October 2022 Monthly traffic update and Nov 2022 Preview

October 2022 Monthly traffic update and Nov 2022 Preview

October 2022 Monthly traffic update

72% of pre-COVID equivalent. In October 2022, total passenger volumes at Auckland Airport were 72% of the pre-COVID equivalent1 in the financial year to 30 June 2019, the last full year not impacted by the COVID pandemic. International passengers (excl. transits) were 61% of the pre-COVID equivalent in October 2018 with transit passengers and domestic passengers at 53% and 86% respectively

Key Points:

• The international passenger recovery continued in October with international passenger movements for the month recovering to 61% of the pre-COVID equivalent, an increase from 58% recovery in September 2022;

• Short-haul international passenger movements were 71% of the pre-COVID equivalent, with Australia 67% and Pacific Islands 83%. Long-haul international passenger movements were 46% of pre-COVID equivalent, up from 41% recovery in the prior month;

• October saw American Airlines and United Airlines return to Auckland and Air New Zealand restart its Chicago services, lifting performance on the North American market with passenger demand at 74% of October 2018;

• Domestic passenger movements in October 2022 were 86% of the pre-COVID equivalent, a higher rate of recovery than seat capacity of 82% resulting in load factors hitting 7 year highs of 90% across the domestic network; and

• Queenstown airport passenger numbers have recovered to exceed pre-COVID equivalent levels with international passenger 110% of pre-COVID and domestic passengers 103%.


November 2022 Monthly traffic preview

74% of pre-COVID equivalent. In November 2022, total passenger volumes at Auckland Airport were 74% of the pre-COVID equivalent1 in the financial year to 30 June 2019, the last full year not impacted by the COVID pandemic. International passengers (excl. transits) were 67% of the pre-COVID equivalent in November 2018 with transit passengers and domestic passengers at 62% and 83% respectively.

Key Points:

• The international passenger recovery continued in November with international passenger movements for the month recovering to 67% of the pre-COVID equivalent, an increase from 61% recovery in October 2022;

• Short-haul international passenger movements were 79% of the pre-COVID equivalent, with Australia 77% and Pacific Islands 84%. Long-haul international passenger movements were 51% of pre-COVID equivalent, up from 46% recovery in the prior month. Demand on the North American route has recovered quickly to 86% of November 2018 with five airlines now on the route operating to eight airports including two new destinations (Dallas and New York);

• Recovery of international tourism industry is well under way with another milestone reached during November 2022 with volumes of non-NZ passport holder exceeding NZ passport holders for the first since the pandemic. But the relative recovery rate is still higher for NZ passport holders at 80%, compared to non-NZ passports of 58%;

• International load factors remain high by historic standards, 4ppt’s above November 2018 with pronounced strength on inbound flights, 7ppt’s higher than November 2018 due to non-NZ passport demand into Auckland driven in part by the return of foreign airline operator capacity;

• Domestic recovery has fallen from 86% for the month prior to 83% for November 2022 when compared to November 2018. There are two main reasons causing this decline. First, historically the month of November has approx. 2% more seat capacity than October but this year there wasn’t an increase in capacity between the two months. Second, load factors during November 2022 were slightly lower, declining 1.4ppts compared to the month prior; and

• Queenstown airport international passenger numbers continue to improve, now at 117% of November 2018, but domestic demand has fallen from the prior month to 92% of November 2018.

Please refer to attached pdf for full report.

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Announcement PDF