‘Couldn’t sleep last night’: joy at New Zealand airports as Covid travel ban on Australians lifts

Change to border restrictions marks first step in welcoming international visitors back to country after two years

Hello & kia ora & g'day & welcome" a sign waved at Auckland's international airport said on Wednesday morning as Australian travellers set foot on New Zealand soil for the first time since the short-lived travel bubble between the two countries abruptly ended in mid-2021.

More than 4,000 people travelling from Australia on Air New Zealand flights are expected to arrive at Auckland and Wellington airports on Wednesday, after the Covid-19 border restrictions lifted at midnight.