Owned by Air National and operated by Vincent Aviation Ltd, of Wellington, the jet, carrying 18 tourists, dotted down at Te Anau to a water arch welcome, provided by the Te Anau and Manapouri Volunteer Fire Brigades and a flyover by local helicopters and planes.
A piper led the passengers in before they were welcomed by Southland Mayor Frana Cardno, Te Anau-Manapouri Airport chief executive Erik Barnes and airport manager Evan Pearce.
Mr Pearce told the Otago Daily Times yesterday was "an extremely good day".
"It's wonderful for me, but it's even better for the whole community.
"This is a big event for the size of airport, as not even Napier, Wanaka, Timaru or Nelson have regular visits from a jet this size.
"When you look at what we've done over the past 18 months to bring the airport up to the standard needed, this is the icing on the cake, to actually see the aircraft touching down on our runway," Mr Pearce said.
The project began last July with the first step to get the airport's designation changed to allow jet aircraft to land.
Once approval had been given by several submitters, the airport had to fulfil Civil Aviation Authority requirements, which included a widened runway strip area and an approach-light system.
Mr Pearce said the airport was working with Tauck Tours, a company focused on "wealthy US tourists".
The five-star escorted Tauck Tours New Zealand itinerary sees tourists arrive in Auckland and take in Waiheke, Rotorua, the Marlborough Sounds and Wellington before the exclusive charter flight, which has been configured to carry 75 economy passengers, or 48 business-class seats, to Te Anau.
After a Milford Sound cruise, the tourists are flown by jet to Queenstown for two nights before going on to Christchurch where the New Zealand tour ends.
The charter flight trips to Te Anau would run for the summer season.
