Highlights:

  • International passenger movements rose 3% year-on-year to 873,000 in February 2026.
  • Chinese visitor numbers surged 51%, supported by the timing of Chinese New Year.
  • Domestic travel increased 7%, while Queenstown Airport recorded strong international growth of 26%.

Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX:AIA) reported solid passenger growth in its February 2026 monthly traffic update, with international travel continuing to recover and domestic demand remaining strong. Total international passenger movements reached 873,000 during the month, representing a 3% increase compared with February 2025. When excluding transit travellers, international passenger volumes rose 4% year-on-year, broadly matching the increase in airline seat capacity. Average international load factors were recorded at 83%, slightly lower than the previous year.

Passenger trends varied across nationalities, with New Zealand travellers declining 6%, partly due to strike action affecting services by Air New Zealand during the month. In contrast, visitor numbers from China rose sharply, driven by seasonal travel during the Chinese New Year holiday period.

Domestic travel also showed strong momentum, while Queenstown Airport experienced notable growth in international arrivals, highlighting continued recovery and seasonal demand across New Zealand’s aviation sector.

Chinese Travel Boosts International Passenger Numbers

International passenger traffic at Auckland International Airport Limited was supported by strong inbound travel from China during February. Chinese nationals travelling through the airport increased 51% compared with the same month last year, largely reflecting the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday period. When comparing the same holiday travel window year-on-year, Chinese passenger numbers rose 33%, highlighting the continued rebound in international tourism from the Chinese market.

Meanwhile, international airline seat capacity increased 4%, broadly matching passenger growth. Short-haul international routes recorded 3% growth in both passenger numbers and seat capacity, while long-haul routes also expanded by 4%, maintaining stable load factors.

Domestic Travel Strengthens While Queenstown Sees Surge

Domestic travel demand remained strong in February, with passenger movements increasing 7% year-on-year at Auckland International Airport Limited. Airline seat capacity rose 4%, resulting in higher average load factors of 87%. Passenger numbers on key domestic trunk routes grew 10%, supported by an 8% increase in available seats and load factors reaching 88%.

Regional routes experienced a slight decline, with passenger numbers down 2% and seat capacity decreasing 6%, although load factors improved to 85%. Meanwhile, Queenstown Airport recorded strong growth, with international passenger numbers rising 26% and domestic travel increasing 2% compared with February 2025.

FAQs

  1. How many international passengers travelled through Auckland International Airport Limited in February 2026?

The airport recorded 873,000 international passenger movements, representing a 3% increase compared with February 2025.

  1. Why did Chinese passenger numbers increase significantly?

Passenger numbers from China rose 51% year-on-year, largely due to the timing of Chinese New Year, which boosted seasonal travel demand.

  1. How did domestic travel perform in February 2026?

Domestic passenger movements increased 7% year-on-year, with strong growth on major trunk routes and higher overall load factors.