Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Nelson Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit. Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.
NSN Airport Overview
To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Nelson Airport.
What to Expect
The small, brand new terminal at Nelson Airport (code: NSN) opened in October 2018 and handles domestic routes. Amenities are limited to a cafe, a to-go kiosk, a convenience shop, and free WiFi. For added comfort while you wait, Air New Zealand passengers may have access to its lounge. See Airport Lounges in the guide below for location and access information.
Sleeping in Nelson Airport
The airport closes nightly, so it is not possible to spend the night here. For uninterrupted sleep, nearby hotels offers shuttle service. See our Airport Hotels section below for more info or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips.
To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s web site for current information. For more airport information continue scrolling down to explore more in our Nelson Airport Guide.
In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security. For more information on Europe’s Schengen Area, click here.
Airport Lounges
Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships
Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge that you can enter through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and to also find out how you can gain lounge access with just an economy class ticket!
- Air New Zealand Lounge – Location: Landside. Lounge Access: Air New Zealand Koru Club Membership.
Related Pages: Nelson Airport Lounges
Airport Hotels
If sleeping in the airport sounds like a nightmare, there are hotels near Nelson Airport:
- Greens Motel » Check Rates
For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Nelson Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.
Airport WiFi/Internet
Free WiFi is available at Nelson Airport for one hour. Connect to ‘Nelson Airport free SPOT’ and follow instructions.
More Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover At The Airport
ATMs / Cash Machines – Need cash? ATMs are available. Fees may apply, so be sure to check your bank’s fee schedule and your daily withdrawal limit if you are travelling internationally. You may also want to notify your bank of your travel plans. Locations: main terminal.
Baby Care Facilities – If you are travelling with an infant, there are baby care rooms for breastfeeding and diaper-changing. Location: corridor adjacent to the bathrooms.
Baggage Trolleys – Need a hand with your luggage? Baggage trolleys are available in the main terminal.
Children’s Play Area – Yes, there is an outdoor play area for children.
Conference Facilities – A small meeting room is available for rent in the main terminal.
Duty Free & Shopping – Duty Free shopping is not available. The only shopping option is The Nelson Store, selling magazines, lottery tickets, and more. Location: opposite Wayfarer Café. Hours: 5:30AM – last flight departure (Mon – Sat) • 6:30AM – last flight departure (Sun).
Food & Drink – Three options are available: Sublime (coffee and small treats) • Wayfarer Café (larger range of food and drinks including alcoholic beverages) • McCashin’s Bar (local products and snacks).
Luggage Storage & Lockers – Not available.
Medical Services – Customer Service Officers, located by the departure gate, have Automated external defibrillators (AED) and basic first aid training for emergencies.
Mobile Charging – A reader tells us a “mobile charging USB station is available at one of the cafes.” (August 2022)
Observation Deck – Relax and watch planes taking off and landing from the vantage point of the airport’s observation deck. Location: in the main terminal
Rest Zones – There are no dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.
Showers – A reader tells us there is a “public shower in the toilets at Nelson airport at the current terminal. I’ve used the one in the men’s bathroom a few times after mountain biking trips and it’s free to use.” Location: Landside. (November 2022)
SIM Cards – A reader has asked us to include where to buy SIM Cards. If you know, click here to update this airport guide.
Walking Track – A 5.75km walkway circles the airport perimeter. The track starts at the recreational car park, where cars can be left for up to 3 hours. Pets and bicycles are not permitted on it.
Airport Hours
The airport is open 4:30AM – 9:00PM (Mon-Fri), 4:30AM-8:30PM (Sat) and 5:00AM-9:00PM (Sun). Closing is subject on the last flight of the day.
Airlines
Nelson airport is served by the following airlines: Air New Zealand • Golden Bay Air • JetStar • OriginAir • Sounds Air.
Airport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport
Car Rentals
Car rentals are available onsite. Companies include: Avis • Budget • Europcar • Hertz • NZ Rentacar • Thrifty.
Airport Shuttle
Super Shuttle operates fixed rate transfers from the airport to Nelson. Bookings can be made online or over the phone.
Hotel Shuttles
At the time of this update there were no hotels providing airport shuttle service. See also Airport Hotels above.
Taxi
Taxis are available in front of the airport at the designated taxi rank. Nelson City Taxis is the only company with a taxi on rank.
Last updated: 2024-01-31
This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning. All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice. The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or write a review.