The airport upgrade is expected to be completed by December. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Christchurch Airport has unveiled plans for a major upgrade of its terminal for the first time since it opened in 2013.
Plans for a major upgrade of Christchurch Airport were officially unveiled at an event at the airport on Wednesday.
Christchurch Airport chief strategy and stakeholder officer Michael Singleton said he was confident the airport would see enough patronage to justify the planned upgrades.
Since the airport's opening more than a decade ago, more than 50 million visitors had come through the terminal.
"Like every airport, we're climbing out of post-Covid and we're happy with the rate of that climb out.
"But we're seeing numbers coming back to the levels they were".
He said well over 200,000 more passengers were predicted to be coming off a range of carriers next summer.
Although Singleton could not confirm the total cost of the project, he estimated it would be in the "millions".
"Ultimately these things come at a cost. We can't get away from that.
"This is a commercial undertaking within a commercial business so that has been co-invested with all of the partners within there. So, that's information I can't share."
The upgrade would include 12 new eateries, new retail spaces, upgraded bathrooms, a new parent's room, a remodelled food court and a large children's play area.
It would also include more self-service kiosks and interactive screens.
The airport's chief executive, Justin Watson, said the upgrade should be completed by December.
"Qantas, China Southern, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways and United Airlines have already confirmed they will all be back flying summer services to the city and they were growing their capacity". For example, Qantas expected to have an extra 175,000 seats and China Southern would boost its capacity by 20,000 seats, he said.
"Last summer season (from November to March) we had 2.7 million passenger movements at Christchurch Airport. We're on track to top that next summer season and it's awesome to know the terminal will be refreshed and ready to welcome our visitors with some of our best manaakitanga and offerings yet."
An illustration of an eatery to be part of the Christchurch Airport terminal upgrade. Photo: Supplied
Business Canterbury chief executive Leeann Watson said Christchurch Airport was an important engine room for the Canterbury economy.
"This investment is a win for the region's businesses. It will bring additional visitors to our region and, position the region and the South Island well for future growth," she said.
In February, Christchurch Airport hit pause on its proposed international airport in Central Otago.
In 2020, the company bought 750 hectares of farmland in Tarras in hopes of building a runway for flights from Australia, the South Pacific, and Southeast Asia.