Queenstown Airport

ZQN NZQN  Queenstown, New Zealand

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ZQN at a glance

  • What it is: Queenstown Airport is a regional airport serving Queenstown, New Zealand.
  • Codes: ZQN on your ticket, NZQN on the radar.
  • Size: 2 runways at 1,171 ft above sea level.
  • Local time zone: Pacific/Auckland (UTC+12), so every time shown for ZQN is local rather than UTC.
2
Runways
1171 ft
Field elevation

About Queenstown Airport

Queenstown Airport lies in the high southern latitudes at 45.02° S, 168.75° E, on Pacific/Auckland time (UTC+12).

Queenstown Airport has 2 runways. The longest, 05/23, measures 6,204 ft by 148 ft, which puts the field in the regional category: regional jets and turboprops are the natural fit. Surfaces vary across the field (asphalt, bitumen). 1 of the 2 carry runway lighting.

Runway 05/23 is aligned roughly east/west, which is the clearest hint you get about the prevailing wind here: runways are built to face the wind that blows most often, because aircraft take off and land into it. With 2 runways across 2 different headings, crews can pick whichever best suits the wind.

The runways are not interchangeable. 14/32 is 2,920 ft against 05/23's 6,204 ft, a difference of 3,284 ft, so the shorter one generally takes regional traffic while the longer handles anything heavy.

Runways at ZQN

RunwayLengthWidthSurfaceLighting
05/23 6,204 ft (1,891 m) 148 ft Asphalt Lit
14/32 2,920 ft (890 m) 33 ft Bitumen Unlit

Runway numbers are the magnetic heading rounded to ten degrees, which is why they change when the magnetic field drifts - runway numbers explained.

Airports near ZQN

Great-circle distance from Queenstown Airport, closest first.

AirportCodeDistanceDirectionCity
Christchurch CHC 346 km north-east Christchurch
IATA / ICAO
ZQN / NZQN
Location
Queenstown, New Zealand -45.019, 168.746
Time zone
Pacific/Auckland
Opened

Nearby and related airports

Geographically close airports and useful alternatives in New Zealand.

More airports and guides connected to ZQN

How a field like this runs day to day is covered in how airports work. Nearby, Christchurch (CHC) serves the same country. The codes ZQN and NZQN are explained in airport codes decoded.

Data sources and review

Reviewed 2026-07-29 by Flight-Tracker.net Editorial Team

This profile is generated from the airport's published coordinates, elevation and runway records. It does not claim live terminal or passenger totals.

Read our airport data sourcing and review process, or inspect the machine-readable reference dataset.

Frequently asked questions about ZQN

What is the airport code for Queenstown Airport?

Queenstown Airport uses the IATA code ZQN on tickets and baggage tags, and the ICAO code NZQN in flight plans and on radar. The leading “N” in NZQN is the region marker: ICAO codes are grouped geographically, which is why airports near each other usually share their first letter or two while their IATA codes look unrelated.

How many runways does ZQN have?

Queenstown Airport operates 2 runways. The field sits at 1,171 ft above sea level.

What time zone is ZQN in?

Queenstown Airport operates on Pacific/Auckland local time. Scheduled departure and arrival times for this airport are always published in local time, not UTC.

Can I track flights at ZQN live?

Yes. The map on this page shows every aircraft broadcasting its position within about 55 km of Queenstown Airport. The boards split them into departures, arrivals and traffic passing overhead, all timed in Pacific/Auckland.