Airport parking

We've compared parking prices at our three biggest airports, with rates charged for central city parking and at other airports around New Zealand.

Wellington’s airport car parking woes erupted into a spate of tyre slashing last year. Travellers put off by the airport’s pricey parking have opted to leave their vehicles on nearby streets and walk to the terminal. But one local resident became so irate with the congestion on his road he slashed the tyres of more than 100 cars.

The case hasn’t deterred Wellingtonians fed up with the airport’s charges from leaving their cars in nearby suburbs and going the rest of the way on foot.

Businessman Bryn Williams would rather walk. “I’ve parked at the airport before, but it’s one of the worst car parks I’ve ever come across. The layout is shocking. The pricing is shocking. It’s just ridiculous,” he says.

A Wellington couple leaving the airport on a Friday night also described the parking fees as “ridiculous”. The tyre-slashing episode left them “a bit more mindful” of where they park, but it hasn’t stopped them leaving their car in nearby Miramar.