Christchurch Airport

As New Zealand’s first international airport, Christchurch Airport has long been the major gateway to the South Island.

We’ve grown from a local aerodrome in 1936 to New Zealand's second largest airport, with nearly 7 million passengers in the 2019 financial year.

Christchurch Airport is the busiest and most strategic air connection between the South Island and the world's trade and tourism markets with 12 partner airlines coming from 25 destinations in 2020.

The success and growth of our business has been delivered with three areas of focus: enhancing people’s lives (those of our team, customers, partners and communities), fuelling the economic prosperity of the South Island and New Zealand, and being great kaitiaki (guardians of safety, security and sustainability).

Our 1000-hectare Christchurch site was selected with great foresight almost 90 years ago. The site’s location (adjacent to but not on top of the South Island’s largest city) enables us to carry out 24/7 operations with the South Island’s only widebody runway.

Christchurch Airport plays a key role in Canterbury’s economic and social wellbeing. We add over $2 billion to the region’s economy and create employment for more than 20,000 full time equivalent workers.

The number is much higher across the South Island where it has been estimated that for every $1 Christchurch Airport earns, the wider South Island economy earns $50.

Businesses at the airport employ around 7,000 people, making it the largest single centre of employment in the South Island.  

We are serious about our responsibility as kaitiaki to protect, preserve and foster the environment that nurtures us. That guiding principle has seen us recognised as a world leading airport in decarbonisation and sustainability.

As a 90 year old company, we’ve created opportunities for generations of South Islanders and learned a lot about developing airports successfully and sustainably. That means we’re well-equipped to deliver the world-class facility Central Otago deserves.