Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport
Airport on Chatham Island, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport (IATA: CHT, ICAO: NZCI) is an airport 10.5 nautical miles (19.4 km; 12.1 mi) northeast of Waitangi Township on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
Chatham Islands Tuuta Airport | |||||||||||
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The airport terminal before renovation | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust, Inc[1] | ||||||||||
| Operator | Chatham Islands Airport Limited | ||||||||||
| Location | Waitangi, Chatham Islands | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 43 ft (13 m) | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 43°48′36″S 176°27′26″W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  CHT Location on Chatham Island | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Sources: New Zealand AIP[2] | |||||||||||
The airport, in part named in honor of the Chatham Islander, Inia William Tuuta, who donated the land for the airport,[3] was completed in 1982 to replace a compacted grass airstrip at Te Hapupu that could only handle slow-flying Safe Air Bristol Freighter aircraft. The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy immediately started operating to the islands using the new airport until 1990, when Mount Cook Airlines and later Air Chathams took over air services to and from mainland New Zealand.
A small aviation museum is also based there, signifying the importance that aviation has played in developing the economic wealth of the island group.
Air Chathams operates services to Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington year round, with increased services in the summer.[4] The airport is the base of Air Chathams and usually houses two aircraft overnight.
Airport Improvements
In November 2024, the New Zealand Government announced plans to develop the airport as part of an overall Economic Plan for the Chatham Islands. A new passenger and administration terminal is also planned along with a larger apron area and a new large aircraft hangar.[5]
In the first week of October 2024, the airport welcomed its first jet aircraft after a 490m extension of its existing runway (extended from 1360m to 1850m and widened from 30m to the standard 45m), strengthening work and doubled the size of the apron. A Texel Air Boeing 737 BCF cargo plane landed at the airport, marking a new era for the community. The project was part of a $42m Government-funded project aimed at the island's connectivity and resilience and enhancing economic development opportunities.[6]
On the 12th of August 2026, the airport's new terminal opened, it re-developed the existing terminal building which was built in 1982. The new terminal included a new secure departure lounge, arrivals and check-in facilities were upgraded and security was enhanced. This was the last phase of the two phase airport redevelopment.[7]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Chathams | Auckland,[8] Christchurch,[8] Pitt Island*, Wellington[8] |
* Services offered on request