WLG · Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington International Airport.
--:--:-- · NZST (UTC+12:00) · 41.3268° S, 174.8069° E
Wellington Airport
Airport serving Wellington, New Zealand
Verification trail
Source-backed facts for WLG
This section separates stable airport identifiers from live operating data. Codes, coordinates, timezone, elevation, source identifiers, and accepted reference links are retained here; live arrivals, departures, gates, delays, NOTAMs, and airline schedule changes must still be checked with the airport or carrier.
Airport catalog
OurAirports ID 5063; ident NZWN; scheduled service listed.
Cached airports.csv snapshot: 2026-04-25; runways.csv snapshot: 2026-05-21.
Official airport source
wellingtonairport.co.nz
Used as the preferred live-reference handoff for terminals, gates, alerts, and airport notices.
Open sourceReference summary
Wellington Airport
Airport-shaped reference summary from en.wikipedia.org; summary snapshot 2026-05-20.
Open sourceManual / derived signals
20 source-backed signals
Merged from OurAirports cached airports.csv, OurAirports cached runways.csv, Wikidata airport entity snapshot, airport-shaped Wikipedia summary snapshot; facts generated 2026-05-21.
IATA / ICAO
WLG / NZWN
OurAirports ident
NZWN
GPS / local code
NZWN
ISO region
NZ-WGN
Scheduled service
Listed in source snapshot
Role
major international passenger gateway
Official host
wellingtonairport.co.nz
Reference host
en.wikipedia.org
Wikidata entity
Q1150574
Snapshot generated
2026-05-21
Airport lookup keys
Stable codes
Regional keys
Nearby airport codes
Route reference codes
Accepted citation URLs
Last updated May 21, 2026. Stable airport identifiers and timezone facts are content-reviewed; clocks render live in the browser, while weather and time-difference notes are page-snapshot aids rather than permanent airport records.
Live values rendered at Nov 5, 9:24 PM UTC.
What you need to know now
Local airport time
--:--:--NZST · UTC+12:00
Time zone
NZST
Pacific/Auckland · UTC+12:00
Airfield conditions
Live airport weather is temporarily unavailable.
Surface access
5.2 km
Approximate distance to central Wellington.
Airport Snapshot
Country capital
Wellington
Languages
English, Māori
Currency
NZD ($)
Country area
268,838 km²
Passenger volume
3,455,858 passengers
Terminals
Not clearly stated
Runways
1 runway
Longest runway
6,352 ft / 1,936 m
Runway surface
asphalt
Opened / operator
1959
Owner / entity
Q1150574
Hub airlines
Air New Zealand, Sounds Air
Airport role
major international passenger gateway
Scheduled service
Listed
Fact coverage
20 source-backed signals
Wellington International Airport is a major international passenger gateway for Wellington, New Zealand. Wellington's built-up core sits roughly 5.2 km from the terminal area. Operations run on Pacific/Auckland (UTC+12:00, NZST). Live weather is temporarily unavailable. With 3 other indexable airports in its surrounding network, it works well as a reference point for regional flight planning and timezone checks.
Wellington International Airport (WLG / NZWN) is at 41.3268° S, 174.8069° E, elevation 41 ft (12 m), serving Wellington, New Zealand.
The accepted reference summary is used as supporting context for the airport identity and operating notes; the timed facts here still come from the airport catalog, timezone database, country snapshot, and linked source trail.
Wellington is in New Zealand (capital Wellington); regulated by Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ); on Pacific/Auckland (NZST, UTC+12:00); working languages: English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language; currency: NZD ($).
Distance from central Wellington: 5 km.
Airport context brief
A compact traveler-facing brief from the airport catalog, country snapshot, route geometry, city anchors, peer airports, and source trail for WLG.
Name and identity cues
Primary airport name
Wellington International Airport (WLG / NZWN)
Wellington Airport · Airport serving Wellington, New Zealand
Source identifiers
NZWN · NZWN · NZ-WGN
wellingtonairport.co.nz · en.wikipedia.org · scheduled service yes
Source-specific airport notes
Regional role cue
Wellington is the third busiest airport in New Zealand after Auckland and Christchurch, handling a total of 3,455,858 passengers in the year ending June 2022, and the third busiest in terms of aircraft movements.
Accepted from the airport reference trail as a role-specific cue for WLG; not treated as a live service guarantee.
Location cue
It lies 5.5 km south-east from the city centre.
Used to make the airport page location-specific beyond the code, coordinate, and timezone record.
Closest mapped city anchors
1. Wellington
wellington · 5.2 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 381,900 · city coordinates -41.2866, 174.7756
2. Karori
karori · 7.3 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 15,380 · city coordinates -41.2837, 174.7414
3. Wainuiomata
wainuiomata · 14 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 20,250 · city coordinates -41.2667, 174.9500
4. Lower Hutt
lower-hutt · 15 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 113,400 · city coordinates -41.2167, 174.9167
5. Porirua
porirua · 22 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 61,800 · city coordinates -41.1333, 174.8500
6. Upper Hutt
upper-hutt · 29 km from WLG
New Zealand · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · population 47,500 · city coordinates -41.1383, 175.0502
Airport alternatives in the retained graph
1. CHC NZCH
Christchurch International Airport · Christchurch
304 km from WLG · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · elevation 123 ft (37 m) · airport coordinates -43.4890, 172.5321
2. AKL NZAA
Auckland International Airport · Auckland
480 km from WLG · Pacific/Auckland · +0h · elevation 23 ft (7 m) · airport coordinates -37.0120, 174.7863
3. SYD YSSY
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport · Sydney (Mascot)
2228 km from WLG · Australia/Sydney · -2h · elevation 21 ft (6 m) · airport coordinates -33.9461, 151.1770
Route-time reference set
1. WLG-CHC
Christchurch · 304 km · 1h 13m
Pacific/Auckland · +0h from WLG; reference route only, not a live schedule.
2. WLG-AKL
Auckland · 480 km · 1h 26m
Pacific/Auckland · +0h from WLG; reference route only, not a live schedule.
3. WLG-SYD
Sydney (Mascot) · 2228 km · 3h 39m
Australia/Sydney · -2h from WLG; reference route only, not a live schedule.
Runway source evidence
Published runway count
1 runway
Longest runway 6,352 ft / 1,936 m. 1 lighted runway in the runway snapshot.
Runway surface mix
asphalt
Surface labels are normalized from the OurAirports runway rows for WLG.
Runway identifiers
16/34
Identifier pairs are retained as airport-specific runway cues, not live operational availability claims.
Same-country airport context
1. CHC NZCH
Christchurch International Airport · Christchurch · 304 km from WLG
large airport · Pacific/Auckland · new-zealand · 123 ft (37 m) · -43.4890, 172.5321
2. AKL NZAA
Auckland International Airport · Auckland · 480 km from WLG
large airport · Pacific/Auckland · new-zealand · 23 ft (7 m) · -37.0120, 174.7863
Accepted operational notes
Source note 1
It is a hub for Air New Zealand and Sounds Air.
Retained as a source-backed local role note for WLG.
Source note 2
Wellington is the third busiest airport in New Zealand after Auckland and Christchurch, handling a total of 3,455,858 passengers in the year ending June 2022, and the third busiest in terms of aircraft movements.
Retained as a source-backed local role note for WLG.
Source note 3
It is the home of some smaller general aviation businesses, including the Wellington Aero Club, which operates from the general aviation area on the western side of the runway.
Retained as a source-backed local role note for WLG.
Country and authority
WLG sits in New Zealand (New Zealand), whose capital is Wellington. Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ) is the national civil-aviation authority we name for regulator context. Country context: Oceania, Australia and New Zealand.
Traveler context
Common country-language signals: English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language. Currency context: NZD ($). WLG is listed with scheduled service in the airport source snapshot.
Reference description
Airport serving Wellington, New Zealand. This description is used only as identity context; live flight status, terminal assignment, and airport alerts still belong to the official airport or airline source.
Source-specific cues
Regional role cue: Wellington is the third busiest airport in New Zealand after Auckland and Christchurch, handling a total of 3,455,858 passengers in the year ending June 2022, and the third busiest in terms of aircraft movements. Location cue: It lies 5.5 km south-east from the city centre.
Entity fingerprint
Wikidata airport entity: Q1150574 · Wellington Airport. Administrative area: Wellington City. Named after: Wellington. Entity official-site cross-check: wellingtonairport.co.nz
Field and clock profile
Wellington International Airport is a near sea-level field at 41 ft (12 m), positioned at 41.3268° S, 174.8069° E in the Southern mid-latitudes. The runway snapshot lists 1 runway and a longest runway of 6,352 ft / 1,936 m. The airport clock uses Pacific/Auckland (NZST, UTC+12:00), so cross-date arrivals should be checked against this zone rather than the airline origin city.
City and airport alternatives
Wellington is the closest retained city-time anchor at 5.2 km. CHC Christchurch is the closest retained airport alternative at 304 km.
Country airport peers
WLG is compared with CHC Christchurch at 304 km, AKL Auckland at 480 km inside the retained New Zealand airport set, which is useful when backup airports share the same country context but differ by city, route network, and clock behavior.
Route geometry
WLG-CHC Christchurch: 304 km, about 1h 13m, +0h. WLG-AKL Auckland: 480 km, about 1h 26m, +0h. WLG-SYD Sydney (Mascot): 2228 km, about 3h 39m, -2h. These are distance and timezone references, not live flight availability claims.
Source trail
OurAirports ident NZWN backs the stable code, coordinate, elevation, and timezone record. wellingtonairport.co.nz is attached as the official airport website. en.wikipedia.org is used only as supporting reference context. Snapshot date: 2026-05-21.
Operational Profile
Traffic profile
3,455,858 passengers
Airline role
Air New Zealand, Sounds Air
Terminal footprint
See operational notes
Runway footprint
1 runway · longest 6,352 ft / 1,936 m
Runway identifiers
16/34
OurAirports classifies WLG as a large airport with scheduled service; the airport name and codes identify it as an international gateway for Wellington.
WLG (NZWN) is one of the curated airport pages with a real traffic signal attached: 3,455,858 passengers, operating from a near sea-level field at 41 ft (12 m).
WLG also has a clear airline-network role: the source summary describes it as air new zealand and sounds air.
WLG's runway record lists 1 runway, with the longest runway at 6,352 ft / 1,936 m and source surfaces recorded as asphalt.
Civil aviation oversight for WLG runs through Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ); a more specific operator record is not currently in our source set.
- It is a hub for Air New Zealand and Sounds Air.
- Wellington is the third busiest airport in New Zealand after Auckland and Christchurch, handling a total of 3,455,858 passengers in the year ending June 2022, and the third busiest in terms of aircraft movements.
- It is the home of some smaller general aviation businesses, including the Wellington Aero Club, which operates from the general aviation area on the western side of the runway.
These operational notes prefer the structured airport facts snapshot, then fall back to the accepted airport reference at wellingtonairport.co.nz, then blend that with local timezone, route, and city-access data already on this page.
Decision matrix for WLG
These are the specific situations where this airport page earns its keep: time-zone conversion, city transfer planning, nearby airport backup logic, and source-confidence checks before acting.
When the clock matters
WLG uses Pacific/Auckland (NZST, UTC+12:00). Use this before overnight arrivals, cross-date departures, and same-day connections.
When surface access matters
Wellington International Airport is about 5.2 km from central Wellington; build that transfer into arrival and check-in planning.
When alternates matter
CHC Christchurch is the closest retained alternate at 304 km, time difference +0h.
When source checks matter
wellingtonairport.co.nz is listed as the official airport website in the airport facts snapshot; live schedules, gates, routes, terminals, and NOTAM-sensitive operations still need official airport or airline verification.
How this airport compares nearby
These comparisons place WLG inside the retained airport graph by country, timezone, elevation, and coordinate neighbors. They are deterministic dataset facts, not generated flight claims.
Country-rank position
WLG ranks #3 in the curated New Zealand airport set when large airports are listed before medium airports, then sorted by IATA code. The retained country set has 3 airports.
Same-zone airport cohort
WLG shares Pacific/Auckland with AKL Auckland NZ · CHC Christchurch NZ. This helps separate same-clock airports by city, country, code, and geography.
Elevation-neighbor cohort
WLG is 41 ft (12 m). Closest elevation peers in the retained airport set include PNH 40 ft (12 m) (1 ft delta) · BOM 39 ft (12 m) (2 ft delta) · HAN 39 ft (12 m) (2 ft delta) · MID 38 ft (12 m) (3 ft delta) · CHS 46 ft (14 m) (5 ft delta).
Coordinate-neighbor check
WLG's nearest retained coordinate neighbors are CHC 304 km +0h · AKL 480 km +0h · SYD 2228 km -2h.
Flight Path Arc
Great-circle route between airports with animated plane. Pick a route.
Arriving From / Departing To
| Destination | Route code | Distance | Estimated window | Time difference | Destination clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch | CHC | 304 km | 1h 13m | +0h | --:--:-- |
| Auckland | AKL | 480 km | 1h 26m | +0h | --:--:-- |
| Sydney (Mascot) | SYD | 2228 km | 3h 39m | -2h | --:--:-- |
WLG to CHC
Christchurch
Distance 304 km; estimated travel window 1h 13m; destination zone Pacific/Auckland is +0h from WLG. Use the live destination clock on this page as a cross-timezone planning cue, not as a live flight schedule.
WLG to AKL
Auckland
Distance 480 km; estimated travel window 1h 26m; destination zone Pacific/Auckland is +0h from WLG. Use the live destination clock on this page as a cross-timezone planning cue, not as a live flight schedule.
WLG to SYD
Sydney (Mascot)
Distance 2228 km; estimated travel window 3h 39m; destination zone Australia/Sydney is -2h from WLG. Use the live destination clock on this page as a cross-timezone planning cue, not as a live flight schedule.
Airport Details
Timezone
Ground Transport and Nearby Context
Central Wellington is close enough that taxi, ride-hail, and rail or shuttle links are usually the fastest arrival options.
Wellington is the nearest mapped city anchor in the current dataset, which makes it the cleanest companion page when travelers want to switch from airport timing into local city timing.
Wellington International Airport has 3 nearby indexed airport alternatives, which makes backup departures and diversion logic part of real planning instead of a theoretical edge case.
Nearby city time anchors
Airport pages are most useful when they bridge into real city clocks. These city anchors are ranked by distance from WLG, then shown with their own timezone, local time, and time difference from the airport clock.
Wellington
wellington · 5.2 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Karori
karori · 7.3 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Wainuiomata
wainuiomata · 14 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Lower Hutt
lower-hutt · 15 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Porirua
porirua · 22 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Upper Hutt
upper-hutt · 29 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Paraparaumu
paraparaumu · 49 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Blenheim
blenheim · 74 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Masterton
masterton · 82 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Levin
levin · 87 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Nelson
nelson · 127 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Palmerston North
palmerston-north · 127 km · Pacific/Auckland
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Diff
- +0h
Airlines and Network Role
Wellington International Airport is associated in the current source trail with Air New Zealand, Sounds Air, which makes carrier-specific schedule checks especially important before acting on a route plan.
The route timing references show the first cross-timezone planning burden after this airport: Christchurch (CHC), Auckland (AKL), Sydney (Mascot) (SYD). Treat them as distance and clock cues, then verify flight availability with the carrier.
Air New Zealand and Sounds Air.
Planning checkpoints
- Traffic signal: 3,455,858 passengers.
- Terminal footprint: not clearly stated in the source trail.
- Runway footprint: 1 runway; longest runway 6,352 ft / 1,936 m; identifiers 16/34.
- Runway surfaces: asphalt; 1 lighted runway in the source snapshot.
- Operator / management: not clearly stated in the source trail.
- Opened / inaugurated: 1959.
- Network role: Air New Zealand, Sounds Air.
Nearby Airports
Nearby airports are ranked by coordinate distance from WLG. The time difference column is computed from IANA zones against the page snapshot, while the local clocks update in the browser.
Christchurch International AirportCHC
Christchurch · large airport
- Distance
- 304 km
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Time diff
- +0h
- Elevation
- 123 ft (37 m)
Compare against CHC when route choice, backup departures, or arrival-side local time matters.
Auckland International AirportAKL
Auckland · large airport
- Distance
- 480 km
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Time diff
- +0h
- Elevation
- 23 ft (7 m)
Compare against AKL when route choice, backup departures, or arrival-side local time matters.
Sydney Kingsford Smith International AirportSYD
Sydney (Mascot) · large airport
- Distance
- 2228 km
- Local time
- --:--:--
- Time diff
- -2h
- Elevation
- 21 ft (6 m)
Compare against SYD when route choice, backup departures, or arrival-side local time matters.
Companion Planning Tools
Questions
FAQ
What timezone is Wellington International Airport (WLG) in?▾
Wellington International Airport is in the Pacific/Auckland timezone (UTC+12:00, NZST).
What are the codes for Wellington International Airport?▾
Wellington International Airport uses IATA code WLG and ICAO code NZWN.
Where is Wellington International Airport located?▾
Wellington International Airport is located in Wellington, New Zealand at coordinates 41.3268° S, 174.8069° E, with an elevation of 41 ft (12 m) (near sea-level field in the mid-latitudes).
How far is Wellington International Airport from central Wellington?▾
Wellington International Airport sits roughly 5.2 km from the nearest mapped city center for Wellington.
Which route reference is most useful from WLG?▾
Christchurch (CHC) is one of the closest route references on this page, with an estimated travel window of 1h 13m, destination timezone Pacific/Auckland, and a +0h difference from WLG.
Which authority regulates WLG?▾
Wellington International Airport sits inside New Zealand, where civil aviation oversight is led by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ).
What other airports in New Zealand are close peers to WLG?▾
WLG's curated peers in New Zealand on this site include CHC Christchurch, AKL Auckland.
How many runways does Wellington International Airport have?▾
Wellington International Airport's source-backed operational summary lists 1 runway, with the longest runway recorded at 6,352 ft / 1,936 m; identifiers include 16/34.