February 2026 Monthly traffic update

16/03/2026 08:30 NZDT, GENERAL

Key points:

• In February 2026 there was a total of 873k international passenger movements in the month, a 3% increase compared to the same month in 2025. Excluding transits, international passenger movements for the month of February 2026 increased by 4% on the prior year. International seat capacity increased 4% on the same month last year resulting in average load factors of 83%, a 0.2 percentage point decrease;

• Reviewing nationalities for non-transit international passengers shows New Zealand nationals decreased by 6% on prior year partly as a result of the Air New Zealand strike action during the month. Chinese nationals increased by 51% on the prior year due to timing of the Chinese New Year. Chinese nationals traveling during the Chinese New Year period compared to the same holiday period last year increased by 33%;

• Both passenger volume and airline seat capacity on short-haul international routes increased by 3% with load factors of 82%. Passenger movements and seat capacity on long-haul international routes both increased by 4% resulting in static year on year load factors of 83%;

• Domestic passenger movements increased by 7% in the month of February 2026 when compared to the same month in the prior year, with seat capacity increasing 4%, resulting in load factors of 87%. Passenger numbers on the domestic trunk routes grew 10% compared to the year prior with 8% more seat capacity with load factors of 88%. Regional passenger numbers declined 2% and seat capacity declined by 6% with load factors increasing 3.8 percentage points to 85%; and

• Queenstown Airport international passenger numbers in February 2026 increased 26% on the year prior and domestic passengers increased 2% on the same month last year.