March 2026 Monthly traffic Update

15/04/2026 08:30 NZST, GENERAL

March 2026 Monthly traffic Update

Key points:

• In March 2026 there was a total of 928k international passenger movements in the month, an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2025. International seat capacity increased 2% on the same month last year resulting in average load factors of 86%, a 4.4 percentage point increase;

• Reviewing the top five nationalities for non-transit international passengers shows New Zealand nationals increased by 3% on prior year, Australian nationals increased by 15%, USA nationals increased 4%, Chinese nationals increased 21% and UK nationals increased 12%;

• Passenger volume on short-haul international routes increased by 11% and seat capacity increased 8% lifting load factors to 85%. Passenger movements on long-haul international routes increased by 5% and seat capacity decreased by 4% resulting in higher year on year load factors of 87%. Following the outbreak of hostilities in Iran on 28 February, flights from Auckland to the Middle East were disrupted with passengers and seat capacity on the Middle Eastern routes lower by 81% and 73% respectively for the month of March 2026 compared to March 2025;

• Domestic passenger movements increased by 3% in the month of March 2026 when compared to the same month in the prior year, with seat capacity also increasing 3%, resulting in load factors of 85%. Passenger numbers on the domestic trunk routes grew 7% compared to the year prior with 8% more seat capacity with load factors of 85%. Regional passenger numbers declined 5% and seat capacity declined by 8% with increased load factors at 84%; and

• Queenstown Airport international passenger numbers in March 2026 increased 23% on the year prior and domestic passengers increased 5% on the same month last year.