The airport comprises a small 110-hectare (270-acre)[6] site on the Rongotai isthmus, a stretch of low-lying land between Wellington proper and the hilly Miramar Peninsula.

The airport is bordered by residential and commercial areas to the east and west, and by Evans Bay in Wellington Harbour to the north and Cook Strait to the south.

Wellington has a reputation for sometimes rough and turbulent landings, even in larger aircraft, due to the channelling effect of Cook Strait creating strong and gusty winds, especially in pre-frontal north-westerly conditions.

[12] The first timetabled commercial flights into Rongotai Airport took place on 30 December 1935, when two de Havilland Express biplane airliners of Cook Strait Airways with paying passengers flew in from Nelson and Blenheim.

Early aviator Charles Kingsford Smith flew into Wellington and was said to be "perturbed" about conditions at Rongotai, where wind swirled around and the hills were very close.

[15][16] A scale model of the landscape around the airport was made and tested in a wind tunnel,[17] and, starting in 1936, the height of Moa Point Hill at the eastern end of Lyall Bay was lowered to improve the approach to the runway.

[14]: 20–21  After several options for development were considered, Wellington City Council agreed to the Rongotai Terrace scheme in February 1951.

About 180 houses at Rongotai Terrace and Wexford Road on the hill were demolished or relocated to the newly reclaimed land at Evans Bay.

In 1991, the airport released plans to widen the taxiway to CAA Code D & E specifications[27] and acquire extra space,[28] which were abandoned after protests from local residents.

[31] In April 2006, Air New Zealand and Qantas announced that they proposed to enter into a codeshare agreement, arguing that it would be necessary in order to reduce empty seats and financial losses on trans-Tasman routes.

The airport counter-argued that the codeshare would stifle competition and passenger growth on Wellington's international flights, pointing to what it saw as a market duopoly dominated by Air New Zealand and Qantas.

[47] The eight-storey building is constructed on a 12.5 degree angle as if leaning into the prevailing northerly wind, and is built to stand up to a 10-metre high tsunami wave.

[48] The former control tower at Tirangi Road was then put up for sale by Airways New Zealand, but was found to be unsuitable for redevelopment due to structural issues and asbestos contamination.

[54] An upgrade of the domestic terminal, budgeted at NZ$10 million, was announced in 1981, but by 1983 the plans were shelved after cost projections more than doubled.

[57] In 2003, the airport installed a large statue of Gollum on the outside of the terminal in order to promote the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Featuring round structures covered in weathered copper, the design aroused a great deal of controversy and was nicknamed "The Rock".

The role of 2 MCU was the logistic control and movement of defence personal and freight throughout New Zealand and abroad, utilising both civilian and military modes of transport.

[80] A full-length runway extension to accommodate long-haul international flights has been previously investigated,[28][81][82][83][84] but would require expensive land reclamation into Lyall Bay, and massive breakwater protection from Cook Strait.

Air New Zealand has questioned potential demand for such flights, citing the axing of its Christchurch-Los Angeles route in early 2006.

[85] Regional business organisations and the airport have put forward their case to various international airlines for long-haul operations to and from Wellington,[55][86] pointing out that Christchurch's economy is mainly industrial and agricultural, while arguing that Wellington's economy is based mainly on what they see as the higher-value public service, financial, ICT, and creative sectors.

According to WIAL in 2009, the forthcoming Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 were originally predicted to have improved runway performance over existing long-haul aircraft, opening up the possibility of direct air links to Asia and the Americas if commercially viable.

[88] However, when the B787 was introduced into service, it was found that the "actual performance was not as favourable as was originally envisaged", prompting a decision to extend the north end of the runway.

[89] In 2011, the Wellington City Council, Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and local business leaders reiterated their support for lengthening the runway, as part of the Airport's 2030 Long Term Plan, but questions were raised about a possible conflict of interest regarding the then incumbent Mayor's role on Infratil's board of directors.

[92] In 2013, United Arab Emirates-based airline Emirates said it would consider Wellington as a destination while the airport operator said 1000 people connect with long-haul flights to and from the capital each day.

[97] On 8 May 2024, the airport announced a pause on plans for a runway extension, in order to get consent to rebuild the southern seawall.

[103] The 747SP service to Wellington continued until 1985, when Qantas and later Air New Zealand took delivery of the more capable and economical Boeing 767-200ER type.

[citation needed] However, the New Zealand Government refused Pan Am's request for the route, citing Auckland Airport as the main gateway for overseas flights and the ability to generate passenger numbers amongst other things.

SH 1 then continues to the Wellington Urban Motorway, which takes traffic out of the city and further afield to Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast, and also onwards to the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa via State Highway 2.