Departure
94%
vs 95% ▼ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Tauranga Airport (NZTG) serves the city of Tauranga in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty, sitting on a low, flat site beside Tauranga Harbour in the suburb of Mount Maunganui. With a long sealed main runway alongside three shorter grass strips, it offers a busy mix of airline, charter, training and general aviation traffic that makes it a useful and interesting VFR destination.
Tauranga Airport lies on the shores of Tauranga Harbour in the suburb of Mount Maunganui, a few kilometres northeast of Tauranga's city centre. It combines scheduled airline services with a strong general aviation presence, including flying clubs, charter and scenic operators, and skydiving, making it a varied and approachable field for a visiting VFR pilot. The terminal building sits to the north of the main runway on Jean Batten Drive.
The aerodrome is situated on the coast immediately adjacent to Tauranga Harbour, in the suburb of Mount Maunganui, roughly three kilometres northeast of Tauranga's central business district. Approach control for the area is provided by Christchurch, reflecting the wider regional airspace structure within which Tauranga sits.
Tauranga has two paired runways plus a pair of grass crosswind strips. The main runway, 07/25, is a hard-surfaced strip 5,982 feet long and lit, suitable for the airport's airline and larger charter traffic. Alongside it runs a shorter grass runway, 07L/25R, 2,591 feet long and also lit. Two further grass runways serve as crosswind options: 04/22 at 2,087 feet and 16/34 at 1,889 feet, neither of which is lit. The field sits at an elevation of 10 feet and there is no ILS approach.
Tauranga's Common Traffic Advisory Frequency and tower frequency are both 118.3 MHz. An ATIS broadcast is available on 126.6 MHz. Approach services for the area are provided by Christchurch Approach on 119.5 MHz.
The airport's position beside Tauranga Harbour, with Mount Maunganui itself as a prominent coastal landmark nearby, provides a clear visual reference for pilots inbound from the coast or over the harbour.
The airfield began in 1935 when the Tauranga Aero Club leased land adjacent to Tauranga Harbour in Mount Maunganui to establish an aerodrome. During the Second World War it was taken over for military use, with the runways extended and a hangar built, and it served predominantly as a pilot training station. The airport was returned to the Tauranga Aero Club in 1945, and the following year the club began passenger flights to Motiti Island, later extending services to Matakana Island. From June 1966 to August 1967 the main runway was closed for sealing; during this period Adastra Aviation flew services to Auckland and Rotorua using aircraft small enough to operate from the secondary runways. When the sealing was completed in August 1967, National Airways Corporation (NAC) introduced Fokker Friendship services to Tauranga, and in 1978 Air New Zealand took over these passenger services after merging with NAC.
Tauranga Airport remains home to a range of aviation services, clubs and activities, alongside scheduled Air New Zealand flights to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, plus regional airline, scenic and charter operations and skydiving. The Classic Flyers Museum is located close to the airport, adding to its appeal for visiting pilots and aviation enthusiasts. The terminal is located north of the runway on Jean Batten Drive.
