Christchurch Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christchurch Airport
A bird's-eye view of Christchurch Airport in 2020.
IATA: CHC ICAO: NZCH WMO: 93781
Summary
Airport type	Public / military
Owner	Christchurch City Council (75%) NZ Government (25%)
Operator	Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL)
Serves	Christchurch
Location	Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand
Opened	18 May 1940; 85 years ago (1940-05-18)
Hub for	Air New Zealand
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12:00)
• Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13:00)
Elevation AMSL	37 m / 123 ft
Coordinates	43°29′22″S 172°31′56″E / 43.48944°S 172.53222°E / -43.48944; 172.53222
Map
CHC/NZCH Location in Christchurch, New Zealand Show map of Christchurch, New Zealand CHC/NZCH Location in New Zealand Show map of New Zealand CHC/NZCH Location in Oceania Show map of Oceania
Runway
Runway Length Surface m ft 02/20 3,288 10,785 Asphalt – primary 11/29 1,741 5,712 Asphalt – secondary 02/20 515 1,690 Grass – Aero Club
[[Helipad|]]
Number Length Surface m ft 3 12 39 Grass
Statistics (year to 30 June 2023)
Passengers (total) 5,690 708 Movements 94,955

Christchurch Airport (IATA: CHC, ICAO: NZCH) is the main international airport for the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located about 12 kilometres northwest of the city centre in a suburb called Harewood. The airport first opened on 18 May 1940, and on 16 December 1950, it became New Zealand's first airport to handle international flights.

Today, it is the second busiest airport in New Zealand, right after Auckland. It's a key gateway to the South Island for tourists and locals.

Christchurch and Auckland are the only two airports in New Zealand big enough to handle the giant Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger plane. The airport is open 24 hours a day, so planes can take off and land at any time.

Because the wind in Christchurch often blows from different directions, the airport has two main runways built in a cross shape. This allows planes to always take off and land safely into the wind. There is also a smaller grass runway for small planes.

History of the Airport

The old terminal building and control tower from 1960. It was designed by architect Paul Pascoe.

Passengers getting off a Qantas Boeing 747-200 plane on the tarmac in 1978.

The modern check-in hall after it was rebuilt in 2013.

In 1935, city leaders decided that Harewood was the best place for a new airport for Christchurch. They bought land in 1936 and built the first runway and a small terminal building. In 1940, it officially opened and was also used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

A huge step forward came in 1950 when it became an international airport. This meant people could fly directly to other countries from Christchurch. In 1960, a new, modern terminal building opened to welcome more passengers.

The jet age arrived in 1965 when Qantas started flying Boeing 707 jets to Sydney. To handle even bigger planes, the main runway was made longer. In 1972, the first Boeing 747 "Jumbo Jet" landed in Christchurch, which was a very exciting event.

A Modern Makeover

The new domestic terminal being built.

By the 2000s, the airport was getting very busy and needed a major upgrade. In 2009, work began on a huge project to build a new, modern terminal. The goal was to combine the domestic and international terminals into one large, easy-to-use building.

The project took almost four years. A new check-in hall, shops, and food court opened in 2011. The full project was finished in 2013. The new terminal made the airport much more comfortable and efficient for travellers.

Recent Developments

In December 2023, United Airlines started a direct flight from San Francisco. This was a big deal because it was the first-ever non-stop flight connecting the South Island to North America.

In 2024, the airport's food court got a major renovation with new restaurants and a fresh look. In June 2025, Air New Zealand announced a new direct flight to Adelaide, Australia, which will start in October 2025.

Runways and How They Work

An airport's runways are like its highways for planes. Christchurch Airport has two main runways made of asphalt and a third, smaller one made of grass.

The main runway (02/20) is 3,288 metres long. It is pointed towards the northeast and southwest, which is the direction the wind usually blows. The second runway (11/29) is 1,741 metres long and is used when a strong "Nor'wester" wind blows from the mountains.

Having runways in different directions means that no matter which way the wind is blowing, planes can always land and take off safely. The airport plans to make the runways even longer in the future to handle more flights and larger aircraft.

The Airport Terminal

Christchurch Airport has one large terminal building for all flights, both domestic (within New Zealand) and international (to other countries).

• Ground Floor: This is where you check in for your flight at one of the 58 counters. After you land, you also pick up your checked luggage here in the baggage claim hall.
• First Floor: After you go through security, you'll find the departure lounges. This area has lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants where you can wait for your flight.

The airport has 37 gates where planes park. Some gates use a jetbridge, which is a covered tunnel that connects directly from the terminal to the plane's door, so you don't have to walk outside. Gates for bigger international planes, like the Airbus A380, have special dual jetbridges to help passengers get on and off quickly.

Airlines and Destinations

As of 2025, 11 airlines fly to and from Christchurch, connecting the city to 18 places in New Zealand and 10 cities around the world.

Passenger Flights

Cargo Flights

Cargo planes carry mail and goods instead of people.

Special Operations

A United States Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane at Christchurch Airport.

The NASA SOFIA telescope plane at a gate in Christchurch.

Besides regular passenger flights, Christchurch Airport is used for some very important missions.

Antarctic Missions

Since the 1950s, Christchurch has been the main base for flights to Antarctica. The United States and New Zealand military and science programs, like Operation Deep Freeze, fly from here to their bases on the frozen continent. Large military cargo planes are a common sight at the airport, carrying scientists and supplies.

NASA's Flying Telescope

For many years, a special NASA Boeing 747SP plane called SOFIA used Christchurch as its base. This plane had a giant telescope inside it and would fly high into the atmosphere to study stars and galaxies. Christchurch was chosen because of its long runway and clear skies to the south.

Getting to the Airport

The airport is easy to get to by car, as it is right next to State Highway 1. There are also several public bus routes that connect the airport to the city centre and other suburbs.

Taxis, shuttles, and ride-sharing services like Uber have special areas for picking up and dropping off passengers. There is also a large multi-level car park building for people who want to leave their cars at the airport.

Accidents and Incidents

• On 21 November 1957, a Bristol Freighter cargo plane broke apart in the air and crashed near the airport. Sadly, all four people on board did not survive.
• On 6 June 2003, a small Piper Chieftain plane crashed while trying to land in thick fog. The pilot and seven of the nine passengers died.
• On 8 February 2008, a woman tried to hijack an Eagle Airways flight from Blenheim. The pilots managed to control the situation, and the plane landed safely. The woman was arrested.
• On 31 May 2024, a Jetstar Airbus A320 slid off the side of the runway while landing. No one was hurt, but the airport had to close for a short time.

Images for kids

• 

  A special plane called an Aviation Traders Carvair in 1977. It could carry both cars and passengers.

• 

  A view of the planes parked on the tarmac from the old terminal's roof deck.

• 

  A cool sculpture outside the airport terminal.

• 

  The Air New Zealand lounge for international travellers.

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Christchurch para niños

• List of airports in New Zealand
• List of airlines of New Zealand
• Transport in New Zealand