Wellington Airport (WLG) is New Zealand’s capital city airport. Even so, it is only the second-busiest airport in the country, after Auckland Airport (AKL).
It’s located on the Rongotai isthmus about 5-7 km southeast of the city centre, between Wellington city and the Miramar Peninsula.
The airport operates a single runway capable of handling turboprops, narrow-body jets, and some wide-body aircraft. Most flights are domestic, with the only international services available to Australia and Fiji.
Major Airlines - Air New Zealand, Jetstar
Air New Zealand is the primary carrier at WLG, handling both domestic and international flights. The flag carrier of the country flies to 13 domestic destinations and the three largest cities in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane).
Australia’s flag carrier, Qantas, also flies direct between Wellington and these cities.
Jetstar, a low-cost airline and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas, offers additional domestic flights to Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown, as well as trans-Tasman flights to the Gold Coast (Australia).
Smaller regional carriers with flights at Wellington Airport include Air Chathams, Golden Bay Air, Originair, and Sounds Air.
The only other foreign airline at WLG is Fiji Air with its twice-weekly flights to Nadi.
See all airlines that serve Wellington Airport.
Terminal Layout and Gates
There is just one terminal building, divided into three piers:
South Pier (Gates 3-12): typically serves regional turboprops and smaller aircraft
South-West Pier (Gates 13-17): serves domestic jet flights. All gates except Gate 14 have jet bridges.
North-West Pier (Gates 21-29): handles international departures and arrivals plus some domestic flights, like Jetstar’s. If a gate is used for an international flight, the gate numbers are assigned as 41-49 instead.
The main terminal building has all check-in desks on the first floor and the baggage claim area on the ground floor. These are connected to the retail section and the dining area on the first floor with views of the runway.
Transit and Connecting Flights at Wellington Airport
With only one terminal, transfers are relatively simple.
Domestic-to-domestic flights do not require any additional procedures - just walk to your new gate.
Domestic-to-international or vice versa transits require passing through Security and Customs at Wellington Airport. Note that the gates in the North-West Pier are dual-use, with a different numbering to indicate it - 21-29 when domestic or 41-49 when international.
In a domestic-to-international transit scenario, luggage will be checked through to your final destination as long as you fly with the same airline. In all other cases, you will need to retrieve luggage on the Arrivals floor, re-clear Security, and proceed to your new gate on the Departures level. Luggage is always screened by Customs on the first point of arrival into New Zealand.
Check out the best things to do in Wellington.
Wi-Fi at the airport
Free WiFi is available throughout the terminal.
To connect, select “WLG Airport FreeWiFi” from the list of available networks, then launch your browser (if it doesn’t open automatically) and complete the registration form on the welcome page. If the welcome page doesn’t load, try to open any other page, and you will be redirected automatically.
Baggage storage at WLG
There are self-storage lockers in the motorbike parking area on Level 1 of the Multi-Level car park. Payment is only by EFTPOS or credit/debit card at the lockers themselves.
Small items (cabin luggage, up to 11/31/50 cm) are charged NZ$5 for half a day or NZ$10 per full day.
Large items (checked-in luggage, up to 39.5/81.5/75 cm) cost double, i.e., NZ$10 for half a day or NZ$20 per day.
Baggage larger than what can fit within the lockers can be stored in the Oversized Baggage storage, located on the Ground Floor by Baggage Belt 1. It costs NZ$20 for half a day or NZ$40 per day.
Dining Options at Wellington Airport
Wellington Airport offers a variety of food & beverage options in the terminal, ranging from cafés, fast food, and grab-and-go snacks to sit-down restaurants.
Examples include:
Best Ugly Bagels: Artisan rolled bagels on Level 1 of the Main Terminal.
Mojo: serves coffee and light meals on Level 1 of the Main Terminal. Also has a smaller outlet in International Departures.
SUBWAY: The world-famous sandwich shop is located near baggage claim on Level 0.
Ted & Rose café: Choose from great coffee, delicious pies and donuts, and more. Located on Level 0.
TJ Katsu Sushi and TJ Poké: Offers Japanese cuisine and poke bowls. Find it on Level 1 of the Main Terminal.
TJ Katsu Dumplings and Noodles: Choose between freshly made ramen, katsu, and other Asian meals. Located on Level 1 of the Main Terminal.
Whiskey Lima Golf: A nice restaurant with a wide menu, located within the Rydges Hotel in the Main Terminal.
There’s a planned new multi-level hospitality venue (to be completed end of 2025) which will add ~130 extra seats, with views over the runway and Lyall Bay. It will feature burgers, cook-to-order meals, bars, new cafes, and more. Lounges at Wellington Airport
As the main airline at Wellington Airport, Air New Zealand operates 3 lounges:
Air New Zealand Domestic Lounge: Located in the South-West Pier, near Gates 13-17 and intended for domestic travellers.
Air New Zealand Regional Lounge: Located on Level 2 of the Main Terminal, just before security. Intended for regional and turboprop travellers.
Air New Zealand International Lounge: Located after Customs and Security, in the North-West Pier. Serves only international departures.
All of Air New Zealand’s lounges feature buffet food, a bar with a coffee barista, dedicated Wi-Fi, desks and seating places, and reading materials.
There is also a Qantas Lounge in the international departure area (also post-security/customs) for Qantas Club members. Uniquely, this lounge has showers.
Transport to and from the airport
Access to Wellington Airport by car is well established - State Highway 1 ends at Wellington Airport itself and runs through the city, then onwards to Auckland and beyond.
Public transport includes buses linking the airport to central Wellington. The Stagecoach bus service leaves from WLG every 20 minutes from 6:35 AM to 9.25 PM on weekdays (7:00 AM to 8.45 PM on weekends and public holidays) and goes to Wellington before proceeding to Lower Hutt. Fares are NZ$9.00 to NZ$12.00 per person (depending on distance), while the journey takes about 30 minutes.
Only licensed taxis operate at WLG. They have ranks in front of Arrivals. The trip to Wellington city center takes around 20 minutes and costs approximately NZ$30-40.
Shuttles are another popular option for traveling from Wellington Airport to the city. These are normally shared by several travelers and cost NZ$20 for 1 person and NZ$5 for each additional person. Private shuttles can be booked before arrival.
Three ridesharing providers are available at Wellington Airport: Uber, YourRide, and DiDi. Request a ride through their respective apps. Their pick-up locations at the airport are signposted.
Last but not least, renting a car is incredibly popular among travelers in New Zealand. Most of the major rental car companies, such as Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, etc., operate from the terminal building. Prebooking is strongly recommended, especially in the high season (December to February and holidays).
Parking at WLG
Wellington Airport has several parking options to meet the needs of every kind of traveller.
There is a free 10-minute grace period for pick-ups and drop-offs in front of the Terminal. Parking charges apply for vehicles that stay in the car park beyond 10 minutes from the time of entry.
Covered Parking is available just 2 minutes walking from the terminal. Rates vary by duration of stay, with hourly charges around NZ$18 and a daily maximum of NZ$58.
Uncovered Parking is located about a 5-minute walk from the terminal. Rates are slightly cheaper than at the covered parking, with hourly charges of NZ$11-15 and a daily cap of NZ$46.
P120 Express: Located on the top deck of the new P120 Express zone, adjacent to the terminal, inside the Multi-Level Car Park (Covered). Parking rates are the same as in the Uncovered car park.
Premium Secure: A covered parking garage with a dedicated entrance and exit and direct access to the terminal. This convenience costs a premium too - around NZ$20 per hour or NZ$64 per day.
Long-term Car Park: Located at the southern end of the airport on Freight Drive and is connected to the terminal via a complimentary shuttle every 10-15 minutes. It offers value for longer stays, with rates of NZ$38 for the first day and progressively dropping to reach just NZ$8 for each day after the 9th.
Valet Parking is available for all arriving and departing flights right at the Terminal. No reservation is required - just drive up to the terminal’s curbside and hand your keys over to the staff. This service costs NZ$70 for the first day, NZ$60 for the second, and NZ$58 for each subsequent day.
Pre-booking your parking will save you money compared with the daily drive-up rates.
Hotels near Wellington Airport
If proximity to the airport is of utmost importance to you, the Rydges Wellington Airport, directly connected to the main terminal, is the best option.
The hotel offers dining on-site in the Whiskey Lima Golf and the Peloton Bar & Eatery, including breakfast or dinner. There is also a fully equipped gym, a free unlimited Wi-Fi network, a conference center with audio-visual equipment, and much more.
Just outside the hotel grounds is Airport Stays - a simple yet convenient and comfortable 3-star hotel with the best mix of affordability, location, and amenities.
Additional accommodation options are located in Wellington city for those willing to travel 10-20 minutes.
See more details about WLG airport hotels and book your stay.
Wellington, New Zealand
