Christchurch via Auckland

[shagen]

We are booked on Air New Zealand to Christchurch via Auckland. From the trip planner, it says the flight arrives at Auckland International and transfer to Auckland Domestic.

Are the two terminals linked? Would it be a real hassle to move our luggage from the international terminal to the domestic terminal? I am assuming that we need to clear customs at Auckland.

Anyone done this route? Any info is appreciated!

Thanks
Shagen

[Beach Kiwi]

Are the two terminals linked? Would it be a real hassle to move our luggage from the international terminal to the domestic terminal?

No, they're not linked, they're about 1km apart. However, there is a free inter-terminal shuttle bus that operates from 6am to 10-30pm, and plenty of taxis that can take you there.

Here's the airport website: CLICK ME

[Tanya]

You clear customs and take your luggage out through the doors to where everyone waits for friends/family. You then walk along to the transfer desk and assuming you have 45 minutes before your next flight(I think its that) you can check in your bags there and then hop onto the free shuttle bus to the domestic terminal. Then all you have to do is board the plane. It's really quite easy but if you haved a short connection then be prepared to take all your bags onto the bus and check in at domestic.

Tanya

[shagen]

Thanks Tanya, we have 90 minutes between the arrival and departure.

Is the queue usually long at customs? I read here of people queuing up to an hour to clear customs and passports.

Shagen

[Tanya]

Not too bad, we joined the family line which was a lot shorter - do the same and you will have a shorter wait. Don't linger, just get in the queue which is the first line as you get to customs.

Tanya

[veronica]

We've experienced both the long queue and the no queue scenario at Auckland. Just depends on what flights are coming in about the same time as you.

[MikeandCez]

I would concur with the comments made. We however tend to walk the 1KM it really isn't that far and it's great to get some fresh air before heading back into the healthy atmosphere of a plane's interior!!!
Just follow the painted line on the floor and you can't go wrong.

[RoadRunner]

When I booked our tickets (Wellington via Auckland) I was told we'd have to pay a departure fee of NZ $25. The Web site that Beack Kiwi sent says:
"Departure fee - Pay at the Bank of New Zealand on the ground floor or the first floor. Have ready boarding pass and $25NZ per passenger. Children under 12, and international transit passengers in Auckland for less than 24 hours, do not pay a departure fee, but an exemption sticker must be obtained from the Bank of New Zealand."

I read that to mean that those of us simply passing through Auckland are exempt. Is that true? Can we get the exemption sticker at any Bank of NZ outlet or do we have to do this at the branch at the airport? Has anyone else had to do this?

Thanks,
RoadRunner

[veronica]

No sorry you have to pay the departure tax, just have to pay it at point of departure, for me that would be Christchurch. When it says .............international transit passengers in Auckland for less than 24 hours,.................it means people who are in transit to another place and NZ is not their destination.

[Tanya]

Right - I have just phoned Auckland Airport for you.

If you are transiting from Auckland to another NZ airport then you DO NOT pay departure tax. She told me that DEPARTURE tax is for when you leave the country and not when you go on a domestic route. The only time you would pay is on your journey back out of NZ. For your journey you do not even need an exemption sticker.

I know we didn't pay it when we came down from Auckland to CHCH in November but wanted to clarify it before posting the wrong information for you.

Hope this helps clear this up

Tanya