Looking Beyond

The upgrade of Auckland Airport

A brand-new domestic terminal to be fully integrated into the international terminal - replacing the ageing domestic terminal

Set to open between 2028 and 2029, the new integrated terminal will house domestic and international travel under the same roof for the first time since 1977, via an expansion at the eastern end of the existing international terminal building.

• The integrated terminal will serve the larger and more efficient domestic jet aircraft flying to and from Auckland to New Zealand’s other main centres, alongside international operations.
• When it opens it will cut domestic jet to international transfer times down to a five-minute indoor walk.
• Smart baggage systems will save time and reduce stress at either end of a flight, alongside faster links to transport options.
• More gates and other facilities to help airlines smooth and speed-up turn-around times.

New heights: vertical construction begins on AKL’s domestic jet terminal

Auckland Airport’s biggest airfield expansion since opening

The airfield expansion is set to open in late 2025, spanning over 23 rugby fields in size. It is the largest airfield expansion in our airport’s history, and a critical enabler, creating a new area for aircraft parking with a large part of the airfield about to become a construction site for development of the newly integrated terminal. The project adds extra taxiways and six remote stands (parking spots for planes) for aircraft that layover for several hours before departing again, five of these stands will have in-ground jet fuel reticulation, and further into the future, if needed, a second runway.

3+ km of stormwater pipes are going in the ground under the new airfield to capture stormwater flows from more than 100 hectares of land north of the international terminal, directing it away and into an innovative new treatment system. Learn more here >>

Learn more about the airfield expansion >>

The Transport Hub is central to Auckland Airport’s ambition to improve the traveller experience and create a seamless journey. Built on the site of the old international terminal carpark, the $300 million Transport Hub officially opened in April 2024 and represents the biggest change to airport transport flows in 50 years.

Each floor of the four-storey structure is the size of two rugby fields with a double height open ground floor. It delivers a modern airport arrival and departure experience for those using public transport and scheduled buses, being dropped off or picked up by friends and family, or being dropped off by taxis, rideshares and shuttles.

Currently serving 8,000 vehicles each day, the Transport Hub offers around 2,000 parking spaces on four upper levels using Licence Plate Recognition technology for faster entry and exit.

The building targets a 5 Green Star sustainability rating and aims to meet the threshold for a Gold Parksmart sustainability rating. A 1.2-megawatt solar system covers the rooftop, helping to power 33 public electric vehicle charging stations, and five underground 25,000 litre rainwater tanks provide non-potable water to offices when they are ready for tenants.

Preview of what’s to come: AKL delivers first major development phase with Transport Hub & plaza complete

Latest project updates

New Panther on the Prowl

20 February 2025

Recently we formally welcomed the latest addition to our firefighting team - a first-of-its-kind Panther fire truck.

Manufactured by specialist Austrian company Rosenbauer, our new Panther 8x8 HRET fire truck is marketed as the very top of the food chain. We are the first airport in the Southern Hemisphere to invest in this model, and it joins the existing fleet of four 6x6 Panthers.

The 8x8 HRET has greater water capacity than our existing fleet and the extendable turret allows the AES team to deliberately and safely direct water in close, instead of running out a hose.

The investment is part of our wider commitment to keep growing our emergency capabilities as the number of flights and travellers passing through the airport grows.

WATCH: Vertical construction begins on Domestic Jet Terminal

20 February 2025

Steel columns are being craned into place as vertical construction begins on the main building of Auckland Airport’s new domestic jet terminal.

Rising up to 21m above the ground, the columns will become the support structure for the domestic terminal headhouse – the main engine room of the new terminal.

The headhouse will contain the domestic arrivals and baggage pick-up area, traveller amenities, operational management spaces, airline lounges and dwell spaces, plus a new state of the art baggage system.

Each column for the structure makes a pre-dawn journey on truck and trailer from the west Auckland fabrication workshop of D&H Steel Construction.

The 12,000m2 facility has been busy working on the airport job since late last year, with a 50-strong fabrication team working two 10-hour shifts to prepare 1,600 tonnes of column steel and another 3,000 tonnes of associated steel structures such as floor beams, lift shafts, roof structures and façade support for the initial stage of construction.

The five-year long project is due for completion in 2029.

Self-service check-in coming to AKL

New self-service kiosks and bag drops at the international terminal have now gone into operation and are being used by our passengers for checking in. We’re starting with a small group of five airlines as early adopters and will then progressively add more airlines. Over the next few years around 100 existing check-in counters will be replaced with self-service kiosks and bag drops.

When complete, the new self-service kiosks and bag drops will be available to all travelers no matter what airline they’re on, meaning multiple airlines can be checking in from the same kiosks in a zone at the same time. Although much of the process will be self-service, airport and airline teams will still be on hand to support travelers and with the Interim Zone E it is no different. Friendly airport staff will be on hand to assist any passengers who need help.

First LED runway lights in New Zealand for low visibility touchdowns

Our runway is being seen in a whole new light with a switch to LED runway lights to guide aircraft during take-off and landing. Shining bright down the length of the 3.6km runway, around 600 light-emitting diode (LED) lights, have replaced a halogen lamp system – work all done under the cover of darkness.

The 240 new LED in-ground runway centreline, 186 touchdown zone, 52 threshold, 124 runway edge and 18 runway end lights now in place will be individually tracked and monitored with all details digitally recorded. From the moment an LED light is installed we have a full record of its performance – including a complete log of every time it is cleaned or the bolts tightened through to any maintenance done.

Preparing for your trip

Flight information

Be sure to check flight times.

Parking

Book your parking well in advance of travelling.

Walk our new ‘Green Line’ between terminals

Stretch your legs and get some fresh air by following our new green line walkway between terminals. We’ve changed the route to keep travellers safe and to make way for construction bringing together domestic jet and international travel.

The walkway is well marked with improved shade and shelter, and, in most places, follows a green line on the footpath. The new route takes about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your walking speed.