Kiwis get a jump start on the school holidays from AKL
- 2026-06-24
A week out from the official start of the school holidays, Auckland Airport is already preparing for its busiest international departure day this weekend, as Kiwis head overseas early for winter getaways.
Saturday 27 June is expected to be the top day for international departures, with nearly 15,000 travellers set to fly out of AKL. Auckland Airport Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker said travel movements will be more evenly spread across the period, with strong international demand 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.” From 24 June to 19 July 2026, international traveller numbers are set to reach more than 680,000, up 1.5% on the same period in 2025 for departures and arrivals. On the other hand, domestic traveller numbers are expected to be slightly softer with around 570,000 travellers coming and going, down 3.5%, compared to last year.
Mr Tasker said, “While domestic travel is tracking slightly lighter than last year overall, the final day of the school term will stand out. Around 14,000 travellers are expected to depart the domestic terminal on Friday 3 July, up 2.7% on last year’s biggest day in the same holidays, and more than 13,000 arrivals, up 3% on the 2025 winter break.”
Domestic travel will be busiest on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Rather than one standout international arrivals peak period, Auckland Airport is expecting steady weekend demand across the July school holidays this year, with around 30,000 international travellers arriving across each of the three weekends making up the official school holiday period.
“It makes our forward planning especially important, with strong, steady demand across the holiday period, not just on one or two especially busy days,” Mr Tasker said.
“We are asking travellers to allow plenty of time and come prepared. Pack spare batteries and ear buds in your carry on due to the fire risk they pose in the cargo hold and check the Aviation Security rules online for powders, liquids, aerosols and gels for international travel.”
More choice for travellers
Kiwis get a jump start on the school holidays from AKL
Airlines are continuing to expand services, with Qantas introducing new routes to the Gold Coast, Australia (OOL) and Apia, Samoa (APW). Transit passenger numbers are growing, up 16% year on year, supported by services such as China Eastern Airlines on the Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires route and Qantas launching its three times per week Sydney via Auckland to Apia flights.
Mr Tasker said this growth shows Auckland Airport is strengthening its role as a connecting hub, with more passengers moving through as airline networks expand. Top international destinations for both arrivals and departures for the holiday period are Australia, China and Fiji. For domestic travel, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown are the top hot spots across departures and arrivals.
“With upgrades underway in international check-in, we’re running an additional check-in area, Zone T in the Transport Hub, at peak times of day. Get prepared for your travels by checking your airline’s check-in zone up to 24 hours before departure on the Auckland Airport website,” he said.
Busiest travel days
International departures busiest days:
- Saturday 27 June
- Thursday 25 June
- Saturday 4 July
International arrivals busiest days:
- Saturday 4 July
- Saturday 11 July
- Sunday 12 July
Domestic departures busiest days:
- Friday 3 July
- Friday 17 July
- Thursday 9 July
Domestic arrivals busiest days:
- Friday 3 July
- Friday 17 July
- Sunday 19 July
Top travel tips
- Know your check-in zone, check the Auckland Airport website up to 24 hours before departure or on the flight screens when you arrive.
- Spare lithium batteries, power banks and earbuds must be correctly packed in carry-on only. Check out Aviation Security's packing restrictions for more information.
- For international travel, there are restrictions on the amount of powders, liquids, aerosols and gels you can take in your carry-on luggage. Check the rules online before you fly.
- Follow airline advice for check-in opening and closing times.
The New Zealand July school holidays are from Saturday 4 July to Sunday 19 July.
