" flights coming from major Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. For most travelers coming from outside of Oceania, Auckland is the inevitable first stop before catching a domestic connection to the rest of the stunning "Middle-earth" landscape.