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Auckland Airport is gearing up for a busy winter school holiday period, with June 27 expected to be its busiest day for international departures as nearly 15,000 travellers head overseas.
The airport says more than 680,000 international travellers are expected to pass through between June 24 and July 19, 2026, up 1.5 per cent on the same period last year across arrivals and departures. Domestic travel is forecast to be slightly softer, with about 570,000 travellers expected, down 3.5 per cent.
Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker says travel demand is expected to be more evenly spread across the holiday period this year, with international travel leading the way.
“This year the holiday period lines up across schools and universities as well as the Australian school break, which could be contributing to the early getaways, as families prepare for their winter holidays,” Scott says.
While domestic volumes are down overall, Auckland Airport expects a busy finish to the school term, with around 14,000 domestic departures and more than 13,000 arrivals forecast for July 3.
International arrivals are also expected to remain strong across the official school holiday period, with around 30,000 travellers arriving across each of the three weekends.
Scott says airlines are continuing to expand services through Auckland, with Qantas launching new routes to the Gold Coast and Apia, while transit passenger numbers are up 16 per cent year-on-year.
Australia, China and Fiji are expected to be the airport’s busiest international markets over the break, while Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown are the leading domestic destinations.
