Dunedin Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dunedin Airport
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | Dunedin City Council and the New Zealand Government (The Crown) | ||||||||||
| Operator | Dunedin International Airport Limited | ||||||||||
| Serves | Dunedin | ||||||||||
| Location | Momona, Dunedin, New Zealand | ||||||||||
| Built | 1962 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1.2 m / 4 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 45°55′41″S 170°11′54″E / 45.92806°S 170.19833°E | ||||||||||
| Website | www.dunedinairport.co.nz | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
 Dunedin Airport
Location in New Zealand
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| Statistics (2018) | |||||||||||
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Dunedin Airport (IATA: DUD, ICAO: NZDN), officially called Dunedin International Airport for a long time, is also known as Momona Airport. It is an important airport in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. This airport serves the city of Dunedin and the wider Otago and Southland areas.
Dunedin Airport is one of two international airports in Otago. The other one is Queenstown International Airport. It is located next to the small village of Momona. This is about 22 kilometres (14 miles) southwest of Dunedin's city centre. It is the fifth busiest airport in New Zealand based on how many passengers use it.
The airport has one paved runway. This runway is strong enough for large planes like the Boeing 767. It also has a special system called ILS to help planes land safely in both directions. There is one main terminal building with five gates. Two of these gates have airbridges, which are covered walkways connecting the terminal to the plane. The airport also has customs facilities for international flights and other useful services. Mainland Air, a company that teaches people to fly and offers charter flights, operates from a hangar next to the main building. The Dunedin City Council and the New Zealand Government each own half of the company that runs the airport.
Contents
History of the Airport
The old airfield in Taieri was not big enough for the growing number of people who wanted to fly. So, a new airport was built. The current Dunedin Airport was finished in 1962. It was mainly used for passengers on shorter flights at first.
Right after it opened, NZNAC (a New Zealand airline) started using Fokker Friendship planes there. Bigger Vickers Viscount planes began flying in December 1962. A large new hangar for planes was completed in 1963. Over the years, the airport added new features. Automatic sliding doors were put in the terminal in 1969. A new viewing deck, where people could watch planes, was added in 1974.
The airport had to close for a short time in June and July 1980 because of flooding. In December 1988, Ansett New Zealand started flying Boeing 737s to Dunedin. This led to new airline lounges and airbridges being added. The runway was made longer in May 1993, reaching 1,900 metres (6,234 feet).
The first international flight landed in Dunedin in July 1994. It was a Qantas Boeing 737-300. Soon after, other airlines like Kiwi Travel International Airlines and Freedom Air started regular flights across the Tasman Sea (between New Zealand and Australia).
Over time, some airlines changed or stopped flying to Dunedin. For example, Freedom Air became part of Air New Zealand in 2008. Virgin Australia and Jetstar also started flying to Dunedin in the following years. Around 2005, the check-in area was made bigger, and a new international arrival area was added. The current terminal building opened in October 2005.
Air New Zealand used to fly to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney from Dunedin. However, they passed these routes to Virgin Australia in 2010. Virgin Australia later stopped flights to Melbourne and Sydney in 2014. They also stopped the Brisbane route in March 2020. This means that for now, the airport does not have any regular international flights. In 2015, the airport's name was officially changed from Dunedin International Airport to just Dunedin Airport.
What's at the Airport?
Dunedin Airport has several important features and services. These help make travel smooth for passengers and support airport operations.
Busy Skies: Airport Numbers
The airport has grown a lot since it opened. In 1963, about 100,000 passengers used the airport. By 1995, after its first international flight, this number grew to 520,000 passengers. In 2018, the airport announced that over 1 million passengers (1,035,645) passed through each year. This shows how popular the airport has become.
Relaxing at the Koru Club
If you are a member of the Air New Zealand Koru Club, or have a special frequent flyer status, you can use the lounge at the airport. This is a comfortable area where you can relax before your flight.
Long Runways for Big Planes
The company that runs Dunedin Airport has plans to make the runway even longer. They have the land and permission to extend it from 1,900 metres (6,234 feet) to 2,400 metres (7,874 feet). This would allow even larger aircraft to land. These bigger planes could fly on longer routes, possibly from places like the United States or Southeast Asia. The airport plans to do this when it is really needed, not just for the sake of it.
Momona Village
Dunedin International Airport Limited, the company that operates the airport, also owns the small community of Momona Village. This village is located right next to the airport.
Airlines and Where They Fly
Many people use Dunedin Airport to travel around New Zealand. Here are the main airlines that fly from Dunedin and their destinations:
| Airlines | Destinations |
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| Air New Zealand | Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington |
| Jetstar | Auckland |
Mainland Air is also based at Dunedin Airport. They offer scenic flights, which are great for seeing the area from above. They also do charter flights, where you can hire a plane, and ambulance flights for medical emergencies. Mainland Aviation College, which is part of Mainland Air, runs a flight training school. This is where people can learn to become pilots.
More to Explore
- List of the busiest airports in New Zealand
- List of airports in New Zealand
- List of airlines of New Zealand
- Transport in New Zealand
