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Auckland Airport is set to open its new NZ$300 million “Transport Hub” in stages next year.
The 70,000m2 structure, built on the site of the international terminal’s old main carpark, includes new pick-up/drop-off areas, undercover parking, public transport links, and new road layouts, and is designed for 650 vehicles per hour at peak times.
Each of the building’s four floors is 200 metres long, with the double-height ground floor also featuring dedicated transport lanes for buses, taxis, and public pick-up/drop-off. Rooftop solar will help power 33 electric vehicle charging stations, as well as a new office building for Auckland Airport’s operational staff and partner organisations. Space has also been earmarked nearby for future rapid transit.
Auckland Airport chief executive Carrie Hurihanganui described the project as “the biggest change to Auckland Airport in decades”.
“We’re excited to deliver a critical piece of transport infrastructure that will not only free up congestion outside the international terminal and make journeys smoother; we’re also getting on with improving the streetscape around the international terminal with a landscaped pedestrian plaza and covered walkways for what will be a fantastic uplift in the overall travel experience,” she said.
The pick-up/drop-off zone is slated to open early next year, with the rest of the structure to open later in 2024. The existing international terminal forecourt will be closed once the pick-up/drop-off zone opens.
“It’ll be a far cry from the big, open-air, ground-level car park previously in this space and our first real opportunity to show how carefully we’re thinking about the customer experience as we’ve built from the ground up a whole new way of arriving and departing into the airport,” said Hurihanganui.
“Clearly that’s about the physical structure – making it easy to find your way around, keeping pedestrian paths safe and undercover, having lots of space available for drop-offs and pick-ups, or being able to quickly slip into a P60 car park if your drop-off plans change from a quick ‘kiss and go’ to making that farewell over a pre-departure coffee.”
The new “Transport Hub” forms part of Auckland Airport’s NZ$3.9 billion redevelopment, which will include the integration of domestic operations into its existing international terminal. The new integrated terminal, a replacement for the current 57-year-old domestic terminal, is expected to open in 2028/29.
“Auckland Airport is a fast-growing precinct not only for travel but also as a centre for business,” said Hurihanganui.
“Ongoing investment in our transport network is critical to ensure the airport is resilient and fit for the future, ensuring we are set up to provide a range of transport options to travellers and workers coming to and from the airport.”
