Work has now commenced on a NZ$58m, 6000 square metre extension of Wellington Airport’s main terminal building and apron.

In 1999, when Wellington’s main terminal building was opened, around 9,500 passengers passed through the airport each day. Today, on average, the airport processes over 15,000 passengers per day, and on busy days up to 20,000.

The new extension, which is expected to take around one and a half years to complete, will add another 30 metres to the terminal building, double the width of both southern piers, provide extra gate lounge space and new retail and food and beverage offerings, double the number of toilets, and increase the number of parking spaces for aircraft.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and laminated timber cross-braces will span the full length of the extension’s southwest pier. This new architectural feature will allow plenty of natural light into the terminal building and will give passengers spectacular views over the airport runway and Lyall Bay.

This much needed terminal extension will cater for the 5.5 million passengers who currently arrive and depart Wellington each year.