By the numbers - Auckland Airport presses on with terminal upgrade
Monday, 23 March 2026
The war in the Middle East is throwing up questions around demand for global travel, and the fuel supply needed to drive it - but Auckland Airport won’t be pushing pause on its redevelopment.
International air travel and flights have been disrupted by the conflict since it began, and with no end in sight there has been speculation it could lead to a decrease in global travel.
But Auckland Airport announced on Monday that it is entering a major phase of its long-in-train redevelopment - the upgrade of its check-in terminals.
An Auckland Airport spokesperson said as New Zealand’s gateway airport and a key infrastructure site, the airport’s investment horizons look decades ahead.
Read more:
Christchurch firm to build new check-in terminal in Auckland Airport's $3.9b transformation
Global aircraft shortage hits NZ: Auckland Airport warns of seat squeeze and high fares through 2030
Profit dip at the half year for Auckland Airport, but second half set to soar
“Our current capital programme looks out to travel in 2032 and beyond, and our draft Master Plan considers how the airport will develop with a time frame beyond 2047.”
While the conflict in the Middle East was having immediate impacts on international airlines globally and the supply of jet fuel, it was still too early to comment on any long-term impact, they said.
“Operationally, we’re supporting airlines as they manage schedule changes. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.”
In the meantime, work on the delivery phase of the redevelopment programme, continues. Here’s a by-the-numbers run-down of the terminal check-in upgrade.
$3.9 billion
That’s the budgeted cost of Auckland Airport’s multi-year redevelopment project, which got underway when work on the expansion of the Northern Airfield began in 2019.
The expanded airfield was officially opened in September, and the redevelopment has moved on to the main works for the terminals.
Auckland Airport chief operations officer Chloe Surridge said construction of the new $800 million domestic jet terminal was well advanced, and work was now heading indoors.
1
The latest phase of the redevelopment will result in the domestic jet and international services being integrated into one 13,000m2 digital, user-focused terminal.
It is expected to cost about $2.2b, and it will be the biggest upgrade of the departure area since the 1970s.
Surridge said the work was about making check-in faster and more intuitive, and creating room to handle more people at busy times.
But the upgrade would take place while the airport continued operating, with construction in stages as one check-in zone at a time is converted, and that means changes for travellers, she said.
16,000
The number of passengers that check in to Auckland Airport’s international terminal to fly out of New Zealand each day over the busy summer period.
8
Up to eight flights a day currently use Zone C of the international terminal for check-in.
Zone C will be the first part of the existing terminal to be closed for that check-in redevelopment, which will see 22 traditional desks replaced with self- service kiosks and automatic bag drops.
While Zone C is closed, the remaining 38 check-in desks in the existing terminal, along with Zone E which has already been converted will continue to operate, and a temporary check-in area has been set up.
28
The number of check-in counters that will be in operation in Zone T, the temporary check-in pavilion that has been set up to handle passengers at peak times.
It is beside the airport’s Transport Hub, will be in operation from March 26, and has capacity for four wide body planes arriving at the same time.
Not all travellers will need to go through Zone T, but Surridge said it would be important for people to know what zone they had to check-in at.
2
For travellers directed to use Zone T, there will be a two-step process. Check in will be at Zone T, but they have to take their bags to a dedicated bag drop area, Zone B, in the terminal.
The walk from Zone T to Zone B is estimated to take about a minute.
500 kg
The weight of three of the additional flight information screens that will be installed around the airport. The big three will be six metres wide and so heavy they can’t be attached to concrete.
An increase in flight information screens will take the total to 700, and there will also be extra signage, and the relevant check-in information will be on the airport’s website 24 hours ahead of departure.
The goal is to help travellers navigate through the changes, Surridge said.
15
To that end, there will also be about 15 extra dedicated staff on the ground in key areas to help guide people through the process.
2.5
Zone T is expected to be in operation for about 2½ years while construction of the integrated terminal is carried out. The new terminal is expected to open between 2028 and 2029.