Airport chief executive Glen Sowry said the board had elected, under its dividend policy, to pay the maximum 70% of the net profit after tax to its shareholders, the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Auckland International Airport Ltd.
That equated to $4.49 million for the council for the first six months of this financial year.
Mr Sowry said that equated to about $150 per ratepayer and, annualising that, it would be "a bit north" of $300 per ratepayer going to the council’s coffers.
"I think it’s a really important and significant contribution to the QLDC’s balance sheet.
"Business is performing well and we’re really pleased — for the [first] half year, our NPA [net profit after tax] was $11.5 million."
The last dividend, in August, was $1.3 million.
Mr Sowry said the dividend payment was an opportunity to reward shareholders "for their patience" through what had been an incredibly challenging period, because of the effects of Covid.
On the rebound, he said no-one anticipated how quickly the travel industry, and international tourism, would recover — passenger numbers travelling through Queenstown Airport were "very similar" to pre-Covid.
"Winter last year ... you couldn’t sit on a chairlift without speaking to an Aussie on the skifields.
"We saw very strong demand for Australians coming to Queenstown Lakes region for ski holidays.
"Domestically, in part [those] who might have ordinarily gone to Ruapehu found that was not skiable, so we’ve seen more down this side of the country.
"That’s continued on."
There was still strong demand out of Australia and, particularly over the past couple of months, "really good demand" from the North American markets.
About 70% of all of Queenstown Airport’s traffic were domestic flights and, of those, about 70% was the Auckland-Queenstown route.
Both Air New Zealand and Jetstar had "really strong [domestic] schedules", the former having introduced the quieter and more efficient A321neo.
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar had all filed "strong schedules" for the coming winter.
"Business is performing well and we’re really pleased.
"We’re really proud of the result and the contribution we’re able to make to the financial wellbeing of the district.
"But, of course, we’re also highly conscious of the role that we have to play around the sustainability of the region.
"That’s why we’re very committed to and supportive of the carbon zero 2030 aspiration that Lake Wānaka and QLDC have put forward, and the master plan will be very focused on how we can help enable and achieve that."
The airport’s draft master plan — looking to the next 30 years — in partnership with the council, would be going to the community in the second half of May for feedback.
"[We’re] excited about the opportunity to engage with the community on that.
"This is about ensuring that the airport is as sustainable as it can be, that it meets the needs of local residents and that we’re a good neighbour.
"It’s not a short-term view of the airport — it’s elongated to ensure that it’s fit for purpose to meet the needs of the local community for many years to come."
