Queenstown Airport has opened a new $17million international terminal to cope with record growth in passenger numbers.
The 4100sq m expansion to the southern end of the terminal building has increased its footprint by a third to more than 16,000sqm - a total area equivalent to more than two rugby fields - and doubled the airport's international operations.
Airport chief executive Scott Paterson said the expansion put the airport ''ahead of the curve'' for the first time in years.
With evening flights expected from next winter expanding the airport's flying window, the development had set up the airport for the next three to five years.
''It's been a constant battle as our infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with huge year-on-year passenger growth, so this time we are very fortunate to have strong support from our airline users to build a bigger shell for future expansion.''
Nearly 1.4million passengers passed through the airport a year, and international passenger volumes had grown from 24,000 in 2005 to 381,000 this year. That number was expected to rise to more than 660,000 within a decade.
The first passengers were processed in the terminal's arrivals hall on June 3, with the remaining areas opening in stages.
Up to 150 contractors at a time have been working two shifts seven days a week for the past nine months to complete the project on time and on budget.
The expansion accommodates two gate lounges, a Customs processing area, expanded retail outlets, a third baggage carousel, back-of-house handling areas and a duty-free store double the size of its predecessor.
Mr Paterson said it included a mezzanine floor that could be brought into operation to house expanded facilities as passenger numbers continued to grow.
Space had been set aside in the Customs area for Smart Gates, which would further speed up passenger flows. The airport was pushing Customs to have them introduced as soon as possible.
The new inbound arrivals hall would still reach capacity at peak times, but would be a vast improvement on the temporary ''pop-up'' structure used last winter that became ''overcrowded'' nearly every day, he said.
The new terminal will be officially opened at a private function next Wednesday, which is the 20th anniversary of the airport welcoming its first international flight.
