Christchurch is located on the South Island of New Zealand, and is the most populous city on that island. Known as the Garden City, just about any view overlooking its tree-lined streets and byways will show how green and lively the place it.
While the city's commercial district was once a bustling economic hub, a devastating series of earthquakes in the early 2010's severely damaged the city, which is still in recovery. Nowadays, much of the inner city's functionality has been restored, but there is still work to be done.
However, this doesn't mean that Christchurch isn't a fine place to visit – just looking at how many flights to Christchurch we regularly book for travelers shows that its a popular tourist destination, and for good reason. The city is one of New Zealand's greatest for academia and is home to a broad range of technology companies and startups.
The city's Cultural Precinct is a definite must-see for any traveler visiting South Island. The city's ever-changing culture of arts, music, and heritage attractions all occupy a relatively tiny space within the city. That means that the Christchurch Arts Centre, Canterbury Museum and Art Gallery are all within walking distance of one another, as well as some of the city's most desirable dining and shopping spots.
Christchurch has earned a valuable distinction for having the world's cleanest, purest natural water supply. Travelers who often refrain from drinking tap water in foreign countries will find that Christchurch's untreated, unfiltered water outperforms some nation's bottled varieties.
The city's temperate Oceanic climate gives it mild summers and cool winters. Rainfall is moderate, making the city generally pleasant year-round. The only thing that keeps its atmosphere from perfection is the occasional presence of a wintertime atmospheric inversion layer that traps smog in the city – but strict air pollution laws have mitigated these effects in recent years.
Your Portal to New Zealand's South Island
Christchurch is lucky to have benefited from careful urban planning. Rather than being built in an ad hoc manner of centuries, Christchurch's early municipal government laid out a city plan designed to promote ease of travel in the modern era.
The city's layout – a large central city square surrounded by four complementing city squares and wide parklands – are easy to navigate for visitors who choose to rent cars. For the same reason, it is also very easy to navigate by bicycle. The city's grid layout is one of the most logically designed city plans in the world.
However, there are certain parts of the city that rely on one-way streets, and other sections may have bus-and-taxi-only intersections – especially the center of the city. If you are driving on your own, you will want to pay attention to these areas and avoid accidentally driving against the flow of traffic, or into an intersection you aren't allowed to be in.
Public bus service is clean, efficient, and inexpensive. The standard fare for a bus ride is $3.50, and there is a $5 maximum charge per day. The city's bus routes cover the entire city, including almost every location that may of interest to tourists booking flights to Christchurch.
Christchurch also has a recently restored tramway that runs in a loop around the inner city. This can be useful when you need to quickly get from one end of the loop to the other, and it operates along the same lines as the city's public bus services.
What to Expect from Flights to Christchurch Airport
If you are interested in booking flights to Christchurch, look no further than BYOjet – our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you make the most of your holiday. We can connect you with low rates for fine hotels, great deals on car rentals, and more. Simply use our online booking portal to set the dates for your flight and we will take care of the rest for you.
Getting to and leaving the airport
Regular Metro Red Bus services connect the airport to the city centre and many other locations in Christchurch. Tickets between the airport and downtown are $8.50 each way. There are also a number of shuttle van services available. Make sure to check the price before starting the trip. Travel time from the airport direct to the city centre is approximately 15-20 minutes. Busses and Shuttles will take longer, depending on how many stops are made before you reach your destination.
There is also a number of car rental options and your standard taxis. Latest info can be found here.
Christchurch Airport Facilities & Services
At BYOjet, we do everything in our power to make flights to Christchurch completely stress-free affairs. While the small airport does not have the same amenities as those of the world's largest cities, it does have some notable shops, dining destinations, and relaxation spots.
For instance, the Level One Food Court features Time Zone, a family entertainment center with fun and games for all ages. For families traveling with small children, Time Zone is a lifesaver – you can let the little ones loose largely unsupervised in the play area, and calmly wait for your flight to arrive without having to keep them under strict control.
Flying South is also a great store to check out. It stocks only products designed in New Zealand, and specializes in film, theatre, and design. It's also located on Level One.
Despite it's small size, Christchurch airport has one of the world's newest and most efficient baggage handling system. The 2,460-foot system is the product of a recent $15 million investment in the airport and it has vastly improved the airport's baggage handling capabilities.