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List of the busiest airports in New Zealand facts for kids

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This is a list of the busiest airports in New Zealand by passenger numbers and aircraft movements. Passenger numbers are tabulated annually at the end of the financial year (30 June, for the majority of airports). The top 15 airports are shown.

Passenger numbers

2023

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 15,861,264
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 6,012,328
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,413,325
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 2,370,320
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 920,349
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 915,173
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 646,096
8. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga
9. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 534,651
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 401,686
11. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 378,000
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 375,000
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 318,517
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 219,948
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 210,215

2022

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 11,460,325
2. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 3,455,858
3. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 3,257,414
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,863,590
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 626,619
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 619,000
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 394,000
8. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 376,312
9. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 323,615
10. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 283,000
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 277,081
12. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 243,858
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 209,127
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 155,459
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 134,236

2021

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 6,443,639
2. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 3,977,776
3. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 3,705,373
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 931,659
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 761,649
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 725,000
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 461,000
8. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 414,169
9. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 401,000
10. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 358,000
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 303,878
12. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 277,000
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 238,024
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 179,500
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 115,130

2020

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 15,521,054
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,194,982
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 4,759,442
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,291,501
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 793,556
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 782,000
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 541,087
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 498,000
9. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 389,000
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 324,214
11. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 304,000
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 290,432
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 246,325
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 205.143
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 196,500

2019

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 21,625,370
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 6,931,441
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 6,441,935
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 2,321,347
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 1,077,475
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 1,076,686
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 750,357
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 687,142
9. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 475,000
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 456,766
11. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 382,000
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 321,000
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 317,000
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 265,443
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 191,651

2018

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 20,530,048
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 6,868,948
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 6,213,589
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 2,140,669
5. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 1,061,000
6. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 1,035,645
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 697,143
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 675,867
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 436,912
10. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 405,000
11. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 353,000
12. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 322,139
13. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 307,308
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 246,846
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 170,993

2017

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 19,020,573
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 6,566,598
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 6,049,194
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,892,443
5. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 1,000,373
6. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 973,089
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 652,456
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 630,000
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 435,000
10. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 350,085
11. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 317,348
12. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 302,884
13. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 294,832
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 241,303
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 156,146

2016

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 17,260,349
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 6,305,717
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,848,795
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,651,109
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 909,614
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 865,023
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 566,431
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 515,727
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 411,661
10. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 303,000
11. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 298,000
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 289,836
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 266,905
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 222,983
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 141,085

2015

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 15,892,741
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,915,785
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,457,279
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,409,663
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 861,982
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 764,050
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 476,000
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 466,557
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 342,000
10. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 291,000
11. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 285,992
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 277,838
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 250,000
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 222,226
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 155,897

2014

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 15,098,346
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,709,272
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,437,286
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,248,878
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 853,097
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 744,416
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 456,672
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 455,166
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 343,572
10. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 294,396
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 281,811
12. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 273,857
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 241,173
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 215,276
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 155,446

2013

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 14,862,485
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,576,821
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,373,622
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,215,526
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 857,951
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 767,298
7. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 451,128
8. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 445,147
9. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 332,178
10. Hamilton International Airport HLZ Hamilton 306,000
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 280,000
12. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 261,265
13. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 227,886
14. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 217,545
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 133,113

2012

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 14,160,640
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,485,023
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,191,729
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 1,156,250
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 853,650
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 776,448
7. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 449,318
8. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 440,704
9. Hamilton International Airport HLZ Hamilton 354,000
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 321,337
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 285,000
12. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 248,519
13. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 226,795
14. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 221,707
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 132,000

2011

Rank Airport IATA Location Passengers
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 13,703,043
2. Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 5,592,529
3. Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 5,135,000
4. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 966,574
5. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 776,508
6. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 758,250
7. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 449,090
8. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 431,903
9. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 362,000
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 300,960
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 281,633
12. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 246,485
13. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 227,578
14. Blenheim Airport BHE Blenheim 212,179
15. Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 134,600

Total aircraft movements

This list includes aircraft operating under both instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) and includes international movements. Consequently, the figures do not distinguish between commercial passenger flights and private aircraft movements. It is compiled from Airways New Zealand movement data.

2021-22

Rank Airport IATA Location Movements
1 Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 54,007
2 Christchurch Airport CHC Christchurch 42,653
3 Wellington Airport WLG Wellington 41,032
4 Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 29,807
5 Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 23,651
6 Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 21,641
7 Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 17,830
8 Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 16,281
9 Kapiti Coast Airport PPQ Paraparaumu 14,278
10 New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 12,248
11 RNZAF Base Ohakea OHA Ohakea 12,008
12 Woodbourne Airport BHE Blenheim 10,974
13 Gisborne Airport GIS Gisborne 10,082
14 Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 10,073
15 Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 9,282

2018

Rank Airport IATA Location Movements
1. Auckland Airport AKL Auckland 157,095
2. Hamilton Airport HLZ Hamilton 135,404
3. Christchurch International Airport CHC Christchurch 107,822
4. Wellington International Airport WLG Wellington 101,161
5. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 70,450
6. Palmerston North Airport PMR Palmerston North 55,960
7. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 45,677
8. Queenstown Airport ZQN Queenstown 43,012
9. Kapiti Coast Airport PPQ Kāpiti Coast 31,241
10. RNZAF Base Ohakea OHA Ohakea 28,807
11. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 24,910
12. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 24,386
13. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 23,058
14. Dunedin Airport DUD Dunedin 22,758
15. Rotorua Airport ROT Rotorua 22,532

2012

Rank Airport IATA Location Movements
1. Auckland International Airport AKL Auckland 155,903
2. Hamilton International Airport HLZ Hamilton 128,744
3. Christchurch International Airport CHC Christchurch 108,757
4. Wellington International Airport WLG Wellington 102,454
5. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 72,652
6. Palmerston North International Airport PMR Palmerston North 67,395
7. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 48,073
8. Queenstown International Airport ZQN Queenstown 43,776
9. Kapiti Coast Airport PPQ Kāpiti Coast 33,702
10. RNZAF Base Ohakea OHA Ohakea 30,959
11. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 30,773
12. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 28,491
13. Dunedin International Airport DUD Dunedin 25,328
14. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 25,242
15. Rotorua International Airport ROT Rotorua 22,092

2011

Rank Airport IATA Location Movements
1. Auckland International Airport AKL Auckland 156,484
2. Christchurch International Airport CHC Christchurch 121,112
3. Hamilton International Airport HLZ Hamilton 110,419
4. Wellington International Airport WLG Wellington 105,585
5. Tauranga Airport TRG Tauranga 74,400
6. Palmerston North International Airport PMR Palmerston North 65,708
7. RNZAF Base Ohakea OHA Ohakea 55,726
8. Nelson Airport NSN Nelson 50,094
9. Queenstown International Airport ZQN Queenstown 41,769
10. New Plymouth Airport NPL New Plymouth 32,791
11. Invercargill Airport IVC Invercargill 30,840
12. Dunedin International Airport DUD Dunedin 29,229
13. Hawkes Bay Airport NPE Napier 27,322
14. Rotorua International Airport ROT Rotorua 22,682
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