Travelling from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Queenstown Airport (ZQN): what you need to know
Book a direct flight from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport and you'll be travelling for an average of 1 hour 55 minutes.
Auckland and Queenstown are in the same timezone, UTC+13.
Flights from AKL to ZQN start at 06:00 — the first with Air New Zealand. The latest departure is at 19:20 with Air New Zealand. In total, you can choose from 104 weekly Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport flights.
Your AKL to ZQN flight won't wait if you're running late, so get to the airport on time. Arrive up to one hour in advance for domestic flights and two hours ahead when you're travelling internationally.
You can expect longer lines in popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.
Jetstar offers direct flights from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport. Book with this popular carrier, then get ready to check out the sights in Queenstown — and maybe even more of New Zealand if time allows.
The majority of travellers choose to travel with Jetstar on this route.
Air New Zealand is the most punctual carrier offering AKL to ZQN flights. An exceptional 82.16% of its departures on this route land on time.
We make it simple to book a flight with a stopover. To see all your options for tickets from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport, deselect 'Direct flights only.' Then, pick a flight offering a stop long enough to tour your chosen city. Some great stopovers between AKL and ZQN include:
Christchurch International Airport
Wellington International Airport
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Auckland Airport (AKL) to Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
Currently, R 784 is the cheapest price we've found for a one-way Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport flight. The best price for a return plane ticket is R 1,569. Remember that fares may change due to availability at the time of booking.
Book seven months before you want to fly. After crunching the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to find cheap tickets from AKL to ZQN.
The cheapest month for flights from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport is June. Use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest prices if you have a flexible travel schedule.
Picking up cheap flights from AKL to ZQN is a cinch with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll let you know as soon as a new discounted fare appears.
Discover the ideal flight for you by using the filters. To see the 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter results by arrival and departure times, airline, and number of stops.
Handy information about Auckland Airport (AKL)
Of the departures from Auckland Airport, 69.31% arrive on time at their destination.
Central Auckland to Auckland Airport is around 27 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take you about 30 minutes to get there if you're driving, catching a cab or ride-sharing.
You can expect a trip time of around 1 hour 25 minutes on public transport.
Catching an early flight from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport? Avoid rushing to the terminal (and sneak in some extra precious sleep) by picking one of these hotels close to AKL:
Arriving at Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
If you're getting in on a late Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport flight, nothing tops the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your luggage from the carousel and then be showered and snoozing not long after at one of these hotels near ZQN:
Get on the fast track to adventure by picking up a Queenstown Airport rental car. Grab your wheels from Yes rentals, Hao Rentals or mode rentals and explore beyond Queenstown's usual tourist stops.
Get the best deal by reserving your vehicle from Queenstown Airport about two weeks before your departure date.
Getting from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to central Queenstown
ZQN is located at P.O. Box 64.
Queenstown Airport is roughly 8 kilometres from central Queenstown. The drive time takes around 15 minutes.
If you're travelling by public transport, expect a journey of about 20 minutes.
When to fly to Queenstown Airport (ZQN)
January is the busiest month for flights from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport. To escape the crowds, travel to Queenstown in April.
Lock in your flight from Auckland Airport to Queenstown Airport for February if you'd like to go to Queenstown during its warmest month. Expect temperatures of between 6ºC (43ºF) and 18ºC (64ºF).
If you like travelling in cooler conditions, look for a cheap ticket from AKL to ZQN in July. Average temperatures are between -2ºC (28ºF) and 6ºC (43ºF) then.
Explore more of New Zealand
Christchurch is just one of the many cities in New Zealand waiting to be explored once you've seen Queenstown. Around 354 kilometres away to the east, popular attractions include Little River Rail Station, The Monument Track (North) and Phytofarm Herbal Learning Garden.
Around 177 kilometres south-east of Queenstown, Dunedin is another favourite stop in New Zealand. No visit is complete without checking out Larnach Castle, Otago Peninsula Museum and Historical Society and Cadbury World.