Domestic ~60–75 minutes when quiet; international ~2–2.5 hours; nightly 1.30am–3.00am closure.

Domestic cabin-bag passengers who already know the AX or kerbside drop can often work with about 60–75 minutes curb-to-gate when queues are calm. International still wants about 2–2.5 hours for check-in, security and passport control — longer in school holidays and when the North-West pier is absorbing diverted domestic jets. The terminal closes 1.30am–3.00am every night; do not plan to sleep airside through that window. Same-day domestic↔international always re-clears landside.

One terminal; confirm pier and whether your North-West gate is in the 21–29 or 41–49 series.

Everything shares one landside hall. South pier = regionals; South-West = Air NZ domestic jets (Gates 13–17); North-West = Jetstar domestic jets plus all passport flights. When a North-West stand flips to international, the gate number becomes 41–49 — trust the boarding pass and FIDS. The airport’s 7 Jul 2026 notice had Gate 17 still closed for post-fire repair; confirm FIDS rather than assuming that notice is current.

No PP / LoungeKey / DragonPass walk-up; use Koru / Qantas if entitled, otherwise terminal cafés.

Priority Pass’s live New Zealand directory does not list Wellington. Without Koru / Qantas / partner entitlement you are in the public terminal. Landside, Good Day (Level 1, 04:00–20:00) and Tank (Ground, 05:30–21:30) are the published all-week cafés; Subway on Ground by baggage is 05:30–22:00 most days. Regional Koru sits before centralised jet security (after regional screening) — useful for turboprop banks, not a substitute for the closed Domestic jet lounge.

Domestic Koru closed on live Air NZ and airport pages; Regional Koru open with restrictions.

A terminal fire on 12 Jun 2026 closed the southwest pier for weeks. Gates 13–16 reopened 7 Jul 2026. Air New Zealand’s Domestic Koru Lounge remains closed for smoke / water damage on the live Koru and airport lounge pages (23 Sep 2026). Regional Koru is the overflow: reduced food, takeaway coffee options, and Koru Silver lounge eVouchers are not accepted. Follow the Air NZ app / SMS the day you fly.