“It’s best to take careful note of check-in times from your airline,” Tasker said.
“It can differ depending on where and who customers are flying with.”
Domestic departures would likely have a “triple peak” across three Fridays, the airport said.
This Friday was expected to be the busiest, with more than 15,000 domestic departures.
For domestic arrivals, Friday will be the busiest since March.
And for international departures, it will be the busiest day since April.
But September 26 was expected to be busy too, as was October 3.
“There have been changes at domestic parking,” Tasker said.
“Our teams are prepared for the busy period, including our transport team, and we’ll have additional staffing on the ground to help.
“As always during peak travel periods, we also have contingencies in place in case of any congestion,” he told the Herald.
He said Customs and Aviation Security (AvSec) screening at the international terminal would open at 4.30am.
AvSec had new scanners at Auckland and most travellers no longer had to remove laptops, tablets or phones during screening.
“My advice to travellers is to come prepared to ensure those processes run as smoothly as possible.”
Travellers could speed things up by emptying pockets, removing any over-the-ankle footwear, and keeping laptops and electronics in carry-on bags.
He said flyers could also save time by checking they weren’t carrying prohibited goods.
Auckland Airport also said pre-booking parking online guaranteed the best value and choice, from Park & Ride to premium options closer to the terminal.
For anyone returning from overseas, Tasker said at busy times an express lane would operate, prioritising those with nothing to declare.
Christchurch was the top destination for domestic travel from Auckland, followed by Wellington and Queenstown.
“It’s always a busy time for both international and domestic travel,” said Board of Airline Representatives (Barnz) executive director Cath O’Brien.
“Airlines do their best to ensure operations are as smooth as possible.”
O’Brien said New Zealand’s volatile weather and unpredictable high winds could cause some disruption but airlines would do their best to manage that.
“It’s really important to allow sufficient time to get to the airport, and that includes time to park, if you’re driving.”
But getting to the airport long before AvSec screening opened at 4.30am was probably a bit pointless or likely to mean a long time waiting, she said.
O’Brien said with a variety of building projects on at Auckland, the airport layout may be different for visitors who hadn’t travelled for a while.
She also advised those who wanted to check in luggage to keep an eye out for bag drop deadlines.
It was usually a smart idea to complete as many tasks online as possible, O’Brien said.
Some flights had online services for check-in, seat selection, or bag drop details, and that could save people time compared to queueing or visiting physical kiosks.
For international travellers, Australia, China and Fiji were the top destinations.
And the main countries of origin would be Australia, China and the US.
The school holidays start this Saturday and end on Sunday, October 5.
John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.
