Although you can travel to New Zealand by sea, you’re probably going to come in by air.

Flight Routes and Airlines

Whichever way you got, it will take two flights (of approx 11 hours each) to get to New Zealand, with a transit stop or plane swap inbetween. The common routes go via America (e.g. LA), or Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong). If you fly via America you have an extra visa step to take, so you may prefer to take a route via Asia. These airports have also been, in our experience, less crowded, cleaner and better organised than LA. They also speak excellent English and have all announcements and boards in English in addition to the local tongue.

As for Airlines, we have had little negative to say about those we have flown with in the past. Singapore Airlines stand out for their excellent customer service despite competing in the cheapest end of the market, but if you have a fussy palate you may prefer to try the slightly more expensive BA or Air New Zealand for a more European style menu.
Shop around to find the current deals – search engines like Netflights can show you what’s around.

 Arriving

Auckland International Airport is in Manukau, South Auckland. The airport has two terminals: Domestic and International. Auckland is the main hub for long-haul flights arriving into New Zealand.

After arriving you can take a bus to the City centre or to selected other destinations within Auckland (Botany, Manukau, or North Shore) or a taxi or shuttle to your destination of choice.

Shuttles (think minibuses) may be cheaper than taxis because they combine more than one journey into a run, but this might make the journey take longer as a result. A taxi fare will typically be between NZ$60 and NZ$80, while a Shuttle will cost closer to NZ$30 to NZ$40 for one person, although the fare for additional people is small.

You can book shuttles or taxis in advance (see the link above for contacts), although they are usually readily available from outside the airport when flights are operating.