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Find cheap flights to South Island from $40

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from New Zealand to South Island departing on 13/5. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
Tue 4/6
Tue 11/6

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Best South Island Flight Deals

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

Christchurch
Christchurchdirect$115
Queenstown
Queenstowndirect$150
Nelson
Nelsondirect$170
Dunedin
Dunedindirect$161
Invercargill
Invercargilldirect$299
Blenheim
Blenheimdirect$268

Good to know

Low season

November

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$40
Best time to beat the crowds (3% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (6% more expensive on average)
Flight from Wellington to Christchurch

FAQs - booking South Island flights

  • How long is the flight to South Island?

    An average direct flight from New Zealand to South Island takes 2h 38m, covering a distance of 981 km. The most popular route is Auckland - Queenstown with an average flight time of 1h 50m.

  • What is the cheapest flight to South Island?

    The cheapest ticket to South Island from New Zealand found in the last 72 hours was $93. The most popular route is from Auckland to Queenstown and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $143.

  • Which airlines fly to South Island?

    Air New Zealand, Qantas Airways & Etihad Airways fly the most frequently from New Zealand to South Island.

  • What are the most popular destinations in South Island?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Queenstown (43% of total searches to South Island). The next most popular destinations are Christchurch (29%) and Nelson (9%). Searches for flights to Dunedin (8%), to Invercargill (7%) and to Blenheim (4%) are also popular.

  • How does KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Island

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest South Island flight deals.

Top airlines flying to South Island

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from New Zealand to South Island? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.2
Air New ZealandOverall score based on 640 reviews
8.4Boarding
8.8Crew
7.9Entertainment
8.1Comfort
7.7Food
Airline reviews

Short flight so no entertainment, turbulence so no food service - overall flight as expected

8.0 ExcellentMichelle, Apr 2024NPL - AKL
Read more about Air New Zealand reviews

Short flight so no entertainment, turbulence so no food service - overall flight as expected

Great meal. Best seats ever! They need to teach other airlines how to do that.

Overall excellent but the Captain kept the seat belt sign on for far too long, especially at the beginning and end of the flight. It was 2 hours after take-off before the crew were able to start the service (on an 11 hour night flight, reducing our sleeping time) and the seat belt sign on went on during breakfast (90 mins before landing) and was not turned off again until we landed. This made for an uncomfortable journey of trying to limit fluid intake because it was unclear when the toilets would be available for use.

Food was not good. We asked for Muslim food and it was weird tasteless type of boiled veges.

Crew were pleasant, happy to be there and were a joy to be around. Entire operation was professional, well thought out and ran like a Swiss clock.

United flight from SFO to PDX was cancelled. I will ask for a refund. Had to book on Alaska

They announced food service but then never came around. We also couldn’t land so kept trying to get to runway and then had to come up and go around happened like 3 times and cause the child next to me to start throwing up

There was a snafu with confirming seats at check which left us in limbo for the second leg of our trip. I believe the ANZ app is not well integrated with the systems at the terminal resulting in this disconcerting error.

Flight attendants are always pleasant and helpful. Pilot kept us updated.

Just a hiccup being added to the NZ Traveller Declaration a bit late.

a constant reminder that you need to work harder so you can avoid this airline

Would be better if can provide small free snacks on a long flight

Boarding was easy and unstressful, though the early "final call" was a bit off-putting. The crew were pleasant, and the seats were comfortable. The prices for food and drink were reasonable, apart from tea and coffee, where simple percolated coffee was charged at espresso prices. Deboarding was OK, though some Jetstar passengers appear to have a bad habit of pushing forward from their assigned rows, making it more difficult to get out for passengers that have paid a premium to sit up-front. Jetstar might want to look to address this to stop it from spreading.

The price difference/saving isn't sufficient to compensate the experience difference, don't recommend unless flight is under 3 hours. Huge queues for check in and the priority lane of other ailines blocked checked in Jetstar passengers from proceeding through to screening. Gate change to a "dungeon gate" that didn't have toilets in the vicinity. 45minute delay in boarding, no updates or explaination, let alone apology for any inconvenience. 1 scanner working for a full fight to board, no coordination. Loaded on to crowded buses to get on the plane in the middle of the tarmac, up stairs with no explaination. 4 bus trips. No system for boarding in sections. Over an hour late departing. Nothing complimentary, not even water or in-flight music. Pay wave not available and no cash sales. Staff onboard were friendly and professional.

Flight was delayed by 1 hour, we board then had to sit on the tarmac for another hour before take off. The flight was fine but again another delay with the baggage which took another hour to appear on the carousel.

It was a super crowded time to travel out of Melbourne, but the flight was OK

Worst experience ever flying Melbourne to Phuket. 5 hours delayed! Didn’t land till 1am in the morning. Staff were rude and unhelpful

Captains address to passengers was excellent. Knee room in seating was very uncomfortable.

Flight departing too early at 06.15 Difficult to get to airport

Plane was more than 3 hrs delayed as the only plane on that day. Had to wait 1 hrs in the plane which was very unpleasent.

Book Cheap South Island Plane Tickets

Recent return flight deals

22/5Wed
directJetstar
1h 20mAKL-CHC
5/6Wed
directJetstar
1h 20mCHC-AKL
$115
11/6Tue
directJetstar
1h 25mAKL-CHC
13/6Thu
directJetstar
1h 20mCHC-AKL
$116
4/6Tue
directJetstar
1h 25mAKL-CHC
11/6Tue
directJetstar
1h 20mCHC-AKL
$118
20/6Thu
directJetstar
1h 20mAKL-CHC
4/7Thu
directJetstar
1h 20mCHC-AKL
$120
21/6Fri
direct
1h 05mWLG-CHC
23/6Sun
direct
0h 50mCHC-WLG
$156
28/6Fri
direct
0h 45mWLG-NSN
2/7Tue
direct
0h 45mNSN-WLG
$170
20/6Thu
directOriginair
0h 40mWLG-NSN
24/6Mon
directOriginair
0h 40mNSN-WLG
$221
13/9Fri
directAir New Zealand
1h 55mAKL-ZQN
16/9Mon
directAir New Zealand
1h 50mZQN-AKL
$225
28/6Fri
directAir New Zealand
0h 45mWLG-NSN
2/7Tue
1 stopAir New Zealand
15h 20mNSN-WLG
$238
17/5Fri
directOriginair
0h 40mWLG-NSN
19/5Sun
directOriginair
0h 40mNSN-WLG
$329

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Recent one-way flight deals

13/5Mon
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
$40
7/6Fri
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
$45
23/7Tue
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
$60
14/6Fri
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
$65
26/5Sun
directJetstar
1h 50mAKL-ZQN
$65
25/7Thu
directAir New Zealand
1h 05mWLG-CHC
$95
1/10Tue
directAir New Zealand
1h 55mAKL-ZQN
$115
9/5Thu
directSounds Air
0h 45mWLG-NSN
$143
25/9Wed
1 stop
7h 20mAKL-ZQN
$173
15/5Wed
1 stop
6h 40mAKL-DUD
$208

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Last minute flights to South Island

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

7/5Tue
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
8/5Wed
directJetstar
0h 50mCHC-WLG
$145
7/5Tue
directJetstar
0h 50mWLG-CHC
8/5Wed
directJetstar
0h 50mCHC-WLG
$160
10/5Fri
directJetstar
1h 25mAKL-CHC
20/5Mon
directJetstar
1h 20mCHC-AKL
$186
7/5Tue
directJetstar
1h 50mAKL-ZQN
8/5Wed
multi-stopJetstar
11h 55mZQN-AKL
$318
7/5Tue
directJetstar
1h 50mAKL-ZQN
10/5Fri
directJetstar
1h 50mZQN-AKL
$326
7/5Tue
direct
1h 50mAKL-ZQN
8/5Wed
direct
1h 50mZQN-AKL
$348
8/5Wed
directAir New Zealand
1h 30mAKL-NSN
10/5Fri
multi-stopAir New Zealand
7h 35mNSN-AKL
$401
8/5Wed
directAir New Zealand
1h 30mAKL-NSN
10/5Fri
directAir New Zealand
1h 30mNSN-AKL
$428
9/5Thu
directAir New Zealand
1h 30mAKL-BHE
11/5Sat
multi-stopAir New Zealand
7h 05mBHE-AKL
$474
9/5Thu
multi-stopAir New Zealand
2h 35mAKL-BHE
11/5Sat
multi-stopAir New Zealand
10h 05mBHE-AKL
$502

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Flights to South Island

Cabin classes:

$3,058
$574
$689
$42

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