Wellington Airport

✅ Trip Verified | The Arrivals terminal of Wellington Airport is unbelievably sad. Only two A320 planes had landed, and the Arrivals terminal was at full capacity! Critical mass! The queue to get through Declarations was snaking around the only luggage carousel in the whole terminal. People were climbing over each other. It took 1.5hrs to get through this airport. The staff were slow and unmotivated. It is such a sad little place. To reach critical mass with only two planes in Arrivals is an embarrassment to New Zealand.

❎ Not Verified | Wellington airport is great to fly from internationally. More than enough seating once through immigration and the duty free shop is more than adequate. Check in for Singapore Airlines wasn't too busy considering the flight itself was full. The biggest gripe I have: no cafe open airside and I was hungry. All in all a very satisfactory experience.

✅ Trip Verified | The departure area is spacious and well laid out with plenty of different shops and cafes. Quite pleasant. The security area however does not open until 45 minutes before departure time. Not boarding time. The result is queues. Annoying queues. Where frankly it could have been as pleasant as security can be if it was opened 90 minutes before departure. The positive impressions I got from the initial departure area we soured greatly as I waited with the whole flight to pass through security at the same time. This leads me to suggest that the airport security team are setup to cater to their own needs. Not that of the customer. Efficiency gone mad in my opinion. Thanks Wellington Airport. You may have saved a few dollars on paying your staff an extra 45 minutes of wages. Or saved money on your power bill. But it cost you any positive review from me.

❎ Not Verified | Bought food at two places and both was utterly disgusting. Couldn't finish either meal and both were $15+. Went to get a smoothie instead thinking who could possibly muck up something so simple. Well Wellington airport can - it was basically a cup of apple juice with a teaspoon of yoghurt and two strawberries for $7. Was an acidic mess. To top it off the seating area provided for dining was filthy. Please try to do better! Warning to all - eat at home or just buy a packaged snack at the book shop - I promise it will taste better.

❎ Unverified | I cannot believe the queues at Wellington Airport. I was on a small plane arriving from Melbourne. The flight wasn't even full, yet the queuing started almost immediately. The first for seemingly no reason at all. I have no idea what the holdup was. Then towards the so-called smart gates, of which there were only three. People took forever to go through so I queued up with others at the all passports desks (again of which there were only three). It took forever! I had no baggage to claim and yet I had to queue up with others in order to get to customs. My card had been marked as clear as I had nothing to declare but there was no option to go straight through, but wait in single file. Meanwhile, a friend, waiting to pick me up wondered where the hell I'd got to. It took close to an hour after getting off the plane. Wellington airport is way too small - the corridors are narrow, there are not enough smart gates to make things flow smoothly. It just feels cramped and very badly designed. I also had to queue for ages just to buy a bottle of wine at duty free. I'd absolutely had enough by then. Wellington needs to learn a few things from Melbourne airport where I was out of the airport within 15 minutes.

❎ Unverified | Luggage arrived very quickly. But huge queues at Immigration and Customs. No 'fast track' for Business Class, this is the first airport I've come across this! But staff were excellent and friendly. Lots of taxis waiting. Taxi was good. Great driver and helpful.

Arrival into Wellington was a domestic flight and departing was an international flight to Fiji. Typically overpriced beverage outlets but 200m or so from the terminal there is a Burger King if a coffee is required. Other than this little gripe, Wellington is a really funky little airport with the Lord of the Rings theme and the international departure area has an awesome themed design to it. Hope the runway does get extended so that more international flights will come as it is very efficient and things get done with a smile.

Lovely small airport. Check in swift, do not go through security till go to the gate, that was simple and very quick. Plenty of choice of shops and cafes, goods very reasonably priced in shop with plenty of seating. Staff friendly, excellent views of the planes from terminal.

✅ Verified Review | Flew into Wellington from Sydney and I had my baggage and was through security less than 15 minutes after leaving my seat which was brilliant! I got to where I needed to go (hoping to transfer to an earlier flight) quickly but alas, just missed out. No problem, plenty of comfortable seating and a decent range of eating options for a small airport. Bathrooms were plentiful and clean too. The LOTR sculptures hanging from the ceiling are cool. When leaving, a short stroll to my gate and all was very pleasant and clean. All staff I interacted with were friendly and professional. If I have a choice of flying in or out from Wellington or Auckland, there is no contest.

✅ Verified Review | Disappointing to say the least. Only airport I've ever known that does not open until 90 minutes before your flight for access to departure gates and 2 hours before flight. End up like homeless people in the wind and cold! What a way for a capital city to treat guests to their country. Also means you are ripped off and unable to use airline lounges because you can't access them in time. Very backyard unprofessional operation.