Discover Queenstown
Revered by filmmakers, worshipped by global adventurers and adored by Kiwis who love to ski, Queenstown is definitely somewhere to get excited about. Wherever you stay in this alpine nirvana, you'll find yourself surrounded by larger-than-life peaks, lakes, rivers and glacier-carved valleys. The vertical ruggedness of this region contrasts beautifully with the good times you can enjoy in the serene valleys and picturesque towns.
About our flights to Queenstown from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
Air New Zealand operates daily non-stop flights to Queenstown from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with connections across the New Zealand domestic network. 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.
Just 20 minutes' drive from Queenstown is Arrowtown, a beautifully-preserved historic gold rush village with superb restaurants, shopping, hiking, biking and 4WD adventures.
What to see and do when you fly to Queenstown
At any time of the year, Queenstown has something for everyone. In winter there's a huge range of activities on and off the slopes. In spring the days are longer and warmer, so you can carve fresh tracks in the morning and play a round of golf or find an adrenaline thrill in the afternoon. In summer the landscape welcomes all kinds of adventures, from mountain hikes and river rafting to parasailing and kayaking. And autumn is the perfect season to enjoy Queenstown's world class wine, food, shopping and wellness experiences, surrounded by vibrant seasonal colours.
The home of adventure
Queenstown was founded by explorers and adventurers. Early Māori visited during summer to hunt for pounamu, prospectors from around the world came to find gold, hunters and hikers were attracted to the remote backcountry, and thrill-seekers came to test their limits. Today, these themes continue in a region that thrives on excitement. Queenstown offers adventure at every level. At the top end of the scale you can throw yourself into New Zealand's highest bungy jump, get some air skydiving above Lake Whakatipu, shoot the rapids on a white-water rafting journey or blast down the alpine terrain on a mountain bike.
Or maybe you prefer the long and slow kind of adventure, such as a round of golf at a championship course, a cruise across Lake Whakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw, biking the Queenstown cycle trail network or a stargazing tour with a local astronomer.
You can also be adventurous in a gourmet way, with long lunches at winery restaurants, degustation dining in the Queenstown CBD and wine tours around cellar doors. A heli-picnic high on an alpine ridge is a very special way to be adventurous with food in Queenstown.
Discover majestic mountain scenery
Queenstown makes it easy to relax and dive right into nature. Whether you choose a leisurely lake cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, horse trekking through the back country or a scenic flight to discover majestic mountain scenery, you can count on inspiring landscapes at every turn.
Nestled in a bay on Lake Whakatipu, Queenstown is surrounded by rugged mountain ranges. Just over the water from the CBD is Queenstown Gardens, where you can enjoy relaxing walks through plantings of native and exotic trees. From there, views extend back over the town to the Skyline Gondola that runs up Bob's Peak and across the lake to the well-named Remarkables mountain range. Racing down the twists and turns of the Skyline Luge track is a fun way to become part of the panorama.
A stand-out scenic experience is the precipitous road into Skippers Canyon, which is best explored on a 4WD tour with a local guide. It crosses a 100-metre historic suspension bridge and crawls around canyon cliffs to Mount Aurum Recreation Reserve, where you can enjoy 9100 hectares of dramatic landscapes managed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Other scenic adventures include zooming through river gorges on a jet boat, night skiing at Coronet Peak (in winter) and hiking one of the region's many alpine trails.
Adventurous flavours and fun
With more than 150 bars and restaurants, the Queenstown region promises to introduce you to some of New Zealand's best food, wine and beer experiences. The hospitality scene is constantly changing, but you can count on finding delicious flavours and excellent service.
After dark, Queenstown's CBD comes alive with bars and pubs that are open until late. There are nightclubs too, for dancing and fun that continues for hours after midnight.
Explore in every direction
Think of Queenstown as the centre of a whole region of possibilities and adventures.
- Northwest is Glenorchy, with adventures on the Dart River, bird watching on the Glenorchy Walkway, zip-lining and Lord of the Rings locations.
- Only 20km away to the northeast is Arrowtown, a beautifully-preserved historic gold rush village with superb restaurants, shopping, hiking, biking and 4WD adventures.
- Directly east from Queenstown is Gibbston , for biking, wine tasting and wonderful places to eat.
- To the south is Kingston, where you can hike into the Eyre Mountains Conservation Park and bike to the tiny rural town of Athol on the Around the Mountains cycleway.
Places to stay in Queenstown
If you're craving a certain level of luxury for your holiday, you'll find some extraordinary boutique lodges and five-star hotels in and around Queenstown. Expect the highest standard of accommodation, plus the chance to dabble in guided fly fishing, river kayaking, horse-riding and mountaineering.
For a mid-range budget, Queenstown offers a wide choice of hotel, motel, private holiday homes and Airbnb accommodation. And if your travel ambitions that are more down to earth, Queenstown has many options for modest budgets, including campsites, hostels, budget hotels and backpacker lodges.
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Keep exploring Queenstown
Essential information
Best time to visit Queenstown
Queenstown is wonderful at any time of the year. Choose winter if you love snow sports, autumn for its colour show, spring for freshness (and still some snow action!) and summer for golden weather. The average high in summer is 22°C; the average winter high is 9°C, however temperatures can drop as low as -2°C.
How much will it cost to travel in Queenstown?
This will depend on your tastes and what you want to do. It's possible to have a economical holiday in Queenstown if you want to include lots of free activities, like hiking and biking. At the other end of the scale, you could have a splurge holiday that includes helicopter picnics, day spas and personalised wine tours. In Queenstown, you can easily tailor your holiday to fit your budget, from activities to accommodation.
Do I need a visa when flying to Queenstown?
If you're visiting Queenstown 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.
| Flight route | Flight time* | Stops** | Days | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland (AKL) to Queenstown (ZQN) | 1h 55m | Non-stop | M,T,W,T,F,S,S | Find flights |
Wellington (WLG) to Queenstown (ZQN) | 1h 20m | Non-stop | M,T,W,T,F,S,S | Find flights |
Christchurch (CHC) to Queenstown (ZQN) | 55m | Non-stop | M,T,W,T,F,S,S | Find flights |
Cheap flights to Queenstown
Auckland (AKL) to Queenstown (ZQN)
Wellington (WLG) to Queenstown (ZQN)
Christchurch (CHC) to Queenstown (ZQN)
*Flight times are based on the fastest route available.
**Indirect flights may also be available for this route.
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