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Home / Travel news

Auckland Airport braces for 840,000 people as school holiday, Easter travel converges

Tyson Beckett
By Tyson Beckett
Multimedia Journalist - Premium Lifestyle·NZ Herald·
11 Apr, 2025 03:22 AM3 mins to read

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Treaty Principles Bill voted down at its second reading and Trump claims he wants new trade deals with all countries, including China. Video / NZ Herald, AFP
  • Auckland Airport expects 846,000 travellers during the school holidays, Easter, and Anzac Day period.
  • Auckland’s rail network will shut down for 16 days from April 12-27 for upgrades.
  • Replacement buses will operate during the rail closure, with motorists advised to check travel routes.

Auckland Airport is bracing for some of its busiest days as the school holidays and Easter converge and people look to make the most of the coming fortnight-long break.

Some 846,000 travellers are expected through Auckland Airport as travellers take advantage of the holiday combination of Easter, school holidays and Anzac Day in a 14-day spell.

It comes as public transport users around Auckland city will be without trains as a full shutdown starts tomorrow. Trains will not return until April 28.

Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal will have its busiest day next Thursday, when 13,200 travellers depart and 13,700 arrive before the Good Friday public holiday.

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The weekends are set to be most popular times to fly internationally. The last Saturday of the school holidays is likely to be the busiest day for overseas arrivals, when 13,100 travellers are set to land in Auckland. The last Sunday in April is the busiest day for international departures, when 14,200 travellers are booked to head overseas.

Auckland Airport chief operations officer Chloe Surridge said numbers expected were on par with the same period last year but the airport was readying for a rush nonetheless.

“Particularly as the long Easter weekend and Anzac Day both fall within the school holiday period this year. That hasn’t happened since 2022 and we know lots of Kiwis will be taking up the opportunity to have a 10-day stretch off work in the second week of the school holidays.”

Surridge warned the airport is always busy during holidays, and families should plan ahead to allow for adequate time before flights.

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The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said it was not aware of any anticipated increase in travel times, outside normal holiday traffic.

Motorists were advised to check their journey route before they travelled for up-to-date information on traffic, roadworks, closures and detours or alternative routes.

No trains are running in Auckland from April 12 to 27. Photo / Sarah Ivey
No trains are running in Auckland from April 12 to 27. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The seasonal increase in travellers in and out of Tāmaki Makaurau coincides with a 16-day shutdown across all lines of Auckland’s rail network.

From April 12-27, a planned full line rail closure will be in place as KiwiRail continues network upgrades associated with the City Rail Link .

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KiwiRail’s David Gordon said full shutdowns allowed them to safely deliver intensive work.

“We get a huge amount done when there are fewer people needing to travel for school and work.

“The 16-day shutdown set for the Easter-to-Anzac holiday period will also be part of this concerted push to prepare for the City Rail Link and ensure the metro network is primed and ready for the increase in the number of trains.”

The final train leaves Britomart very early tomorrow at 1.30am on Auckland’s Southern Line.

Auckland Transport (AT) will run replacement buses and regular scheduled buses for those who still need to travel during the rail closure period. 

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