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Christchurch Airport is gearing up for another bustling holiday season, with peak travel days just around the corner. This has been a busy 12 months with:
- 6,255,000 passengers
- 92,500-plus flights arrived and departed
- 9600-plus tonnes of freight coming in and going out
- 17 different commercial aircraft types
- 14 airline partners connecting Ōtautahi Christchurch to the world.
Peak travel days
As the airport prepares to welcome travellers from near and far, here’s what passengers and the airport team can expect this year.
Friday, December 20, is set to be the busiest day of the season with just more than 20,000 travellers expected to pass through the terminal. Domestic flights will reach their peak that day, while the international peak will follow closely on Saturday, December 21, with more than 7000 international passengers expected to travel through the airport.
Compared to last year, this holiday season brings increased airline capacity every day during the peak week. The airport expects 6000 more passengers to use our airport during the peak pre-Christmas week compared to last year.
Domestic travel will be especially busy during the morning (8–9 am) and evening (5–7 pm) peak periods. The busiest time for international flights is expected to be just after noon, driven by a wave of arrivals. Between 1.20pm and 2.45pm, the airport anticipates arrivals from Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong), Emirates (Sydney), Qantas (Brisbane and Melbourne), and Air New Zealand (Melbourne).
Supporting Smooth Journeys
Here are 12 predicted statistics for December 20, 2024:
- 20,000 travellers
- 6000 pickup and drop offs
- 4000 car parks
- 2500 taxis and Ubers in our service lanes
- 230 landings and take offs.
- 25 dedicated customer service staff on duty (Not including airline staff)
- 14 eateries open serving food and Christmas treats
- 9 Christmas trees in the terminal
- 4 sniffer dogs on duty
- 2 elves and a festive choir
- 1 Santa
- $ zero – cost of the wait zone
Christmas treats
Festive activities will be happening across the terminal.
Between December 18-24, Santa and his elves will be dropping by between 10.30am -2.00pm giving out sweet treats and hosting fun activities like photos, face painting and colouring in. Local choirs and brass bands will serenade travellers with festive favourites.
Keeping it moving
“It’s going to be busy on the runway and even busier at the pickup and drop-off loop,” says strategic communication manager Sean Tully.
“If you’re picking someone up, use the wait zone—it’s free and just 500 metres from the loop. Wait for a text from your friends or family to let you know they’re ready to be collected.
“Our teams are ready to make the travel experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible for everyone. With extra capacity and well-planned schedules, we’re here to help make your holidays memorable.”
