Christchurch International Airport Christchurch International Airport Christchurch International Airport is the main airport that serves Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located 12 kilometres to the northwest of the city centre, in the suburb of Harewood. Christchurch (Harewood) Airport officially opened on 18 May 1940 and became New Zealand's first international airport on 16 December 1950. It is the second busiest airport in New Zealand after Auckland by both annual passengers and aircraft movements. Christchurch along with Auckland are the only two airports in New Zealand to regularly handle Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 aircraft. The airport is curfew free operating 24 hours a
Hamilton Airport (New Zealand) to blossom soon after the war was over, and, in 1950, the airport received its first commercial flight. The main runway was sealed in 1965, and turboprop flights began to Hamilton that year, with NAC's Fokker Friendship aircraft operating. The runway was further lengthened to accommodate Vickers Viscount, 1970, and ultimately Boeing 737 aircraft types in 1975. In 1989, the New Zealand government sold the airport to councils representing Hamilton city (50 per cent), Waikato district (15.625 per cent), Waipa district (15.625 per cent), Matamata-Piako district (15.625 per cent) and Otorohonga district (3.125 per cent). This development led to unprecedented