Queenstown Airport's paid a 5.3-million dollar dividend to shareholders, as passenger numbers rise above pre-Covid levels

The airport's arrivals and departures in the second half of 2023 were up 3.3-percent on 2022 -- and 0.5-percent on 2019 figures.

International traffic is performing better than domestic -- with local travel still down about five-percent on pre-pandemic levels.

Queenstown Lakes District Council will receive just under four-million dollars as the majority shareholder.

Auckland International Airport will pocket 1.3 million.