Discover Auckland

Discover the fun lifestyle of New Zealand's biggest and most diverse city through creative cuisine, urban excitement and awesome outdoor adventures.

Auckland is a multitude of environments rolled into one amazing city. From the vibrant heart of Auckland city, serene golden eastern beaches, charming vineyards of Waiheke Island, untamed black sand coasts and forests of the west. Dive into rich cultural experiences and choose from boutique or branded accommodations, all within easy reach of eclectic shopping, art, and global cuisine. Enjoy outdoor adventures such as hiking, cycling, sailing, or relaxed island cruises. Auckland's warm hospitality, top-notch service, and world-class facilities ensure an unforgettable holiday.

About our flights to Auckland

Air New Zealand operates non-stop flights to Auckland from Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin and regional ports around New Zealand. With all our New Zealand domestic airfares you can choose seat, seat+bag, flexichange or flexirefund fare types. Flexichange gives you the flexibility to change your flight with no change fees while flexirefund is fully refundable. Find out more about our New Zealand domestic seat options.

Where to go and what to see in Auckland

Holidaying in Auckland is about being energised, uplifted, immersed, and inspired. There's a lot going on, and whether you want to focus on city activities or outdoor adventures, you're in for an exciting time. You can discover everything to do, see, taste and experience at Aucklandnz.com.

Enjoy delicious food and wine

From waterfront fine dining and bustling cafés to street food and boutique distilleries, wineries and craft breweries, there's a world of local and international cuisine to explore. Head to Britomart, Princes Wharf, Viaduct Harbour, Westhaven Marina or the Sky Tower for some of the best restaurants in Auckland with harbour views. Along Ponsonby Road you'll find boutique shops and a huge range of hip eateries and bars. Inner city suburbs like Parnell, Devonport, Mount Eden and Kingsland are always a good choice for restaurants, cafes and bars with a relaxed village vibe.

With three distinct Auckland wine regions to choose between, you're never far from a great wine tasting experience and a delicious alfresco meal amidst the vines. Take a tour west to some of New Zealand's oldest winemakers, north to the country village and vineyards of Matakana or catch a fast ferry to Waiheke Island, home to more than 20 vineyards and wineries.

Shopping in Auckland

We recommend you arrive in Auckland with space in your luggage, because shopping is something this city does extremely well. You'll find a pleasing blend of mega-malls and traditional street-side shopping centres, as well as newly developed downtown retail precincts. Here are a few of the best:

Britomart shops

For a mix of the world's best brands and premium NZ brands, Britomart is the place to get your retail fix. Tiffany & Co, Jo Malone, Ted Baker and Sass & Bide rub shoulders with Kiwi greats like Trelise Cooper, Zambesi, World and Kathryn Wilson.

Commercial Bay

Commercial Bay ticks all the wishes on your list - great shops, beautiful hospitality environments, enjoyable public spaces and internal access to public transport.

Westfield Mall Newmarket

It's Auckland's hottest spot for shopping and New Zealand's home of luxury. With a curated mix of over 200 shops and a new line-up of flagship boutiques and luxury brands, this modern retail experience is as good as it gets. You can even book a personalised styling session with one of their professional stylists to connect you with the latest trends and rejuvenate your look. There's also rooftop dining, plenty of quick eats and an entertainment precinct. If you're staying near the CBD, catch the train from Britomart.

Ponsonby Road shops

Strolling down Ponsonby Road is an iconic Auckland shopping experience involving nearly two kilometres of eclectic shops. You'll find everything from Kiwi designer fashion (Karen Walker, World and Kate Sylvester) and recycle boutiques to jewellery, food and toys. It helps that every second shop is a restaurant or café.

Takapuna shops

In Takapuna you can combine a day at the beach with a couple of hours around the shops. Most of the retail action is on Hurstmere Road between Anzac Street and Lake Road, or walk for five minutes to discover Shore City, one of Auckland's first shopping malls.

Sylvia Park Shopping Centre

Sylvia Park Shopping Centre is not just your average mall; it's a sprawling retail paradise nestled in the heart of Mt Wellington, boasting over 200 diverse shops.

Escape to magnificent islands

Waiheke Island is the most popular, and populated, island in Auckland. It's loved for beautiful sandy beaches, vineyards, olive groves and an arty laid-back lifestyle. Waiheke Island is only 40 minutes by ferry from downtown Auckland, so many of the island's residents commute to and from the city each day.

Auckland's vast Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park includes more than 50 islands and five marine reserves. Most of the islands are public conservation parks, perfect for day visits spent hiking or relaxing at a beach in the arms of nature. Rangitoto Island is the youngest of all. Stepping ashore here is like landing on another planet and hiking the lava-rock path to the crater summit is rewarded with spectacular 360° views. Tiritiri Matangi, is a predator-free sanctuary for some of New Zealand's rarest bird species. Their populations have flourished here, and birds fly close by, showing no fear of human visitors. Fullers360 offer great excursions out to Waiheke Island, Rangitoto and Tiritiri Matangi. Explore Group also offer cruising experiences to explore the Hauraki Gulf.

Immerse yourself in art and culture

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
You don't want to miss: The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity exhibition. It includes works by influential modern European artists, including Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dalí, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and more.

Wētā Workshop Unleashed
Journey through the paint-stained halls of a fantastical film FX workshop, chock-full of creatures, castles and cool stuff concocted by Wētā Workshop crew.

Visit the All Blacks Experience
This full sensory, interactive experience allows visitors to connect with New Zealand and Māori art and culture, hear from our legends and gain insight into Kiwi lifestyle, attitude, and humour with this 90 minute tour.

Power to the pedal – The Classic Tour
Enjoy an effortless electric bike journey through Auckland's iconic waterfront. Learn about the city's history and local insights as you cruise through with a knowledgeable guide.

SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium
Everyone loves the SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium that showcases over 30 live animal exhibits in spectacular habitat displays, including the world's largest Sub-Antarctic penguin colony exhibit and amazing underwater viewing tunnels

New Zealand Maritime Museum
Dive deeper into maritime history, where you can discover the genius of early Pacific navigators and cruise Auckland's sparkling Waitemata Harbour in one of our heritage vessels.

Auckland Zoo
There's always plenty to see and do all year round at Auckland Zoo. Book a Zoo Experience and create lifetime memories through a special experience with the Galápagos tortoise, giraffe, barn owl, red panda or squirrel monkeys.

Embrace the great outdoors

With beautiful regional parks, black and white sand beaches, and the picturesque Waitematā Harbour, you'll want to get outside at every opportunity while you're in Auckland.

Hike through native forest parks to waterfalls, clifftop lookouts and spectacular ocean beaches; join a tour of Auckland's inner city volcanic cones for long range views and insights into the region's unique geology and Māori history; catch a 10-minute ferry to historic Devonport and stroll the foreshore to climb North Head and explore its wartime tunnels; or walk up to the crater summit of Mount Eden to watch the sun set over the city

The iconic west coast black sand surf beaches, including Piha and Muriwai, are only 45 minutes from downtown Auckland by car. There are also inner-city beaches, like Takapuna and Mission Bay, for white sand, calm waters, cafes, bars and restaurants. Ninety minutes north of the CBD, Tāwharanui Regional Park and Goat Island Marine Reserve are pristine places for coastal walks, bird watching, swimming, surfing, snorkelling and diving.

If you like adventures that get your heart racing, you'll find plenty of fun things to do in Auckland. SkyWalk or SkyJump at the Auckland Sky Tower, bungy jump off the Auckland Harbour Bridge, kayak to Rangitoto Island, sail an America's Cup yacht on the harbour, zip line on Waiheke Island. Never a dull moment, that's for sure!

Receive alerts about cheap flights to Auckland

If you're interested in cheap fares to Auckland, we run regular special offers. You can sign up for low fare alerts to receive early notice of these offers. You can also sign up to receive regular email updates about cheap airfares, packages, competitions and exclusive offers.

Keep exploring Auckland

Essential Information

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Best time to visit Auckland

Many people choose to visit Auckland in summer and autumn, so if you prefer things less crowded come in winter or spring. The almost-subtropical city is New Zealand's warmest main centre and one of the sunniest, with warm humid summers and mild damp winters. Average highs range from 24°C in summer to 15°C in winter. The weather can be changeable, so pack a small umbrella or rain jacket.

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How much will it cost?

This will depend on your tastes and what you want to do. As a rough guide, not including air travel and hotels, you should allow about NZD $100 to $150 a day per person for food and entertainment.

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Visas

If you visiting Auckland from overseas you might need a visa to holiday in New Zealand, depending on where you're from and how long you're staying. See the visa-waiver list.

Cheap flights to Auckland

Flight route

Wellington (WLG) to Auckland (AKL) 

Flight time*

1h 5m

Stops**

Non-stop

Days

Daily

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Flight route

Christchurch (CHC) to Auckland (AKL)

Flight time*

1h 20m

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Non-stop

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Daily

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Flight route

Queenstown (ZQN) to Auckland (AKL)

Flight time*

1h 50m

Stops**

Non-stop

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Daily

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Flight route

Dunedin (DUD) to Auckland (AKL)

Flight time*

1h 45m

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Daily

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Flight route

Invercargill (IVC) to Auckland (AKL)

Flight time*

2h

Stops**

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Days

M,T,T,F,Sun

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*Flight times are based on the fastest route available.
**Indirect flights may also be available for this route.

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Dr Rudi's image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited; Commercial Bay image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited; Waiheke Island Fullers360 image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. Secure and book your ferry seat with Fuller360 Waiheke Reserve; Image of Auckland Art Gallery courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Paul Cezanne, La route (Le mur d'enceinte). The Road (The Old Wall), 1875-1876, oil on canvas, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023.; Wētā Workshop Unleashed image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. Imagine a Fantasy World landscape at Wētā Workshop Unleashed; SkyWalk image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited; EcoZip Adventures image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited; Wynyard Quarter image courtesy of Todd Eyre; Auckland Art Gallery image courtesy of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited; Hauraki Gulf harbour cruise image courtesy of Fullers360 ; Queenstown image courtesy of Destination Queenstown; Bondi Beach image courtesy of Anson Smart; Main Beach image courtesy of Gold Coast Tourism