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Queenstown is the number one domestic destination for New Zealand visitors this winter. Trans-Tasman travel remains popular with many direct flights available from most major New Zealand ports. China is the most popular long haul destination for New Zealand visitors with direct flights available from Auckland.
With winter now well underway in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealanders are quickly setting their sights on the skies with their cold weather travel plans. Data released by Booking.com has revealed the most popular destinations for New Zealand travellers this Southern Hemisphere winter. Queenstown topped the list for both domestic and Australian short-haul travellers, while China was the most popular destination for long-haul travellers.
Photo: Paer Svensson | Shutterstock
For those who don't know, Queenstown is a ski lover's dream, with several world-class ski fields within close proximity of Central Otago. Queenstown's international airport has direct flights from most major cities on Australia's east coast, including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. Domestically, there are direct flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Related Why New Zealand's Queenstown Airport is Such a Tough Airport to Land At From the stunning views to the tricky approach, take a look at what it takes to land at Queenstown International Airport.
Queenstown International Airport (ZQN) is frequently ranked among the top 10 most beautiful airport approaches in the world. Anyone who has experienced the airport will notice the beautiful landscapes and towering mountain ranges that surround it as the plane descends towards the runway. Simple Flying has looked into popular destinations this winter and which airlines serve these popular destinations.
National hotspots
Queenstown (ZQN)
Located in Frankton, the airport is a short drive from downtown Queenstown and offers visitors plenty of boutique shops and lakeside restaurants to enjoy. Direct flights from Queenstown include:
Airlines
destination
Domestic
Air Milford, Air New Zealand, Glenorchy Air, Jetstar
Auckland, Christchurch, Milford Sound, Stewart Island, Te Anau, Wellington
International
Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia
Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney
Photo: Soos Jozsef | Shutterstock
Kaikoura (KKE)
The airport does not currently have scheduled flights, but is popular for scenic tourist flights. The area is famous for whale watching and fishing, which attract many tourists. The nearest commercial airports are Blenheim (BHE), 1 hour 40 minutes north, or Christchurch, 2.5 hours south, which have numerous international flights.
Hamilton (HLZ)
Not to be confused with Hamilton, Ontario (YHM), Hamilton, New Zealand is about an hour south on the highway from Auckland Airport (AKL). A fierce rival to Christchurch as New Zealand's “Garden City”, Hamilton sits on the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest. Freedom Air and Virgin Australia once served several international destinations, but these are no longer with us.
Domestically, Air New Zealand operates several daily flights from Wellington and Christchurch, while Origin Air serves Nelson and Palmerston North, while SunAir serves Gisborne, Napier and Whangarei. In the event of bad weather, Hamilton can also be used as an alternative airport for diverting flights; for example, this week Air New Zealand sent an Airbus A320 en route from Adelaide to Auckland to the airport to wait for calmer weather in the north.
Hop Over the Ditch – Australia
Australia has always been a popular choice for New Zealanders, and a big favourite for many Kiwis. Air New Zealand serves more Australian airports than any other trans-Tasman airline, and you can fly direct from New Zealand to the following Australian ports:
Adelaide (ADL)
Operated exclusively by Air New Zealand
Brisbane (BNE)
Direct flights are operated by Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Cairns (CNS)
The seasonal service is operated by Air New Zealand during the Southern Hemisphere winter months.
Gold Coast (OOL)
A popular choice for many, with its famous theme parks, shopping and beaches, this route sees stiff competition from Air New Zealand and Jetstar.
Melbourne (MEL)
Projected to become Australia's most populous city by 2031, Melbourne attracts tourists with its many attractions, including its fashionable cityscape and easy access to the Great Ocean Road and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Airlines serving the Trans-Tasman market include Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas.
Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock
Perth (PER)
Air New Zealand, Western Australia's main airport, operates direct flights to Auckland, putting it in direct competition with Batik Air Malaysia, which operates fifth freedom flights between the two cities.
Sunshine Coast (MCY)
Another seasonal service operated by Air New Zealand connects the Sunshine Coast with Auckland during the winter months. This is the only international service from Queensland Airport.
Sydney (SYD)
Sydney is Australia's most connected airport between New Zealand and the US, with more airlines serving it than any other cross-Tasman destination. Currently served by Air New Zealand, China Eastern, Emirates, Jetstar, LATAM, Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Long-distance shipping to China
The most popular long-haul destination on the list is China, with many passengers travelling back and forth between the two countries. During the Southern Hemisphere summer, Christchurch was seasonally connected to Guangzhou by China Southern Airlines, but now the only direct flights to China are from Auckland, and include the following airlines:
Airlines
destination
Air China
Beijing Capital
Air New Zealand
Shanghai Pudong, Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong
China Eastern
Hangzhou, Shanghai Pudong
China Southern
Guangzhou
Hainan Airlines
Haikou, Shenzhen
Sichuan Airlines
Chengdu Tianfu
Related Trans-Tasman route oddities: 5 foreign airlines flying between Australia and New Zealand Which do you think is the strangest?
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