Flying In New Zealand: Fast, Easy, and Full of Hobbits
I wrote this in 2016 or 2017 during the two years I lived in New Zealand. Some details — prices, hours, what’s open — may have changed, but the experience and my love for this place haven’t.
I had to make a quick trip over to Melbourne to speak at a conference and take care of some work things. I flew out of Auckland at 5:30 PM and was worried the airport might be hectic with business travellers heading out. I arrived at 4:05 PM — got an Australian visa, checked in and checked my bag, went through immigration and security, bought a muffin and a cup of coffee, and still arrived at my gate less than half an hour later.
The New Zealand airports are the most efficient I’ve ever used. Security lines are short and immigration is a very smooth combination of automation and manual processing. I flew through Auckland and Wellington many times while I lived there and always marvelled at how painless it was.
If you’re arriving into New Zealand though and you’re bringing food or plants, or you’ve visited farmland beforehand, expect to meet some of the cutest biosecurity beagles you’ve ever seen and be prepared for some questioning. NZ is serious about what it allows into the country — the economy is heavily dependent on farming and dairy and they protect it accordingly. My sister came to visit once and they put her in a special line since she brought her hiking boots and she has a horse. The customs officer took her boots into the back room and washed them before approving her for entry. Not a hassle — just New Zealand being New Zealand.
Wellington Airport has the added bonus of being what it calls the Middle of Middle-Earth. Wētā Workshop — the company behind the props, costumes, and special effects for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films — is based in Wellington, and the airport leans into this hard. The displays have evolved over the years so I won’t describe exactly what you’ll see, but expect something impressive. The whole airport has a personality that most airports would kill for.
If you have time in Wellington, the Wētā Workshop tour in Miramar is absolutely worth doing — I went and it was one of the highlights of my time in Wellington. You get a look inside the actual workshop where staff are working on current productions, surrounded by props and costumes and armour from some of the most iconic films ever made. Book ahead as tours sell out.
